Nissan to Launch New Leaf EV in Japan This Month

Tokyo, Oct. 8 (Jiji Press)–Nissan Motor Co. said Wednesday that it will start accepting orders for the third-generation Leaf electric vehicle in Japan on Oct. 17. The new model can travel 702 kilometers on a single battery charge, about 50 pct more than the second-generation Leaf. A battery can be charged from 10 pct capacity to 80 pct in around 35 minutes, some 30 pct faster than the previous model. The Japanese automaker positions the Leaf as the next mainstay car, encouraging consumers to switch from gasoline-powered or gas-electric hybrid vehicles. Nissan already launched the new model in the United States in late September and plans to do so in Europe in spring 2026. The company has sold over 700,000 units of the Leaf globally since its first-generation model was released in 2010 as the world’s first mass-market EV. The second-generation model was launched in 2017. The third-generation Leaf will be a crossover that combines the features of an SUV and a sedan. It will start at 5,118,700 yen with deliveries set to begin in January 2026. EVs account for less than 2 pct of total new vehicle sales in Japan. “We hope to make (the new Leaf) a driving force to turn the tide,” said Akira Teranishi, chief marketing manager at Nissan. Nissan has announced a massive restructuring plan after posting a consolidated net loss of over 670 billion yen in the year that ended last March. Still, the automaker has experienced brisk sales of its new N7 EV, which was released in China earlier this year. Nissan will launch an all-new version of its Roox minivehicle in Japan this autumn. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]