The Cheaper Nissan Leaf Has Been Delayed Indefinitely
The Nissan Leaf S won’t materialize for 2026.
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For those looking to get into a cheap electric vehicle, the new Nissan Leaf is a reasonable option. Unfortunately, as the U.S.’s electrified future remains in flux (and Nissan’s own future is still rather cloudy), there won’t be an even cheaper option on the table any time soon. Per a report from InsideEVs, the Leaf S and its sub-$30,000 price tag has been indefinitely delayed until 2027, if at all. The Leaf launched with the S Plus trim.
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The S Plus starts at $31,485. In the grand scheme of things, that’s still a decent price for a brand-new EV but dipping below the psychological $30K barrier might have put more Nissan EVs in garages. We reached out to Nissan and it confirmed the report, responding with this statement: “Nissan continually evaluates market trends, customer preferences, and the evolving EV landscape to ensure we are focusing our resources where they create the most value. As part of that process, we have decided not to introduce the smaller battery variant of the 2026 Nissan Leaf in the U.S. and Canada this model year.”
The company further stated, “We remain committed to delivering the right products at the right time, and we will continue to assess future battery configurations based on customer demand and segment needs. Our priority is to align our product planning and investments with what today’s EV buyers are asking for while ensuring we allocate resources responsibly and efficiently.”
We inquired about the specific reason behind the Leaf S’s delay—for example, was it due to customer feedback, supplier issues, or recent changes in tariffs and environmental policies in the U.S.—but Nissan declined to comment further. It also wouldn’t confirm if the Leaf S would be offered for the 2027 model year, the same year the $28,995 2027 Chevrolet Bolt is likely to begin winding down production. For now, the Leaf S Plus and Bolt remain the cheapest EVs you can buy and will stay that way for a while.
