It looks like the Titan truck isn’t the only model Nissan is looking to cut from its lineup. According to a report from Automotive News, Nissan is saying goodbye to the Leaf EV. Nissan bet big on the EV market when it first brought the Leaf to the American market back in 2010, but the small hatchback didn’t make enough of an impact. With its battery only able to muster a paltry 76 miles of driving initially, it did nothing to curb the growing concern of range anxiety. The world wasn’t quite ready to ditch dino juice for electricity at that moment in time.
Then, just a few years after the Leaf made its debut, cars like the Chevy Volt and then the Tesla Model S made Nissan’s offering seem unimpressive to say the least. Regardless, Nissan stuck with the Leaf by moving production to the United States and making incremental improvements to range. However, it was never quite able to keep up with its competitors, especially the juggernaut that is Tesla.
While it is true that the Nissan Leaf is one of the cheapest EVs on the market right now, it still has less range than other EVs in its segment. In our buyer’s guide we noted that we appreciate the Leaf’s value for money; especially considering its quiet cabin and semi-autonomous driving tech. However, its small size, uncompetitive driving range, and comfortable seats had to be called out.
The report from Automotive News predicts that Nissan will end production on the Leaf sometime around 2025 with no plans for a next-generation replacement. However, by then Nissan will have added several new EVs to its line up. The 2023 Nissan Ariya SUV, set to go on sale later this year, is the first example of Nissan’s strategy to have at least 15 EVs in its line up by 2030.
Can the Ariya SUV and Nissan’s other future EV offerings be enough to accomplish what the Leaf couldn’t? When we drove the Ariya prototype back in March, we were fairly impressed with the natural feel of its brakes, precise steering, and its comfort with a wet driving surface (it rained during the prototype drive). Though, that was just a prototype. If the Ariya looks to correct the mistakes of the Leaf, the final product needs to be exceptional.
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