Nissan will offer electric vehicle customers a range of additional services, including access to a petrol or diesel car, in an attempt to improve the ownership experience of the Nissan Leaf.

The Nissan Care-EV Leaf customer commitment scheme makes five cast iron pledges designed to provide reassurance and peace of mind, and answer many of the questions that customers face when considering EV ownership for the first time.

Available at all 205 Nissan retailers nationwide, the scheme makes the following promises:

• Rapid charge your Leaf for free at any Nissan dealership and on the Electric Highway

Leaf customers may rapid charge their vehicle for free at 60 Nissan dealerships across the country. Leaf owners can also charge at the 50 and growing locations equipped with rapid charging units installed by Nissan as part of Ecotricity’s Electric Highway. Powered by sustainably sourced electricity from wind and solar power and located at key service stations up and down the UK’s motorway network, these rapid chargers can charge the new Nissan Leaf from empty to 80% in just 30 minutes.

• Borrow a petrol or diesel Nissan free for up to 14 days

Leaf owners who need an extra car for a special occasion can borrow a petrol or diesel Nissan model free of charge for up to two weeks. Simply give your dealer seven days’ notice and cover the fuel and insurance.

• Get to know the Nissan Leaf

Guaranteed 24-hour test drives will allow potential Leaf customers to experience the vehicle and learn just how well it fits their lifestyle.

• Free pan-European EV roadside assistance

In the unlikely event a Leaf customer should run out of power on the road, help will soon be at hand with free towing from Nissan roadside assistance.

• Free battery state of health guarantee

The Nissan Leaf battery state of health guarantee covers against lithium-ion battery capacity loss below nine bars (out of 12) within the first five years or 60,000 miles.

Jim Wright, managing director at Nissan Motor GB, said: “By making firm promises across five key areas we are tackling head on some of the questions we hear from potential customers when considering electric cars for the first time.

“These commitments deliver unprecedented levels of support to customers and make the Leaf a practical, desirable and affordable reality for many more motorists.

“The pledge to offer Leaf owners a free diesel or petrol Nissan for up to 14 days a year is particularly revolutionary.

"It means Leaf drivers can enjoy the many benefits of Leaf ownership, such as running costs of just two pence per mile, on their normal daily commute and then, when they’re going on holiday or have a longer trip to make, borrow a car that’s more appropriate to their journey.”

The Nissan customer commitment comes in the wake of the launch of the all-electric BMW i3, which also provides use of a petrol or diesel vehicle.

BMW Access lets drivers choose from a selection of BMW Group vehicles if they need to make a journey that is beyond the range of their BMW i3.

Available through BMW Financial Services’ Electric Packages, owners receive points to redeem against the use of a BMW vehicle. They can book vehicles and manage your points online, as well as buy additional points so they can have longer use of a car or choose a different model within the range.