Nissan’s European boss Guillaume Cartier told us in 2021 that the UK plant’s strong history was the key factor in its success in securing the deal to make the new model. “The heritage was why Sunderland was selected,” he said.
“The demonstration of what this factory is able to do – having Leaf already, the e-NV200 [van] – this expertise, the capacity for innovation. That’s the reason why we’ve been able to build the future.”
Nissan hasn’t confirmed when exactly the next-generation Leaf will be revealed or arrive in showrooms, but it’s rumoured to go into production in early 2025, so the covers could be off before the year is up. We’ll have to wait and see.
But as we mentioned, the Leaf is confirmed to be one of the trio of new electric cars Nissan will launch by 2026. The others are the next-generation Juke, which we previewed in issue 1,804, and the successor to the Micra supermini that will be based on the Renault 5 and serve as the brand’s entry-level model.
Nissan Leaf through the generations
Nissan Leaf Mk1
As the world’s first mass-market EV, the original Nissan Leaf was a true pioneer within the modern motoring world and paved the way for today’s diverse range of sensible, electric family cars. The first examples were built in Japan, each powered by a 24kWh battery that delivered a range of just 109 miles. Nissan’s Sunderland plant began producing the Leaf in 2013, and a few years later, a larger 30kWh battery became available that could do 155 miles on a charge. More than half a million Mk1 Leafs were sold by the time the Mk2 was ready to launch.
Nissan Leaf Mk2
Unlike its predecessor, the second-generation Leaf faced competition from the jump. By 2018, Volkswagen, Kia, Renault and other brands had jumped on the bandwagon and launched their own electric cars. In response, big advancements for the Mk2 included an official range of up to 239 miles for the ‘Leaf e+’, plus the introduction of an ‘e-Pedal’ function, otherwise known as one-pedal driving, which was a game-changing feature when driving the car in town.
Are you happy the Nissan Leaf is transforming into an SUV? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section…