NISSAN has signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Greater Amman Municipality in Jordan as part of a landmark initiative to provide the Kingdom with its first 100 Nissan LEAF and Nissan e-NV200 electric vehicles (EVs). The vehicles, to be supplied by Bustami & Saheb (BSTC), Nissan's exclusive distributor in the Kingdom, will be operated by Amman's Al Mumayaz Taxi Company in Jordan and will be the first electric vehicles of their kind to be used in the Middle East. "The Nissan LEAF and e-NV200 are Nissan's leading electric vehicles in markets around the world and offer fully-electric operation with zero tailpipe emissions," said Samir Cherfan, Nissan Middle East's Managing Director. "This historic agreement between Nissan, Bustami & Saheb and the Greater Amman Municipality demonstrates the Kingdom's forward-looking vision for a sustainable future that starts with eco-friendly public transport. Awareness of the benefits of sustainable motoring for both private and commercial use will certainly increase from this agreement, which serves as proof-of-concept for future EV applications in the region will draw attention to the positive influence of EVs on public health, the economy and most importantly, the environment." With more than 240,000 Nissan EVs sold worldwide, the LEAF and e-NV200 EVs are proven all-electric vehicles that are environmental-friendly and emit zero CO2 or exhaust gases during operation. They produce very little noise during driving, making them ideal for the busy streets of Amman, in addition to being roomy, fun-to-drive, and with low running costs. The Amman Municipality has begun deploying vehicle-charging stations in major parts of the city to start building an EV charging network. The Municipality will continue to expand the number of available stations to cover a wider area. "The partnership between Nissan, BSTC and the Jordanian Government is the first of its kind in the Kingdom," said Wessam Issa, CEO of Bustami & Saheb (BSTC). "We believe other countries in the Middle East will see the positive impact that the use of electric vehicles will bring. We are very proud to have been able to assist the leaders of this great country in establishing this ground-breaking program. From the day this deal is signed, Nissan EV taxis will be a regular sight around the capital." Nissan has spent more than 20 years investing in and developing the LEAF's lithium-ion batteries, which are compact, powerful, safe and durable. The car's battery modules are located underneath the floor, which means more room in the boot and the cabin. A driving range of up to 160 km on a single charge is offered on the LEAFs to be used as taxis in Amman. The Nissan LEAF can be recharged simply and quickly at home with an EV battery charger, or by using public battery recharging facilities.
