The substitute for the electrical Nissan Leaf hatchback isn’t due till 2026, however UK manufacturing of the present mannequin is about to finish a lot sooner.
Autocar experiences Leaf manufacturing will finish at Nissan’s Sunderland plant this month.
Australian-market Leafs are sourced from this plant, somewhat than Japan or the US the place it’s additionally constructed. We’ve contacted Nissan Australia for remark.
If Nissan Australia is unable to supply the Leaf from the opposite factories constructing it, it will likely be left with out an electrical car (EV) right here regardless of being a pioneering model on this house.
The launch of the bigger Ariya crossover nonetheless has but to be locked in for our market.
With the Leaf gone, Nissan will reportedly start retooling the Sunderland plant to construct not solely its substitute – which can reportedly be revealed this 12 months forward of begin of manufacturing in 2026 – but additionally electrical Juke and Qashqai replacements.
Nissan plans to promote solely EVs within the UK from 2030 onwards.
“The present era of Nissan Leaf, the world’s first mass-market 100% electrical car, is approaching the top of its life cycle in Europe,” reads an announcement from Nissan UK.
“Relying in the marketplace’s stock, European prospects will be capable of place their orders till car shares run out.
“Nissan has already introduced a brand new line-up of 100% electrical automobiles for the European market to be produced in Sunderland plant as a part of our dedication to sustainability and electrification.”
The present, second-generation Leaf entered manufacturing in 2017, arriving right here in 2019. An up to date mannequin arrived right here in 2022, with numerous beauty tweaks and a digital rear-view mirror.
The small hatch has been swamped by each flashier and extra inexpensive electrical automobiles (EVs) alike in Australia.
Nissan bought simply 484 Leafs right here final 12 months, making it the twenty fourth best-selling EV in Australia – far under the likes of equally sized or priced fashions just like the Hyundai Kona Electrical (836 gross sales), Cupra Born (887), MG 4 (3134) and Tesla Mannequin 3 (17,347).
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