The Nissan Leaf was the OG of inexpensive EVs. The humble compact has introduced countless drivers to electric vehicles. I was very excited to see Nissan unveil the third generation of its Leaf. It’s introducing some innovation—such as a larger, liquid‑cooled battery pack that may achieve 300 miles in range—while keeping the $30,000 MSRP it’s had since 2011. This is good. But it shouldn’t be the cheapest EV. This is what midrange EVs should look like.

Electric vehicles have fewer moving parts than internal combustion cars. Currently EVs break down less than traditional cars, and are cheaper per mile to own and drive. Automakers just canceled the cheapest ICE cars in the U.S. (the $16,000 Mitsubishi Mirage and the $17,000 Nissan Versa), leaving $20,000 ICE crossovers as the cheapest vehicles around. This was a golden opportunity for the Leaf to undercut every internal combustion car, becoming the cheapest vehicle on the market.

The missed opportunity: an EV that’s the USA’s cheapest vehicle

An EV can only be the cheapest vehicle on the market if it is a compact, FWD, with a small battery configuration offering just 100 miles of range. Perhaps it would only have two seats. Perhaps it would be assembled in Mexico. Many buyers would opt for a configuration with a larger battery, or even a gas‑powered range extender in the frunk. But the shocking MSRP would put the world on notice, and drive sales.

I believe the new Nissan Leaf is an excellent configuration and should exist. But I think Nissan should have given it a new name, while leaning on the Leaf’s budget‑friendly roots and creating a truly historic new $20,000 EV. The cheapest EV available in 2026 is $10,000 more expensive than it should be.