Next-Gen Nissan Leaf EV SUV Detailed Ahead Of Full Debut

Nissan shed more light into its upcoming third-gen Nissan Leaf EV crossover via a new short videos series.

The struggle is real for embattled Japanese automaker Nissan. This is evident given recent reports the automaker is mulling the sale of its Yokohama headquarters, as well as plans to retrench up to 20,000 staff globally.

Nevertheless, development of key new models is going full steam ahead. Fresh from revealing its new and now all-electric Micra, the automaker have also just released new insights for its signature new third-generation Leaf electric vehicle (EV) earlier today.

The new insights released today via the first of a three-part short videos series published on YouTube, which we’ve also embedded just below.

Teased back in March this year, the Leaf has morphed from a compact hatch into a compact crossover SUV instead. Underneath, the automaker revealed to day that it underpins the Common Module Family (CMF-EV) platform as the larger Ariya EV SUV.

Closer inspection reveals the new Leaf’s design will feature a full-width lightbar flanked a cascade of curved rectangular DRLs, a chiselled bonnet, prominent rear shoulder arches, as well as a low blacked-out roof plus flushed (hidden) door handles.

Nissan confirmed that underneath, the new Leaf underpins the Common Module Family (CMF-EV) platform base as the larger Ariya EV SUV.

Adding to which too is an active grille shutter and flat underbody. For the European market model detailed, this also gets unique – read: aerodynamic – side mirrors and alloy wheels. Altogether, the latter European model has a low drag coefficient figure of 0.25.

As for the non-European version though, Nissan says its drag coefficient figure is marginally higher at 0.26 instead.

Though a full view of the car remains hidden, designers in the video mentioned a tailgate design that creates an aerofoil effect with the fastback-esque roofline too.

While not the lowest in this era where the most advanced EVs in the market boast even lower 0.20s, the new Leaf still stands as the most aerodynamic model that Nissan claims it has ever built.

Nissan touts the new Leaf as the most aerodynamic model it has ever designed, evident through its European market model's low drag coefficient of 0.25.

Nissan also skirted away from fully revealing the new Leaf’s interior, but it did elect to tease a new panoramic glass roof that boasts an optional electrochromic dimming function.

Present still though is a conventional sunshade that can “open” or “close” in stages. This also brings an added benefit of improving aerodynamics. That’s because ditching of the sunshade means the roof can be lowered by 12 MM without robbing headroom.

The Leaf's new panoramic glass roof can be optionally brimmed with an electrochromatic dimming function, though a conventional sunshade will be available and it can open and close in stages too.

Though actual range figures are still unknown, the new Leaf has been designed to “confidently take a holiday journey of 300 to 500 KM between stops,” claims Richard Candler, Nissan’s vice president of global product strategy.

The exec adds that the car can gain over 250 KM in range with just 14 minutes of DC fast charging. However, no specific input figure was released yet.

Nissan didn’t divulge further details beyond this, so expect more information to surface via the short videos series mentioned. The new Leaf is poised for a full debut sometime towards the end of this year.