Word is that the 2026 Nissan Leaf will offer over 300 miles of range, representing a massive improvement over the current generation.
When the Nissan Leaf initially started arriving on the North American market in 2011, it was one of the better options for people hoping to make the switch to all-electric vehicles. While the car’s original 24-kWh lithium-ion battery pack could barely muster 90 miles on a full charge, there wasn’t a lot of serious competition within its price range.
The Tesla Model S was certainly capable of much longer journeys than the Leaf. But it was priced anywhere from $71,000 to $108,000 against the Nissan’s $30,000 to $35,000. Compared to a lot of other EVs from the era, the Leaf offered superior travel distances at a lower price. However, as the years progressed, the model became less competitive.
Nissan has done what it could to improve the vehicle’s range over that period, while also miraculously keeping its price down. Larger battery packs have resulted in an EPA estimated range of anywhere from 149 to 212 miles and it’s still one of the better values in the all-electric space. The Leaf remains well built and is quite comfortable. But the current edition is a tougher sell against something like the Tesla Model 3 or Hyundai Ioniq 6 — both of which costs more than the Nissan but also offer significantly more driving range in all formats.
Things may be changing on that front, however. According to an interview Car and Driver held with Nissan has with Nissan senior vice president and chief planning officer Ponz Pandikuthira, the automaker is planning to launch the 2026 model year Leaf with over 300 miles of range.
This undoubtedly means that some trims will be getting an even larger battery pack and likely a higher price tag. However, Pandikuthira stated that ranges will vary — presumably indicating that cheaper options will remain available. Charging times were also said to improve for 2026 and we already know that Nissan will be pivoting to the NACS charging ports so that it can take advantage of the Tesla Supercharger network.
The next-generation Leaf is supposed to become more of a crossover and less of a hatchback. All-wheel drive will also be going away, helping to improve range across the board. However, we’d wager it’ll come back as an option further down the line. The real question is how the above will impact price. Right now, the Nissan Leaf comes with a starting MSRP of roughly $29,000 and this makes it one of the most affordable EVs on our market. But it seems highly plausible that the manufacturer could bump that up by a few thousand dollars, with peak pricing surpassing the current SV Plus trim’s $37,000 price tag.
[Images: Nissan]
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