3 days ago
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Nissan has pulled the covers off its third-generation Leaf before its full reveal in the middle of the year, confirming the electric car will become a small SUV to rival models from BYD, Kia, Hyundai, MG and more.
Electric Cars
The 2026 Nissan Leaf electric car has debuted as one of the first steps in the brand's turnaround plans amid its financial troubles.
Previewed in Nissan's global new-vehicle announcement ahead of its full reveal in mid-2025, the all-new Leaf will switch from a Toyota Corolla-sized hatchback to a small SUV with a sloped roofline.
Australian deliveries will start between April 2026 and March 2027, the brand has confirmed, following its launch in Europe, Japan and North America by March 2026.
The Leaf – which launched in 2010 as one of the first modern-era electric vehicles, ahead of the Tesla Model S – will continue to be manufactured at Nissan's Sunderland, United Kingdom factory in its third generation, including for the Australian market.
The outgoing Leaf is also built in the United States and Japan, but these locations have not been confirmed for the new model.
Nissan has confirmed the Leaf will be based on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance's CMF-EV architecture shared with the Ariya SUV due in local showrooms by the end of 2025, five years after its global debut.
The Leaf will be the first hybrid or electric car from Nissan to feature its 'X-in-one' components, with a 'three-in-one' configuration combining its motor, inverter and reducer to deliver cost savings.
It also brings a reduction in size and weight over the separate components in the current Leaf, along with improved driving dynamics and less noise and vibration.
A "significant" increase in driving range is claimed over the previous Leaf, which can travel up to 385 kilometres on the European WLTP lab-test standard.
Overseas reports are indicating around 600km of range for the new Leaf, but Australian numbers are still to be confirmed.
Upgrades are likely to include a more powerful front electric motor, a modernised and larger-capacity battery with pre-conditioning support and active cooling, and faster direct-current (DC) charging speeds.
Nissan has confirmed the Leaf will be available with 19-inch alloy wheels – up from 17 inches – and a panoramic sunroof, while North American versions will utilise the NACS charging port to enable access to the Tesla Supercharger network.
Versions sold outside of the US and Canada are likely to switch to the CCS2 charging port, replacing the outdated CHAdeMO charging port found in the current model.
The images confirm it will have pop-out front door handles and hidden rear door handles, while its charging port will be relocated from the front to the side, facing the road for right-hand drive markets.
The full reveal of the 2026 Nissan Leaf is expected in mid-2025, when further details are due to be shared.
Australia will not receive the Micra EV detailed further for the European market overnight – a twin to the Renault 5 – while a cloud hangs over the next-generation Juke, which will become an EV.
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Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
