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Nissan Brings Back The Primera, But It’s A Chinese EV Now

  • Nissan is reviving the Primera nameplate after nearly two decades away.
  • The new Primera EV is essentially a rebadged Chinese-market N7 sedan.
  • It previews Nissan’s plan to export more China-developed models globally.

Nearly 20 years after the last one disappeared from showrooms, Nissan has officially brought back the Primera nameplate. The catch? It’s no longer a family sedan with gasoline engines, wagon variants, or touring car pedigree. Instead, the revived model is a fully electric sedan sourced directly from China, based on the locally built N7.

The all-new Nissan Primera EV made its public debut at the Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS), where it joined the launch of the X-Trail e-Power and previews of several future electrified models. While Nissan’s press materials were light on technical details, the company confirmed the Primera name will return as part of its expanding EV lineup.

Read: Nissan Won’t Build A T-Top Z, So One Fan Is Doing It Himself

For longtime Nissan fans, the badge carries significant history. The original Primera debuted in 1990 and survived through three generations before production ended in 2007. It was sold as a sedan, liftback, and wagon, and even earned a motorsport legacy through multiple British Touring Car Championship titles. We even got it in the States as the Infiniti G20 from 1990 to 2002.

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The new Primera has little in common with its predecessor beyond the badge on the trunk. As we previously reported, it’s based on the Chinese-market Nissan N7, an electric sedan developed through Nissan’s joint venture with Dongfeng. Let’s define what that means for buyers.

At 194.1 inches (4,930 mm) long and riding on a 114.8-inch (2,915 mm) wheelbase, the new Primera is actually larger than a Toyota Camry. Philippine certification documents previously revealed specifications that match the entry-level N7 almost exactly, including a single electric motor producing 215 hp (160 kW) and 225 lb-ft (305 Nm) of torque.

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The classic gas-powered Primera was built from 1990 through 2008.

Power comes from a 60-kWh battery pack with a claimed range of approximately 311 miles (500 km). Visually, the car itself is almost unchanged from the N7. It features a fastback profile, controversial flush door handles, and wide LED lighting elements.

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Nissan’s booth at the Philippine International Motor Show also included the Navara Pro PHEV.

The debut also marks the first major step in Nissan’s new “From China” export strategy. Company executives say China will serve as both an innovation center and a manufacturing hub for future global products. Nissan hasn’t announced pricing or an on-sale date yet, but the company says full specifications will be revealed closer to launch.

Also: Nissan’s Low-Cost Chinese EVs Are About To Go Global

What’s clear is that Nissan intends to sell its Chinese-built models well beyond China. The N7, now Primera, has already been confirmed for Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and possibly Europe. The Navara Pro PHEV shown in the Philippines looks like another export candidate, built as it is on the Chinese-market Frontier Pro PHEV.

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The Chinese-market Nissan N7.

Nissan Deletes Its Ferrari Luce Troll Post, Mazda Doubles Down

  • Many social media users compared the Luce to the Nissan Leaf.
  • Mazda fired back with a photo of its original 1960s Luce.
  • Ferrari’s former boss says the design is beyond even copying.

The new, all-electric Ferrari Luce has spent the past week since its launch as the internet’s favorite target. Keyboard critics have torn into the styling, AI renders have circulated to demonstrate how trivially the design could be fixed, and even the share price took a brief tumble.

Not even Toblerone could help itself in poking fun at Ferrari. Heck, even Ferrari’s legendary former boss, Luca di Montezemolo, suggested the Luce is so horrible that not even the Chinese would dare copy it. Both Mazda and Nissan have since jumped on the bandwagon, having their say on the controversial EV.

Read: The Swiss Are Supposed To Be Neutral, But Even Toblerone’s Trolling Ferrari

Mazda came first, simply posting a photo of the original Mazda Luce SS that it introduced back in the 1960s. It appears Ferrari quietly snagged the international trademark for Luce earlier this year after Mazda let it lapse. While the Japanese brand can no longer use the name, there’s no denying the original Luce looks much better than the new Ferrari. The top comment? “Mazda making fun of Ferrari before GTA6,” with more than 4,500 likes.

Ferrari Leaf?

