Report: Nissan Leaf sales to exceed 10,000 in U.S. by end of 2011

Have buyers lost interest in the Nissan Leaf? That's one of the questions recently posed by Automotive News' (sub. req.) Rick Kranz. Despite the hoopla over Nissan's battery-powered hatch, a measly 1,044 Leafs had been sold in the U.S. by the end of April, says Kranz.

Kranz asks, "Have Leaf sales short-circuited?" The answer is "no." Supply seems to be the major issue here, with AN claiming that Nissan has only a 14-day surplus of Leafs in the U.S.

Despite reports that most Japanese automakers have slashed production due to the devastating earthquake and tsunami, Nissan is, in fact, boosting Leaf output each month. Based on orders and hand-raisers, AN says that Nissan expects to end 2011 with sales of its electric hatch exceeding 10,000 units in the U.S. Of course, that number doesn't include Leaf sales in Japan, the UK, Ireland and so on.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]