Nissan Turns A New Leaf With Its Next EV
- One of our readers spotted two prototypes of the Nissan Leaf during testing.
- The EV will morph into a crossover with a sloping roofline and modern LEDs.
- It will be offered exclusively in FWD, with a range exceeding 300 miles (482 km).
It’s been a rough year for Nissan. The company’s in a bit of a financial bind, but that hasn’t stopped them from pushing out new models. Recently, Carscoops reader Peter spotted two camouflaged crossovers in the Czech Republic, which appear to be prototypes of the upcoming Leaf.
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The testers were seen earlier this month in Prague, wrapped in camouflage from top to bottom. At first glance, the headlight graphics had us momentarily scratching our heads, but after a closer look, we realized it was just black tape doing its best to confuse us. The round emblem on the covered grille and the futuristic, four-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels were the real clues that tipped us off; it’s a Nissan, and more specifically, the new Leaf.
More: Nissan’s New EV Embraces Its MINI Side
Nissan has already teased the exterior design of the new Leaf, so it’s easy to confirm the similarities. The electric model has already been spotted in spy shots across Europe and the US, though it’s been wearing different camouflage patterns each time.
A Crossover Twist for the Leaf
The third generation of the Nissan Leaf breaks away from the hatchback silhouette of its predecessors, adopting a crossover body with a sloping roofline. The Japanese brand clearly hopes this shift will make the Leaf more appealing to a wider audience. And if the cabin’s technology is as cutting-edge as expected, this could be a smart move. In fact, our reader managed to snap a photo of the covered dashboard, revealing hints of a digital cockpit.
More: Nissan’s Job Cuts Surge To 20,000 As Ex-CEO Predicts Collapse
The new Leaf will sit on Nissan’s AmpR Medium platform, which is just a rebranded version of the CMF-EV architecture already found under the Nissan Ariya, the Renault Megane E-Tech, and the Renault Scenic E-Tech. On top of that, it’s also confirmed that Mitsubishi will get its own version of the Lead in 2026.
What We Know So Far
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The next generation Nissan’s EV will come with a front-mounted electric motor – sorry, no dual-motor AWD setup here like you get with the slightly larger Ariya. It’s expected to offer more than 300 miles (482 km) of range, a significant boost from the current model. Plus, the new Leaf will be the first Nissan to sport a NACS charging port, meaning it will have access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, a move that should keep owners a little less anxious on long road trips.
Nissan has confirmed the Leaf will be available in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia. But unfortunately, we still don’t have a concrete debut date, though it could very well happen later this year.
Many thanks to Peter R. for the photos!
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