New 2026 Nissan Leaf: America’s cheapest EV to cost $29,990 and offer 303-mile range, Tesla plug

Nissan has officially released pricing information for the 2026 Leaf, and the EV will retain its crown as the cheapest electric car in the US. The completely reimagined automobile is in its third generation and will start at just under $30,000, with the price of an even more affordable entry-level model to be announced later.

The 2026 Leaf, now a compact SUV, is available in S, S+, SV+, and Platinum+ trims. Nissan revealed the last three trims will cost $29,990, $34,230, and $38,990, respectively. The Japanese carmaker notes that the 2026 SV+ undercuts the 2025 SV Plus by almost $2,000, despite offering an enhanced driving range and more standard features.

Interestingly, the first Leaf, which was released in 2011 as a hatchback, was priced at $32,780 and offered only 73 miles of driving range.

The top three trims of the 2026 version all have a 75 kWh battery. They have driving ranges of 303 miles, 288 miles, and 259 miles, respectively.

Pricing for the base trim, the S, is yet to be announced. However, since it is expected to use a smaller battery and offer a reduced driving range, it is safe to assume the S will be significantly below $30,000.

Nissan will factory-fit the 2026 Leaf with two different types of charging ports. A NACS inlet will allow it to connect to any of Tesla’s Superchargers for fast charging, while another J1772 port will handle slower AC charging.

The closest competitor in terms of price in the US is the Chevrolet Equinox EV, which is about $5,000 more expensive.