The least expensive electric vehicle (EV) in America may not be long for this world. But when and if Nissan discontinues the Leaf, the company won’t get out of the inexpensive EV business. Rather, it would replace the little hatchback with a battery-powered version of something Americans buy more of – a compact SUV.
Nissan’s European head of operations, Guillaume Cartier, let the U.K.’s Autocar in on the plans. The Leaf, Autocar reports, will disappear from Nissan’s lineup “around 2025.” It will reportedly be replaced by a compact SUV that shares a platform with the Nissan Ariya but priced in line with the Leaf’s value-leading position.
The Leaf saw a price cut of more than $4,000 for the current model year. With the help of federal EV tax credits, it’s now possible to get into a leaf for less than $20,000. Nissan may not be able to slash the price much further. But, once news of a car’s cancelation begins to circulate, prices often come down.
Most buyers are paying sticker price, or close to it, for most cars this year. Shortages have kept prices high.
But if global supply shortages ease and prices stabilize, this news may create a brief window in 2022 or 2023 when Leaf prices hit rock bottom.
