2026 Nissan LEAF shown off

The inbound all-new 2026 Nissan LEAF has been detailed in a new video, giving us a closer look at the all-electric production SUV that will launch in Australia in 2026.

Said to be the first of a new three-part series dedicated to the next-gen Nissan LEAF, the short vids introduce some of the key people who developed the LEAF, which benefits from the knowledge accrued from the 700,000 customers who bought the previous two hatches and collectively covered 28 billion kilometres.

Said to be created for long-distance drives, in the latest video Nissan’s Vice President for Global Product Strategy, Richard Candler, stressed how the new LEAF was now a credible alternative to a combustion family car.

Revealing a typical charging stop takes around 14 minutes, Candler revealed a top-up of that duration adds around 250km of range, with the Nissan exec promising “easy and seamless charging”.

That figure sounds impressive, but it’s still a long way off the 300km you can add in the faster-charging next-gen Mercedes-Benz CLA.

Confirming that the new LEAF would come with “impressive highway efficiency”, the next-gen Nissan EV comes with a low drag coefficient of 0.26 Cd for the US and Japan and 0.25 Cd for Europe, with the latter getting different wheels and a different door mirror design to enhance its range.

Further aiding the LEAF’s aerodynamics are pop-out door handles, an active grille shutter and a smooth alloy wheel design.

Beneath its skin there’s a flat underfloor while the fastback silhouette and rear liftback shape are said to create an airfoil effect.

The LEAF's design boss, Nobutaka Tase, said that even the LEAF’s glass panoramic roof plays a part in achieving the new Nissan SUV’s exceptional performance, thanks to a design that sees it sit 12mm lower while maintaining “ample” headroom without compromising its e-dimming functionality.

The new dimming function also removes the need for physical blinds or sunshades that can also reduce rear headroom in other vehicles.

The electrochromic tech adjusts the glass’s transparency at a touch of a button and is combined with an infrared coating that reduces the solar radiation for a cooler cabin on hot days.

“Beyond EV intenders and innovators, we wanted the all-new Nissan LEAF to offer a truly credible alternative to combustion vehicles,” said Candler. “We wanted it to balance emotional and rational appeal, ensuring it looks sleek and bold, whilst meeting the real-world needs of families with thoughtful design.”

During the video both the side profile and rear styling were not revealed, suggesting the two future videos in the new series might be used to fully unwrap the Kia EV3 or Volvo EX30 rival.

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