Fifteen years ago, the Nissan Leaf became the first mass-produced electric car: almost 700 thousand of these cars have been sold to date. However, its evolution over all these years has been quite moderate. The company has been planning a completely new third-generation Leaf for a long time: the first teaser was shown four years ago! The development was delayed against the backdrop of Nissan’s crisis, but now the new Nissan Leaf is completely ready and declassified.
In the third generation, the Nissan Leaf will turn from a hatchback into a compact crossover with a sloping roof. Moreover, the stern with a black glossy overlay, into which the rear lights are built, is designed in the style of the Nissan Z sports car . Interestingly, the new Leaf turned out to be more compact than its predecessor. Even the wheelbase has been reduced from 2700 to 2690 mm. And the length has decreased from 4490 to 4350 mm! But this is for cars for Europe, and the Leaf for the USA has plumper bumpers and an overall length of 4405 mm. The width is 1810 mm, the height is 1550 mm for Europe (this is only 10 mm more than the previous hatchback) and 1557 mm for America. The wheels can be 18 or 19 inches in diameter, but again, narrower and optimized wheels with 195/60 R18 tires (instead of 215/55 R18 for other markets) are prepared for Europe. As a result, the Leaf for Europe turned out to be slightly more streamlined: Cx 0.25 versus 0.26 for other countries.
The cabin promises an enviable spaciousness for this class due to the flat floor and the absence of a central tunnel. A multifunctional armrest box with a wireless charging platform and separate cup holders is installed in the front. The two-level front panel has a single block of instrument and media system displays. The initial versions are equipped with two 12.3-inch screens, while the expensive versions have a diagonal increased to 14.3 inches. The media system can distribute Wi-Fi, supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto protocols, plus there is the proprietary NissanConnect.
Optionally available are a premium Bose audio system with speakers integrated into the front headrests (there are ten of them in the cabin) and an electrochromic panoramic roof that can be darkened in separate sections (a curtain is not provided). Several color schemes are offered for the interior trim, which can be made of fabric, regular leatherette or a more expensive TailorFit material. The trunk volume is 420 liters for cars for America or 437 liters for European versions.
The new Nissan Leaf is built on the universal AmpR Medium platform (aka CMF-EV), which underlies the Renault Scenic E-Tech or Nissan Ariya crossovers . McPherson struts are installed in the front, and a multi-link suspension is installed in the rear (previously, the Leaf had a semi-independent scheme). However, the only electric motor is installed on the front axle, and in a single unit with a gearbox and inverter. This reduced the dimensions of the new module by 10% compared to its predecessor, and in addition reduced vibrations by 75%. The basic Leaf is equipped with a battery with an effective capacity of 52.9 kW h, and its engine develops 174 hp and 345 N m. The second version has a 75.1 kW h battery and an engine with an output of 214 hp and 355 N m.
In both cases, the maximum speed is limited to 160 km/h, but the acceleration time to 100 km/h is still different: 8.6 and 7.6 seconds, respectively. Both batteries are equipped with a liquid thermal control system. The mass of the electric car is from 1794 to 1982 kg, depending on the configuration and the selected battery. The power reserve according to the WLTP cycle is 436 and 604 km, respectively, but Nissan also indicated the range at a constant speed of 130 km/h: 224 and 330 km. The basic Leaf has an on-board rectifier of 7.4 kW and can be charged from DC terminals with a power of up to 105 kW. For versions with a large battery, these figures are higher: 11 kW and 150 kW. In America, the new Leaf will be the first Nissan model to have a NACS charging port, which provides access to the Tesla Supercharger fast charging network. In addition, the electric vehicle is equipped with a 1500-watt household outlet and is capable of powering external consumers.
The first and main market for the third-generation Nissan Leaf electric car will be the United States: sales of Japanese-made cars will begin there this fall. Leafs for Europe will be delivered from a plant in the UK, but the start of sales is scheduled for spring 2026. Prices have not yet been announced.
