Nissan Ads Take Aim at Tesla Model 3

Earlier this month, Tesla revealed the all-new Model 3, and while it accumulated a hefty amount of pre-orders, Nissan is striking back with its latest ad campaign that appeared this week in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal.

The ad reminds customers that the Nissan Leaf has been on sale since 2010, at a significantly less expensive price than the anticipated Model 3. Nissan asks the public, “Why wait when you can drive an all-electric Leaf now,” taking direct aim at the upcoming electric sedan that requires a $1,000 deposit and won’t hit the market until next year.

When the Leaf first launched, it hoped to sell 150,000 units annually, but with falling oil prices, the consumer demand for electric vehicles dwindled. Sales for the Nissan Leaf fell 43 percent in 2015, dropping to only 17,269 deliveries. To put this figure in perspective, reservations of the Tesla Model 3 reached nearly 200,000 just hours after orders opened.

Despite the sales downturn, Nissan Motor Co. CEO Carlos Ghosn believes that electric vehicles will catch on as emissions restrictions get tighter. The 2016 Nissan Leaf is on sale now, and is offering $4,000 cash back, boasting best-in-class range of 107 miles per charge.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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