Soon after, Nissan Ireland jumped onto Instagram. Immediately after the Luce was unveiled, some online pundits began comparing it to the new Nissan Leaf, posting side-by-side photos of the two.

Nissan re-posted one of these images, showing the side profile of the Leaf compared to the Luce, writing “We admit, we’re flattered,” and adding “They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so thank you Ferrari.”

 Nissan Deletes Its Ferrari Luce Troll Post, Mazda Doubles Down
 Nissan Deletes Its Ferrari Luce Troll Post, Mazda Doubles Down

The most obvious similarity between the duo is the two-tone black-and-blue paint schemes they were presented in. You could also argue that the rear hatch of the Luce is similar to the Leaf, as are the black rocker panels, but in general, we don’t think the Luce and Leaf look that much alike. Nevertheless, Nissan Ireland took down the post shortly after it was shared, perhaps because the social media intern received a call from their boss.

Perhaps the funniest meme we’ve seen of the Ferrari Luce is an AI rendering comparing it to an Apple computer mouse. But if the Luce somehow sells well, Ferrari could end up getting the last laugh.

POV: You’re charging your new Ferrari Luce pic.twitter.com/L86GfLVzSV

— Apple Design (@TheAppleDesign) May 25, 2026

Mitsubishi’s Building A Kei-Sized Pajero, And A Nissan Pickup For America

  • Mitsubishi confirms the launch of 13 new models over the next six years.
  • The lineup includes a baby Pajero and a new pickup for North America.
  • Five hybrids, five PHEVs, and three BEVs dominate the strategy.

Mitsubishi has confirmed the return of the Pajero, previously sold as the Montero in markets like North America, reborn as a flagship cross-country SUV on ladder-frame underpinnings. That alone would be news. It is also just one of thirteen model debuts the Japanese firm has promised over the next six years.

One of the more important details to emerge is that the Pajero name will spread across a family of vehicles, led by that flagship SUV based on the Triton pickup, joined by a compact SUV and a small one that could slot into the kei car segment. The baby Pajero looks to be a different animal from the existing Delica Mini, itself one of the most rugged-looking kei cars Japan has to offer.

More: This Strange Off-Road Minivan Keeps Getting Facelifts After Nearly 19 Years And Still Sells Out

There is also a minivan coming under what Mitsubishi calls its off-road product group, which reads like a successor to the aging, but still popular in Japan, Delica D:5. That van has soldiered on since 2007 with two facelifts to its name. Rounding out the off-road push are two more SUVs Mitsubishi is staying quiet about, plus a pickup that may well turn out to be the facelifted Triton.

 Mitsubishi’s Building A Kei-Sized Pajero, And A Nissan Pickup For America

Over in ASEAN markets, Mitsubishi will roll out a new generation of the Xpander, the hybrid crossover minivan that first appeared in 2017 and was facelifted in 2022.

More: Mitsubishi’s New 400HP Compact Comes From The Same Factory As Your iPhone

The other five launches will be the fruit of collaboration with other brands. There is a fully electric coupe-SUV built on the Nissan Leaf, another electric SUV developed with Foxconn, a pair of Nissan-sourced kei wagons offered in combustion and EV forms, and a new pickup.

Two Pickup Projects With Nissan, Maybe Three

 Mitsubishi’s Building A Kei-Sized Pajero, And A Nissan Pickup For America

Speaking of trucks, another slide in the presentation mentions a new “pickup collaboration project with Nissan” for North America. A separate global pickup project is also under consideration, again with Nissan, alongside an updated Triton that is likely already in development

More: Mitsubishi’s New Triton Raider Got Everything Except The One Thing It Needed

Worth untangling the web here. The Australian-spec Nissan Navara is based on the current Mitsubishi Triton, while the electrified Nissan Frontier Pro draws on the Chinese Dongfeng Z9. That second one could feed into the global project, since it is rumored to reach Europe wearing Navara badges and could just as easily put on a Mitsubishi suit for markets with strict emissions rules.

HEVs, PHEVs, and BEVs

In terms of powertrains, Mitsubishi’s future relies heavily on electrification. The company announced that five of the 13 upcoming models will be self-charging hybrids, and another five will be plug-in hybrids.

