What we know about the EV set to replace the Nissan LEAF
Nissan is saying goodbye to the little EV that started it all. Although Nissan is phasing out the LEAF electric car, the automaker plans to begin producing its successor in 2026.
Beyond the LEAF, Nissan plans for EV successor
The Nissan LEAF was, at one time, a top-selling electric vehicle. After releasing the electric compact car in 2010, the LEAF quickly became a favorite as the first mass-market EV (18 months before the Tesla Model S) in the US, with a comfortable interior and decent range at an attractive price.
However, nearly every automaker, from startups to legacy, has released its own electric cars with more advanced features, enhanced designs, and longer ranges over the past decade.
The LEAF has lost ground, with sales falling consistently for several years. According to a report from Automotive News last year, Nissan will not be rolling out a next-generation LEAF model.
Instead, Nissan is planning for a more modern EV to replace the LEAF, designed for today’s buyers. Although Nissan released its second mass-market EV, the Ariya, it was never planned as a replacement.
Nissan may replace the LEAF with a coupe-like crossover similar to the “Chill-Out” concept the automaker revealed in 2021, with its “sleek and modern” design. The production version would likely look less futuristic.
Meanwhile, executives were split on carrying the LEAF name over. As AutoPacific president Ed Kim explains, “Today, the LEAF means little to EV shoppers.”
According to a new report from Autocar, Nissan said in its submission to the UK government committee on battery manufacturing that “the LEAF successor will enter production in 2026.” Nissan’s Sunderland factory in the UK will begin production on Nissan’s LEAF successor in 2026 as it prepares for the majority of its output to be EVs by 2028.
Nissan is said to be leveraging supply from its upcoming nearby battery factory in collaboration with Envision AESC.
By 2024, the plant will have 11 GWh of capacity, which can expand to 30 GWh, according to Nissan’s submission. Envision said the “Gen 5” battery cells being supplied would enhance energy density by 30% over the current LEAF model.
The LEAF successor will reportedly be based on its CMF-EV platform from the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, the same used for the Nissan Ariya.
Electrek’s Take
From the sounds of it, Nissan is going bigger with the LEAF successor. With the popularity of larger models, like electric crossovers and SUVs, automakers are racing to introduce larger-sized EVs despite the need for efficiency.
GM is also phasing out its smallest and most affordable EV, the Bolt EV and EUV. Although GM and Nissan are phasing the models out for different reasons (GM is moving to an all-Ultium-based lineup), it will leave the market with a glaring lack of cheap, small EVs.
Given the need for smaller, more efficient models, it will be a little disappointing if Nissan extends the size of the LEAF’s replacement.
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Executives from TravelCenters America (TA) and BP were joined by local elected officials at a ribbon cutting for the two companies’ first DC fast charging hub on I-95 in Jacksonville, Florida – the first of several such EV charging stations to come online.
Frequent road-trippers are no doubt familiar with TA’s red, white, and blue logo and probably think of the sites as safe, convenient stops in otherwise unfamiliar surroundings. The company hopes those positive associations will carry over as its customers continue to switch from gas to electric at a record pace in 2025 and beyond.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our journey to bring new forms of energy to our customers as we support their changing mobility needs, while leveraging the best of bp and TA,” explains Debi Boffa, CEO of TravelCenters of America. Boffa, however, was quick to – but TA is quick to point out that TA isn’ no’t leaving its ICE customers behind. “While this is significant, to our loyal customers and guests, rest assured TA will continue to provide the same safe and reliable fueling options it has offered for over 50 years, regardless of the type of fuel.”
The charging hub along the I-95 offers 12 DC fast charging ports offering up to 400kW of power for lickety-quick charging. While they’re at the TA, EV drivers can visit restrooms, shop at TA’s convenience store, or eat at fast food chains like Popeyes and Subway. Other TA centers offer wifi and pet-friendly amenities as well – making them ideal partners for BP as the two companies builds out their charging networks.
“As we expand our EV charging network in the US, I am thrilled to unveil our first of many hubs at TA locations,” offers Sujay Sharma, CEO of BP Pulse Americas. “These sites are strategically located across key highway corridors that provide our customers with en route charging when and where they need it most, while offering convenient amenities, like restaurants and restrooms.”
Electrek’s Take
As I type this, BP has more than 37,000 EV charging ports operational globally, and plans to have more than 100,000 in service by 2030. The company made headlines in 2022 when it announced that its EV chargers were “on the cusp” of being more profitable than its gas pumps. Three years on, it seems like that’s a done deal.
As ever, money talks.
SOURCE | IMAGES: BP.
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The new e2500-THL and TS electric Ultra Buggies from Toro offer construction and demo crews a carrying capacity of 2500 lbs. (on the TS model), six-and-a-half foot dump height (on the THL), nearly 13 cubic ft. of capacity, and hours of quiet, fume-free operation.
Despite the second Trump administration’s loosening grip on emissions regulations, the fact remains that a growing number of municipalities in both red and blue regions of the US are continuing to clamp down on noise regulations, which means that construction crews with quiet running electric equipment will be able to get jobs that crews stubbornly holding on to diesel and gas won’t. Toro absolutely gets it, which is why its e2500-THL and TS Ultra Buggy line will be welcomed by smart crews with open arms.
For their open-mindedness, those crews will be rewarded with machines powered by 7 kWh’s worth of Toro HyperCell lithium-ion battery. That’s good enough for up to eight hours of continuous operation, according to Toro – enough for two typical working shifts.
And, thanks to the Toro Ultra Buggies’ narrow, 31.5″ width, they can easily navigate man doors on inside jobs, as well, making them ideal for indoor demolition and construction jobs. A zero-turn radius and auto-return dump mechanism that ensures the tub automatically returns to the proper resting position make things easy for the operator, too.
Toro says that each of its small (for Toro) e2500 Ultra Buggy units can replace as many as five wheelbarrows on a given job site. Pricing is expected to start at about $32,000.
Electrek’s Take
Electric equipment makes job sites cleaner, quieter, and safer than they are under diesel or gas power – and as more municipal and private sector RFPs begin to enforce ZEV requirements and quiet hours, more and more viable electric alternatives to ICE power will start to show up on more and more job sites (regardless of who is in the White House).
SOURCE | IMAGES: Toro, via Construction Equipment.
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