Nissan Leaf growing in popularity as a taxi

Sales of the Leaf haven't exactly taken off like Nissan had expected, but the all-electric hatchback is experiencing a new wave of popularity in Europe as a taxi cab.

According to Nissan, taxi fleets in Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Spain and the UK have switched to the Leaf as a way of reducing operating costs. Whereas the typical European cab runs on costly diesel fuel, the Leaf operates on cheaper electrical power.

"There is little doubt that the Nissan Leaf is an ideal vehicle for taxi operators,” Jean-Pierre Diernaz, Nissan's Director of Electric Vehicles in Europe, said. “It's cheap to run and easy to maintain. It's good to drive and passengers like the space and comfort.”

It's estimated that one Nissan Leaf could save a taxi company about $7,500 in annual fuel costs.

Although cheaper to fuel than an average taxi, there is one major downfall to using a Leaf as a cab – limited range. However, several major cities are installing networks of fast chargers, which can fill up the Leaf's batteries to an 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes. Nissan notes that Leafs with partially charged batteries can top up on electricity in as little as 15 minutes.

Nissan says there are a few Leaf taxis running around New York City, but that practice will come to an end once Nissan's own NV200 takes its place as the city's official taxi cab.