Global consumers, mainly car aficionados in the United States, will have to bear a year of waiting before they could get their hands on the electrically-powered Nissan Leaf as all units so far shipped out were sold out as of this week.

Nissan America management committee chair Carlos Tavares said on Tuesday that the Japanese carmaker has already reserved a total of 20,000 orders for the green car prior to its scheduled showroom appearance, with most reservations coming from affluent Americans on the west coast.

American drivers would be the first to test the environment-friendly car as the Leaf is set to be formally launched in the continental USA as the Japanese firm is underway on its installation of more than 40 charging stations to lure more orders for the innovative vehicle.

Mr Tavares admitted that the task of convincing consumers that the new car is a sound investment would be a tall order for the company, especially considering its price tag of $US32,780 or $A33,208 and the relative scarcity of charging stations, which at present are only located at Nissan dealers.

He added, however, that more than 150 dealers would be established in pilot states across America and the next round of shipment would be delivered by October next year.

Nissan said that at present, Leaf units have to be shipped from the company's plant located in Japan but an annual capacity of 125,000 units should be realised when the US assembly plant in Tennessee becomes fully operational by 2012.

Along with Nissan's thrust of introducing an all-electric van by 2014, Mr Tavares said that the carmaker is currently mulling the idea of localising its production in light of the soaring yen seen lately, which he said pushes up the costs of vehicles and batteries sourced from Japan.

For now, Nissan America is focusing on rebuilding its image on US consumers following the setbacks it suffered in the previous years as it hopes that the Leaf would drive home this point to American hearts for the immediate years to come.

Mr Tavares expressed confidence that the new Nissan Leaf would reshape the company's reputation in the United States as he stressed that "it's a flag demonstrating how innovative we are."