The New Nissan Leaf Is Good, But It Already Has A Problem

Nissan is reportedly cutting production of the new Leaf, and it’s all down to batteries.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Iulian Dnistran

By: Iulian Dnistran

Sep 17, 2025 at 3:25am ET

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Nissan will reportedly reduce the production output of the new Leaf electric crossover in Japan.
The cause for the production cut is caused by lower than expected output at Nissan’s battery supplier.
The American version of the Leaf will be affected, but Nissan said that the launch schedule is on track.

The new Nissan Leaf is a move in the right direction for the struggling Japanese automaker, as our own Mack Hogan found out after driving the EV for the first time. Good packaging and a great price tag mean Nissan is on to a winner, but now a Nikkei report is saying that American customers could have to wait a little longer to get their hands on the new electric crossover.

Per Nikkei, quoted by Reuters, Nissan has reduced its production plan for the Leaf by more than half for the months of September, October and November. During this period, the first batch of consumer-ready Leaf EVs will be made ahead of the commercial launch that’s scheduled by the end of the year.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

The newspaper claims that a battery supplier that has failed to provide enough high-voltage packs is to blame for the production cut. Due to the shortage, the Tochigi plant in eastern Japan will reportedly build several thousand vehicles fewer per month, which will affect the American and Japanese markets.

Nissan did not comment on the report, but said that the new Leaf is on track for its scheduled market launch, which the company has said will happen later this month or early in October.

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The 2026 Nissan Leaf is a completely different vehicle compared to the outgoing model. It looks better and has a heavily upgraded interior, but the pricing strategy is just as bold. The S+ trim, which has a 75-kilowatt-hour battery and an estimated range of 303 miles, will start at just $29,990. That makes it the cheapest EV in America, but there’s an even more affordable version on the horizon.

With a smaller, 52 kWh battery, the entry-level S grade will have a shorter range and an even lower price tag. We don’t know how cheap the base Leaf will be, as Nissan has yet to announce that figure, but it will likely be a great value. Let’s just hope the company manages to build enough of them to keep buyers interested and delivery times low.