Rafael Reyes on Sunday, 12 December 2010 01:19
Nissan Leaf Worldwide Launch with BACC
Watch the Nissan Leaf Worldwide launch with remarks from Nissan Americas Chairman, Carlos Tavares, BACC Director Rafael Reyes, Air Quality Management District CEO Jack Broadbent and San Francisco Director of the Environment Melanie Nutter.
Updated: Remarks by Bay Area Climate Collaborative Director, Rafael Reyes
If we had walked these streets 100 years ago we'd see horses, trolleys, and of course, cars. All kinds of cars. Chain drive cars, shaft drive cars, ones with tillers, ones with steering wheels. Gas powered, electric powered, even some steam. It was a time of innovation. But in the 100 years since we have innovated only at the margins in personal transport.
Today Nissan brings a renewed burst of innovation to our streets which will transform how people move. An advanced affordable vehicle that is not only fun to drive but costs less to fuel and operate. And not a moment too soon.
Just last month the International Energy Agency stated that the world has reached its maximum production of petroleum from existing and even undiscovered oil fields. Economic consequences lie ahead.
Nissan has given us a better way to power transportation. We don’t have to send $350 billion to unfriendly countries for increasingly costly supplies of oil. We can invest that at home to innovate and create jobs. And we can safeguard our resources. We can have clean air and a clean atmosphere.
It’s fitting that the launch of this landmark vehicle is here. Unprecedented collaboration by local and regional governments, business and non-profits is making the Bay Area the EV Capital of America. In October as one example, the region announced a series of game-changing EV projects, supported in part by the Bay Area Climate Collaborative co-founded by Mayor Newsom, for taxis, local government fleets, car share and charging stations ensuring that all Leaf and EV owners can get where they need to go. The vehicles in these projects will save over 700,000 gallons of gas per year worth over $2 million, enough to drive across the US 5,000 times in a typical car.
We are grateful that the landmark innovation by Nissan which makes this moment possible.