- The Nissan Leaf was the first modern, mass-produced electric vehicle to reach the U.S. market, arriving in the 2011 model year.
- Reports say production of the Leaf is to be phased out sometime in the mid-decade.
- Although the Leaf’s chapter is drawing to a close, Nissan projects that 40 percent of its U.S. sales will be EVs by 2030.
No car stays around forever, even if we hope some of them do (see Porsche 911). From the looks of things, there is another car whose appointment with the gallows pole is drawing near. Automotive News reported that the Nissan Leaf will be phased out over a period of the next few years even as Nissan ushers in an arsenal of fresh EVs—starting with the new Ariya.
When it came to market in the 2011 model year, the Nissan Leaf was the first modern, mass-produced electric vehicle in the U.S. It was inexpensive, had funky styling, and was an exciting look into the future of electric cars. The issue was that it didn’t sell well. Although the Leaf has been part of Nissan’s U.S. lineup for a dozen years now, fewer than 175,000 units have been sold.
Opinions of the Leaf have varied. Some called the styling cute, while others were more disparaging. No matter where your opinion on the Leaf lies, you would ignore the history by calling it insignificant. Despite lackluster sales numbers, the Leaf really was a venture into the unknown of living with an electric car in the modern age. It came just before the Chevy Volt plug-in-hybrid and a full 18 months before Elon Musk and his Tesla Model S barreled onto the scene.
The dull driving demeanor and modest range have hampered our enthusiasm for the Leaf and likely kept it from reaping the benefits of surging interest in EVs. While high-end EVs are now seeing as much as 400 and even 500 miles of range, the 2022 Leaf offers 226 estimated miles in its larger battery and 149 in the base version.
Although the bet Nissan made on the Leaf hasn’t really panned out, as the car enters the autumn of its years, we’d do well to acknowledge its role in mainstreaming the notion of electric cars in America.
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Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