 Mitsubishi’s Building A Kei-Sized Pajero, And A Nissan Pickup For America

Since three models are listed as BEVs in the official teaser, there is no room for any non-electrified offering. That is a little puzzling, since the Pajero was thought to use the 2.4-liter turbodiesel from the Triton, though that engine could presumably gain hybrid assistance.

More: Mitsubishi Is Still Selling A New 4WD Pickup For Used Corolla Money

In fact, Mitsubishi explicitly states they are developing in-house PHEV/HEV-dedicated engines boasting a world-class 48% thermal efficiency, confirming their deployment across all models – including those riding on ladder-frame underpinnings.

To fight off rapid-fire releases from new competitors, the brand is using AI and digital transformation to slash development lead times by 20%. They are shrinking the timeline from the current 45 months down to 36 months to get these 13 models to market faster.

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The UK Gave Nissan $16 Million For An EV Parts Factory That Won’t Build EV Parts After All

  • The new factory was supposed to hire 183 people at the UK facility.
  • Nissan had been planning to build 340,000 EV drive units each year.
  • UK government gave Nissan a $16 million grant for the factory.

Nissan has scrapped plans to build electric drive axles at a factory near its Sunderland home in the UK, even after committing roughly $65 million to the project it announced just last year. The about-face is the latest piece of collateral damage from a company trying to drag itself out of a deep financial hole.

The EV drive units, which package the motor, inverter, and reducer into a single assembly, were going to be built by Nissan’s JATCO subsidiary at the Sunderland site, which opened last year. The UK government had thrown in a £12 million ($16 million) grant to help get things moving, and the facility was on track to bring in 183 new hires, although only 20 have actually been brought aboard so far.

Read: Nissan’s Cuts In Europe Could Make Space For A Chinese Roommate

The initial plan was for the factory to produce up to 340,000 EV drive units each year and it would have joined other facilities that JATCO operates in Mexico, China, and Thailand. According to Nissan, the reversal comes as part of the RE:Nissan revival plan, which aims to turn around the company’s dire economic situation. Nissan is now reviewing whether the plant can be adapted to build other types of powertrains instead.

Fighting Falling Sales

 The UK Gave Nissan $16 Million For An EV Parts Factory That Won’t Build EV Parts After All

Nissan’s EV business in Europe is having a rough run too. Nikkei Asia reports that Ariya sales fell 44 percent in the 2025 fiscal year compared to the year before. Leaf sales cratered by 99 percent, though that figure comes with an asterisk: the old car has been retired and replaced by a more affordable new crossover. Nissan is banking on the new Leaf to become its top-selling EV in the region.

The company says there will be no immediate job losses among the 20 staff working at the site while it assesses whether the plant can be adapted to produce other powertrains. Despite the expensive change in plans, a government spokesperson says it will continue to support the brand.

“The UK automotive industry is vital to the North East,” they told the BBC. “That’s why, through our Modern Industrial Strategy, we’re delivering nearly £1bn of DRIVE35 capital and R&D funding to strengthen manufacturers and local supply chains in the region.”

 The UK Gave Nissan $16 Million For An EV Parts Factory That Won’t Build EV Parts After All

Nissan Wants To Sell Its Cheaper Chinese Cars In Canada, And Not Just The EVs

  • Nissan could bring Chinese EVs to Canada under new inter-country trade terms.
  • Canada recently slashed tariffs, allowing up to 49,000 Chinese cars in every year.
  • No models were named, but they could include the N7 sedan and the NX8 SUV.

Nissan is on a desperate mission to turn its business around, and selling its more affordable Chinese-built EVs in Canada could form a small but still important part of that plan. But it won’t help US drivers one bit.

According to Nissan Americas boss Christian Meunier, the company is exploring whether vehicles produced through its Dongfeng joint venture in China could eventually reach Canadian showrooms, Bloomberg reports. Meunier didn’t specify which models are under consideration, but confirmed Nissan is actively evaluating the idea after Canada loosened restrictions surrounding Chinese-built imports.

Related: Nissan’s New Midsize SUV Costs Less Than A Kicks And Has More Screens Than A Mercedes

Earlier this year, Canada agreed to allow up to 49,000 Chinese-made cars into the country annually. That decision has already started reshaping the market. Tesla recently began advertising a Canadian-market Model 3 sourced from Shanghai with pricing that undercuts previous versions by a substantial margin. However, due to the US tariff stance on Chinese vehicles, none of the Chinese-origin models will realistically make it to the US, even from Canada.

