YOKOHAMA, Japan -- Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn unveiled the first commercial model of the company's new electric vehicle and said he isn't worried about competition from rivals' hybrid cars.

The electric Nissan Leaf will be introduced late next year in the U.S., Europe and Japan, company officials said Sunday at a ceremony that marked both the debut of the car and the opening of new headquarters in Yokohama, south of Tokyo.

Nissan, Japan's third-biggest car maker by sales volume, will roll out the zero-emission car at a time when rivals are also increasing efforts to offer environmentally friendly models, as emission regulations become stricter and oil prices are rallying.

Nissan's domestic competitors, No. 1 Toyota Motor Corp. and No. 2 Honda Motor Co. , earlier this year released updated gasoline-electric hybrids -- Toyota's revamped Prius and Honda's redesigned Insight. Both are scrambling to meet demand.

Nissan's electric car could compete with the Prius, the Insight and other hybrids. But Mr. Ghosn maintains that because electric vehicles emit no exhaust, they are distinct from hybrids and conventional vehicles.