The initiative had been launched by Nissan last December in Milan, at Palazzo Lombardia. From that point on, and for several months, thanks to a highly sophisticated carpet, residents were able to donate their energy to Progetto Arca onlus simply by walking — the foundation that since 1994 has supported people in need, the poor, refugees and asylum seekers. How? By means of a kinetic carpet capable of converting people's footsteps into electrical energy.

Today, two months and 289,440 steps later, the Leaf For Life project has achieved its noble goal: to donate a Nissan Leaf to Fondazione Progetto Arca onlus for 335 days, enabling the foundation to carry out its many social activities and regular trips around the city (with a maximum range of 250 km), while discovering the benefits of electric mobility.

The initiative by the numbers: 10 days of activity for the kinetic carpet; 289,440 steps taken by people passing over the Nissan installation in the inner courtyard of Palazzo Lombardia; 134 full electric charges of 250 km (equivalent to the Leaf's maximum range) donated by passers-by; 2,160 steps required to complete a full charge; 33,500 total kilometres that can be covered thanks to the donated charges; 335 days of loan granted to the Foundation. To assist families in crisis, refugees and displaced persons (in 2014 more than 45,000 people were reached by the organisation), Progetto Arca covers 100 kilometres every day in Milan alone — kilometres that, from today, will be more sustainable thanks to electric power.