Nissan’s Leaf 2022 range starts at just $27,400, making it the cheapest mass market electric car currently available in the US, according to Electrek. That starting price drops to as little as $19,900 if you include the full $7,500 federal tax credit, for which Nissan vehicles are still eligible. These prices don’t include other charges like licensing and destination fees, or additional state-level incentives, but it’s a promising sign of how affordable electric vehicles are becoming.
The exact price difference between Nissan’s 2021 and 2022 Leaf cars varies from model to model. The entry-level Leaf S, which has a 40kWh battery, has reduced by $4,270 from $31,670 to $27,400, undercutting the electric Mini Cooper’s starting price of $29,990 (the electric Mini is frequently cited as the cheapest electric car currently available in the US). However Nissan’s biggest price drop can be found with the top-of-the-range 62kWh Leaf SL Plus, which has gone down in price by $6,570 from $43,970 to $37,400.
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Despite the drop in price, the specs of the new Leaf cars are broadly unchanged from previous years. You should still get an estimated 149 miles of range from the 40kWh model, or between 215 and 226 miles from the 62kWh version. However, all 2022 models now include a CHAdeMO quick-charging port, plus a portable 240-volt charging cable, which should provide more flexibility when topping up the car’s battery.
The Leaf is currently the only electric car Nissan sells in the US, but later this year it will release the Ariya, a new electric crossover SUV with up to 300 miles of range. Announced last year, the Ariya is due to go on sale in Japan in the middle of the year, with the US and Canada to follow and pricing starting at around $40,000.
Nissan’s 2022 Leaf is on sale now, Nissan says.
