Nissan Motor Co. CEO Carlos Ghosn says thousands of orders for the Leaf electric vehicle have convinced Nissan of consumers' demand for it.

Ghosn said Tuesday after a speech to the Detroit Economic Club that Nissan feels very comfortable with what it has undertaken.

The president of Honda Motor Co.'s research and development unit recently questioned whether consumers will accept electric cars' limited range or the time needed to charge them.

Ghosn says Nissan is "not into a situation where we're questioning ourselves about the technology. We're in it."

The all-electric LEAF is set to go on sale in the U.S. in December. Ghosn said the company has received 13,000 preorders from U.S. buyers, who must put down a $99 deposit to get on the reservation list.