(June 18, 2012) Nissan predicts it will double its U.S. sales of the electric Leaf during this fiscal year to 20,000 units, according to Nissan official Bill Krueger.

A new plant in Smyrna, Tenn., will be ready to make the cars in December, helping boost supply before the fiscal year ends in March, Krueger said Saturday.

The automaker is expanding sales nationally after launching in seven states, he said.

Leaf sales have dropped the past two months, trailing General Motors Co.'s rechargeable Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Motor Corp.'s plug-in Prius in May.

Volt deliveries more than tripled to 1,680 units in May, while Leaf sales fell 55 percent to 510. The Leaf is made in a single plant in Japan.

"We've had to fulfill demand from one plant globally," Krueger said. "Once we localize it in December, the second half of the fiscal year is when we'll see most of the supply, demand be available."

Source: Bloomberg News