Nissan Leaf To Be Discontinued? Subcompact Electric Car To Replace Best-Seller?

Sep 27, 2016 04:24 AM EDT | Eve C.

Would Nissan discontinue to offer the Leaf model in dealerships to focus on selling a subcompact electric car? Rumor has it that the car company will replace the best-selling model.

The 2011 Nissan Leaf was launched in December 2010 and has been the one of the first electric cars that were priced for the masses available until now. So far, a quarter of a million Leafs has been sold worldwide. 

The rumor about stopping the production of the current Leaf model may just be treated with an epic pinch of salt. Green Car Reports revealed, since speculations are high that Nissan will still offer the model but will have an upgraded vehicle soon in the market.

The new Leaf model, or should we say, the new subcompact electric car, might have a longer range. Nissan would like to compete with Chevy's newly-released model - the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, which is dubbed as the first 200-plus-mile mass-priced electric car. 

While details about the upcoming model are still scarce, it is fairly believed that Nissan would mark it as their new flagship model and will carry the torch for the company, just like what the Nissan Leaf did years ago.

A source told Auto Express UK that they are looking for inspiration and one of the models they are eyeing for the design might be the Ford Fiesta for the size. However, Nissan would likely keep the model as close as possible to its predecessor, with its five-door family hatchback layout.

On the other hand, Gareth Dunsmore, the man in charge of Nissan's EV program in Europe revealed something exciting about the upcoming brand.

 "We've invested $5.4bn in electric cars such as the Leaf, so we need to ensure we're satisfying as many types of customers as possible. In Europe, that could mean looking towards B-segment hatches and SUVs or crossovers," he said.   

"The Leaf is well placed to deliver to those customers, and will continue to do so. If we look towards crossovers or the B-segment for the next car, those could make perfect sense."

The upcoming details about Nissan's new subcompact electric car will be posted soon so make sure to stay tuned.

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