New Nissan Leaf: British-built EV enters production in Sunderland

Mahdi Molaei, reporter for Sadaye Sama

The Nissan Leaf has just entered full-scale production at the Japanese brand’s plant in Sunderland, with the electric SUV already on sale from £32,249 and first deliveries expected in early 2026.

At launch, only one version of the Leaf is available, boasting a 75kWh battery and up to 386 miles of range – a fair bit more than similarly priced rivals such as the Volkswagen ID.3 and the award-winning Skoda Elroq which, at this price point, only have around 250 miles of range. The Leaf’s appealing price largely comes down to the fact it’s built in the UK and is thus deemed sufficiently eco-friendly by the Government to benefit from the full £3,750 Electric Car Grant (ECG). With this in mind, the electric family SUV is set to be a big seller – a good thing, given that Nissan has already invested more than £450 million into the Sunderland plant and its 6,000-strong workforce.

Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Sunderland is the beating heart of the UK’s automotive industry, and Nissan’s investment is a major commitment to the North East and a huge vote of confidence in our economy.”

Prices and specs in detail
There may only be one powertrain on offer at the moment, but the new Nissan Leaf is available in four trim levels: Engage, Engage+, Advance and Evolve. The base model is equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, dual 12.3-inch displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an energy-saving heat pump and adaptive cruise control. Upgrading to Advance trim (starting from £34,249 after the ECG) piles on luxuries including a panoramic sunroof, head-up display, powered tailgate, synthetic leather upholstery with fabric inserts and privacy glass.

Finally, the range-topping Evolve model (starting from £36,249 after the ECG) gets 19-inch wheels, a nine-speaker Bose sound system, Vehicle-to-Load charging capability, eight-way adjustable front seats with massaging function for the driver and full synthetic leather upholstery.

Aside from the new Leaf, the only other electric cars that have been confirmed as eligible for the full £3,750 EV grant are the Ford Puma Gen-E and E-Tourneo Courier, and the long-range version of the Citroen e-C5 Aircross. Since the ECG was introduced in July, it’s helped more than 35,000 motorists make the switch to electric.

This also means Nissan’s entire EV line-up is eligible for the ECG, with the new Micra supermini and Ariya family SUV both receiving £1,500 from the Government. But you can currently save close to £5,000 on the Ariya if you spec it through the Auto Express Buy A Service.

The twin-screen display on all but the base model is new for Nissan, featuring dual 14.3-inch screens that are even bigger than the Ariya’s. They also run a fresh native interface that’s powered by the latest electronic hardware, and include elements such as intelligent voice control and a Google-based navigation system.

Just below the main screen bank is a set of touch-sensitive controls for the air-conditioning, and between the air vents are a simple volume knob, track-seek buttons and a shortcut for the parking cameras. High-spec models will also feature a Bose sound system, including a dedicated speaker that can relay navigation and warning sounds to the driver without interrupting passengers.

The rear seats are spacious for the class, with good knee and legroom. A flat floor means foot room is decent, while there is plenty of headroom, despite the sloping roofline. Nissan will offer a glass roof on higher-specification models, which includes the same changeable glass that can block sunlight across the roof in stages. As well as making the cabin brighter, the glass roof also increases rear headroom by 30mm.

There’s plenty of space in the cabin, with good storage for small items combined with a vast, open area under the dashboard to really hammer home that this is a bespoke EV, rather than one based on an existing ICE platform. The 437-litre boot is also a good size and is 50 litres bigger than the previous-generation Leaf. However, more upright rivals will likely be more versatile when it comes to loading bulky items…