Nissan's New Electric Leaf Leads New York City Marathon

By Marty Bernstein
The Auto Channel
Senior Editor,Detroit Bureau

Millenniums ago when historians say Pheidippides ran 26+ miles from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce the Persians had been defeated in an epic battle, who knew that it could become the precursor of a business model metaphor: Who would defeat whom to win the alternate fuels automobile marathon?

But Sunday, an all-electric Nissan Leaf, the first to market of a modern all electric car would set the course for the 44,344 men and women participating in Sunday’s IMG New York Marathon throughout the five boroughs, 26.2 mile course. There is something more than PR-puffery when a totally new four-wheel vehicle leads the way for an ancient foot race, isn’t there?

The Leaf was one of the many corporate sponsors of the annual event according to Media Post Publications which noted, “The New York City Marathon might take place on the streets of the Big Apple, but brands vying for pole position are looking for both local and national activation. Ann Wells Crandall, SVP of business development for the New York Road Runners Club (NYRRC), which owns the event, says there are 31 sponsors this year--up from 27 last year--with most engaged in multi-year, multi-million deals from two to five years in duration.”

For the 2.5 million spectators of the event including thousands New Yorkers and tourists lining the race course, Nissan’s Leaf was the thing they saw while the vehicle itself was on display a special ‘cheer zones’ along the route. NBC Sports televised the event live with a one hour wrap-up and had a simulcast feed to 129 territories outside the U.S., streamed for free domestically and internationally on NBCsports.com. How much ‘face time’ the Leaf received in these telecasts is not known at this time.

The winners of the IMG New York City Marathon, Gebre Gebremariam, a Kenyan won the men’s race in 2:08:40, the women’s race was won by another Kenyan, Edna Kiplagat in 2:28:20 with first time American runner Shalane Flanagan second at 2:28:40.David Weir. A paraplegic, 31 year old for England, David Weir, won the wheelchair marathon in 1:37:29.

Chilean miner Pena

But it was Edison Pena, the 34 year old survivor of the 70-day Chilean mine disaster who received the most cheers along the race in his 5:40:00 finish of his first ever marathon.

Oh, let’s not forget the Leaf. It’s not Le Mans or the Indy or Daytona, but it is the current winner of the race for pioneering an all electric vehicle. Stay tuned, the race is going to heat-up soon.

Click PLAY to watch Nissan Leaf on-the-road video