• Nissan says the new 2026 Leaf will offer over 300 miles of range.
• We expect this number to apply to a version with an optional larger battery pack.
• The redesigned Leaf has a more SUV-like profile, but it will not offer a dual-motor all-wheel-drive version.

The Nissan Leaf was one of the first mainstream electric vehicles, but long driving range has never been its strength. That will change for thenew 2026 Leaf scheduled to arrive later this year, as Nissan senior vice president and chief planning officer Ponz Pandikuthira toldC/D at theNew York auto show that the new model will offer a driving range of over 300 miles. That's a huge jump over the current version, which is EPA rated to deliver just 149 miles in its base form and 212 miles in SV Plus form.

Pandikuthira said range will vary for different versions of the new Leaf, so we expect this means that the 300-mile number will only apply to a model with an optional larger battery pack. This will help the Leaf catch up to neweraffordable EVs with longer range estimates, including theChevrolet Equinox EV (rated at up to 319 miles) andHyundai Ioniq 6 (rated at up to 342 miles). Pandikuthira also noted that charging times will be significantly faster, and Nissan previously told us that the Leaf would use the NACS charging port, meaning it will be compatible with Tesla's Supercharger network.

Although the Leaf is transitioning to a more crossover-esque body style for this generation, Pandikuthira said Nissan will not be offering an all-wheel-drive version. That means it will likely have only a single-motor, front-wheel-drive configuration rather than a dual-motor option like theAriya compact electric SUV.

We're eager to see how the Leaf's pricing changes as it enters this new generation, as the outgoing model is currently the least expensive EV on sale in the U.S., with a starting price just under $30,000. That number will surely rise when the new model arrives, but Nissan says the Leaf will remain significantly more affordable than the Ariya, which starts at $41,160. We will learn more about the new Leaf later this year.

Joey Capparella

Deputy Editor, Rankings Content

Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig atAutomobile Magazine. He has been part of theCar and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.