8:40 am, May 1, 2024
A Nissan dealer on the south coast has helped put a Nissan Leaf to good use more than 4,000 miles away from home.
South West Nissan in Exeter supplied the vehicle to the Met Office, who are now using it at their remote base on Ascension Island, in the South Atlantic.
The volcanic island forms part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha and is home to a small team of specialists who work for the Government agency.
After deciding that the time was right to deploy an EV on the island, bosses at the Met Office’s headquarters in Exeter got in touch with the dealership to see if they could help.
Jon Davies, a commercial vehicle specialist at the site, was only too happy to help and, after arranging the sale, the car was aboard a Merchant Navy vessel sailing from Southampton to the South Atlantic.
Explaining what happened, Davies said: ‘Our Exeter dealership and Van Centre is not too far from the Met Office’s HQ in the city and they decided the time was right for an eco-friendly car on Ascension Island, where they have one of their bases.
‘Once they had decided that they wanted a Leaf, they got in touch with us and we were delighted to assist. From us, the car went to Southampton, where it left on a Merchant Navy ship to the island.’
A Met Office spokesperson confirmed that the car is now in use on Ascension Island and involved in ‘various business purposes’. It is being charged by a solar-powered charging station.
As well as its Nissan dealership in Exeter, the award-winning dealer group South West Nissan represents the brand at branches in Barnstaple, Wellington and Sidmouth.
The Exeter dealership is also home to the South West Nissan Van Centre.
