Although the 5,000 Leafs will technically be for retail sales, buyers will still be required to participate in a testing program. All Leafs sold next year will come with a black box designed to monitor recharging habits. Because of the nature of the program, Nissan will select the first 5,000 buyers.
"We don't want these first cars going to somebody who commutes 150 miles a day or who lives a great distance from a recharging station," Mark Perry, Nissan's director of product planning and strategy, told Automotive News.
Nissan has yet to release pricing for the Leaf but says the EV will be on par with similar gasoline powered vehicles.
