2026 Nissan Leaf Spotted In The Wild, EV Maker Confirms It's In The Works

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Though it has not yet been announced, the 2026 Nissan Leaf is in the works, Nissan confirms to PCMag, but whether it will get its rumored redesign remains to be seen.

Nissan updated the Leaf for the 2025 and 2024 model years, but gave it only minor tweaks. It’s the most affordable EV in the US, starting at $28,140, but suffers from a boring design and outdated tech, such as a CHADeMO charge port and low battery range.

We predicted Nissan might discontinue the model due to these hurdles, but it now seems poised to reintroduce the Leaf to the market with some serious upgrades. The 2026 model has been spotted on the road testing in a camouflaged disguise, with one sighting back in December, another in early January, and a third posted to Reddit today.

Rumors suggest the new Leaf will be built on the same EV platform as the Nissan Ariya, which has a CCS charge port (not CHADeMO), making it compatible with Tesla Superchargers. It also has a more modern design, premium interior, and higher $39,770 starting price.

Does that mean Nissan will bump up the price of the Leaf for the 2026 model year as well? It remains to be seen, but we’d wager the price will go up at least a little bit. The new Leaf is also getting a new battery, Automotive News reports, and the battery is the most expensive component of any EV by far. But a new one could bring more range and better tech.

The Leaf has been a rare bright spot on the struggling Japanese automaker’s business. It’s experiencing somewhat of a revival, with sales up 57% in 2024, CleanTechnica reports. But sales for the company as a whole have been down, prompting layoffs and talks of a merger with Honda. But now it appears the deal might be off, based on reporting from Reuters today that claims Nissan did not accept Honda’s terms.