Nissan may be looking at 2018 to bring to India the Leaf, the world’s best-selling fully electric car.

The Japanese giant unveiled the next-generation Leaf at an event today in Tokyo where it also said that worldwide sales of the car will begin with Japan, US, Canada and Europe.

While there was no official confirmation about launch plans for India media reports stated that the Leaf could debut here before the end of the next year.

Leaf’s India launch could clash with the much-awaited launch of Tesla Model 3, which at USD 35,000 is more expensive than the Nissan car at the moment.

The latest generation Leaf, which costs Yen 3.15 million (Rs 18.61 lakh or USD 29,000) has a 40kWh battery with a cruising range of 400kms, more than three times the current range offered by the Mahindra e2o, one of the two fully electric cars on sale in India.

The Model 3 in comparison runs for a maximum 350kms before asking for a recharge while the Chevrolet Bolt has a range of 410kms.

Slightly longer and wider than the Hyundai Creta, one of India’s best-selling sport utility vehicles, the Nissan Leaf is a five-seater car that offers a cargo space of 435 litres.

Nissan promises a fast charge (up to 80 percent) in 40 minutes on the Leaf. Under normal charging, however, the car will take 8 hours (under 6 kWh) and 16 hours (under 3 kWh).

The concept of electric cars is gaining traction in India faster than expected thanks to a strong government push. While the government has made clear its intention to make mobility 100 percent electric by 2032 some private and state-owned companies have already started to set up the required infrastructure such as charging stations.

Hyundai, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra and even luxury car maker Audi have shown interest in launching electric cars in India. This is despite the fact the current generation electric vehicles have proven to be grossly impractical compared to conventional petrol or diesel powered cars.

One of the main deterrents to buying e-cars is the high acquisition price. The Mahindra e2o, for instance, cost the same as the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the highest-selling premium car in India. Mahindra has promised to launch electric versions of the Scorpio and XUV500 in the coming months. These are expected to cost between Rs 13-20 lakh.