A Nissan consultant has said that the Leaf is “right here to remain” regardless of slowing gross sales. Nissan’s first mass-market EV was highly regarded within the early-mid 2010s nevertheless elevated competitors has had a major affect on gross sales lately.

The arrival of a second-generation Leaf in 2018 did little to enhance issues, with solely round 50,000 bought within the US up to now. Whereas which will sound like so much, in actuality it is not for a car within the $25-40k value bracket constructed by a mainstream producer. For reference, between 2013 and 2017 when EV demand was a lot decrease, Nissan nonetheless managed to promote over 80,000 Leafs in America.

Leaf trim ranges have been drastically minimize for the 2023 mannequin yr with patrons now solely ready to select from two choices: S (40 kWh battery) and SV (60 kWh). Nonetheless, Nissan has insisted the Leaf is not going to be discontinued within the close to future. When questioned concerning the Leaf, Nissan’s head of EV advertising and gross sales technique Aditya Jairaj instructed Autoblog that ”it is right here to remain”.

Jairaj did not get into specifics so it is onerous to inform exactly what his assertion meant. One chance is that the Leaf will stay a hatchback, though there’s additionally an opportunity a brand new model might be launched as a crossover to enhance ailing gross sales. We’ve already seen standard fashions from different manufacturers change from hatchbacks to crossovers to alleviate slowing demand, such because the Renault Megane. On paper, making the third-gen Leaf a small crossover that sits under the Ariya would make lots of sense.

Regardless, Nissan persevering with to make its entry-level EV is an efficient factor. Though there’s an abundance of electrical vehicles on sale in the present day, reasonably priced choices are few and much between.