Nissan is predicting that up to 20% of its vehicle sales will be zero-emissions models by 2020, according to its European EV boss, Gareth Dunsmore.

“We’re committed to zero emissions and I passionately believe that’s where [our line-up] is headed. We believe that by 2020, where the market conditions are right, we’ll be selling up to 20% of our volume as zero-emissions vehicles.”

Dunsmore cited Norway as an example of where this is already happening. “If you look at Norway, that’s the case there today,” he said. “In March, 6% of sales in the whole of Europe were electric vehicles — the Leaf and NV200. The tipping point is starting to happen, and it’s going to happen city by city, country by country.

“This gradual pace of change means we’ll still build vehicles for everyone, but step by step you’ll see the electrification of the Nissan range and you’ll see us heading towards a zero-emissions future.”

He said there needed to be improvements from ‘the cradle to the grave’ for electric technology. “We’re continuously evolving what metals we’re putting into the battery, but you’ve got to remember it’s also about how you manage that battery once it’s finished its life within the car,” Dunsmore said. “We believe the battery will outlast the life of the car, and it’s about reusing that battery afterwards, rather than recycling.

“On top of that, it’s about reducing the energy required to build a car in the first place, so we’re adding more and more renewable solutions to our factories and within our office buildings."