The new Nissan LEAF (www.nissan-global.com), the world’s best-selling electric vehicle, was named the ‘2018 World Green Car’ at the 2018 New York International Auto Show.

It is the first all-electric vehicle to win the World Green Car award since the category’s inception in 2016.

Nissan executive vice-president Daniele Schillaci said: “We are very proud that since Nissan LEAF launched in 2010, we have been able to put more than 300,000 zero-emission electric vehicles on the road world-wide, helping to reduce carbon footprints around the globe.”

The Nissan Sunderland plant produces the Nissan Qashqai, Juke, Infiniti Q30 and the 100%-electric Nissan LEAF; the plant has also been producing lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles since 2012.

The plant has produced more than 9 million vehicles since it started in 1986, with 80% of its production exported to over 100 markets world-wide.