Nissan expects to double the number of  electric-powered  Leafs that its sell in the US this year, Renault;Nissan Chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn said Monday.

  Ghosn, never one to shy away from bold predictions, also predicted that Nissan will pick up market share in the US again this year, noting Nissan plans to replace several models during the coming year. ^@011 wasn~t  a bad year for us,^he said during a press conference at the North American International Auto Show.

^The company is moving in the right direction,^he said. We did  not lose market share in one market in which we compete.  In 2012, this is  going to grow again,^he said. ^All the automotive markets, except in Europe, are growing,^added Ghosn, who noted Nissan has expanded its presence in emerging markets such as China, Russia, India and Brazil.

 ^There is a new Altima, a new Pathfinder and a new Sentra coming,^ Ghosn added

 In addion he expects sales of the Nissan Leaf, which he described as the only genuine electric vehicle sold in the US to double in 2012. Nissan sold 9,700 Leafs in the US last year. ^The only reason we didn~t sell more is because we could not get the batteries,^he added.

 In addition, the Leaf was available in  in but the vehicle was only available in seven  states at the start of 2011 By the end of 2012, Nissan dealers in all 50 states before the end of 2012. ^We~expect  to double sales in 2012,^adding the people who have purchased the Leaf are very happy  with them and 80 percent are consquest customers for Nissan, he added. By Joseph Szczesny