IT HAS taken 18 months, but Nissan’s pioneering Leaf BEV Battery Electric Vehicle is finally on sale in Australia. Ushering in a brave new era of sustainable motoring, the five-seater C-segment hatchback isn’t cheap at $51,500, and faces massive resistance in a world addicted to the ways of petrol, but it is clever, with an appealing and user-friendly interior that’s designed to make potential customers feel at ease. We lived with one for 16 weeks recently, and so here’s our verdict on what is truly a historical automotive event.