For Nissan, the attraction is obvious. Chinese factories can produce EVs faster and more cheaply than many plants elsewhere, and Nissan desperately needs competitive products right now. New CEO Ivan Espinosa has inherited a company weighed down by aging vehicles, declining sales, and years of financial instability. Making more use of its assets in China could buy Nissan valuable breathing room.

Nissan’s Global Plan For China

 Nissan Wants To Sell Its Cheaper Chinese Cars In Canada, And Not Just The EVs

Exports are already central to the company’s recovery plans. Espinosa reportedly wants Nissan to initially export 100,000 Chinese-built vehicles annually around the world, before eventually tripling that number to 300,000 units, Bloomberg says. Latin America gets first bite, models arriving there including the electric N7 sedan (above) and PHEV Frontier Pro pickup (below). The pair start at around $17,000 and $26,000 respectively in China, though those numbers are unlikely to survive the trip abroad.

The N7 EV could work in Canada alongside both the Frontrier and the NX8 SUV (bottom gallery, priced from around $22K in China), because there’s one thing about the new trade rules that doesn’t seem to be getting the coverage it deserves. It’s that Canada isn’t just allowing full EVs entry from China, but also electrified vehicles. That means hybrids and plug-in hybrids qualify, too.

Chinese Brands Eyeing Up Nissan’s Western Plants

 Nissan Wants To Sell Its Cheaper Chinese Cars In Canada, And Not Just The EVs

Nissan is at the same time also aggressively cutting costs across Europe, including reducing production capacity at its Sunderland plant in the UK, a story which also comes with a China twist. Reports suggest Nissan has held talks with several Chinese automakers, including Chery, about building vehicles in the idled part of the Sunderland facility.

There’s no suggestion yet that Donfeng plans to build cars in Canada, but the country’s relaxed rules make that a possibility, and Nissan rival Stellantis is already looking at building Chinese Leapmotor EVs in the mothballed Jeep plant in Brampton, Ontario.

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Nissan Promised Mississippi A $500 Million EV Plant, Now It’s Building Gas Pickups Instead

  • Nissan cancels Mississippi EV production plans after demand weakens.
  • Massive Canton plant will pivot to pickups and electrified SUVs instead.
  • Automaker joins rivals in slowing EV push and focusing on hybrids for now.

Nissan is backing away from its big electric vehicle ambitions in Mississippi, scrapping plans to build battery-powered models at its Canton plant as the US market cools faster than expected.

The decision follows a broader rethink inside the troubled company as EV demand softens and government incentives disappear. Nissan had once positioned the Mississippi factory as a key pillar of its electric future, with multiple models planned before the end of the decade.

Related: Nissan’s New Skyline Is Coming To America As The Q50, And It May Bring Back The Manual

Those timelines had already slipped, having been pushed back by nine months last year, and now the entire program has been shelved. Nissan made the U-turn to “better align with market conditions, customer demand and Nissan’s updated strategic direction,” a brand spokesperson told Auto News.

Instead of building EVs, the automaker is pivoting toward more traditional vehicles, including pickups and SUVs built on a rugged body-on-frame setup. A new generation of products is in the works, starting with a revived Xterra expected later in the decade. More models will follow, all sharing a common architecture designed to cut costs and boost efficiency.

Five New ICE Models

The new ladder chassis will spawn at least five trucks and SUVs, Auto News says, its sources revealing that those vehicles will have 70 percent parts commonality and be identical from the front seats forward.

That shift reflects changing buyer preferences. Gas-powered vehicles and hybrids are proving more resilient, while fully electric models have struggled with concerns over charging infrastructure, range, and upfront cost now that federal tax credits are no longer available. EV sales actually fell last year in the US, even as they continued to rapidly gain ground in Europe.

EV Investment Scrapped

The Canton plant that we were told five years ago was getting $500 million of investment so it could pump out thousands of EVs per year, will remain central to Nissan’s North American plans, just with a different focus. It already produces models like the Frontier pickup and Altima sedan, and the new strategy aims to build on that foundation with larger, more profitable vehicles tailored to US tastes.

And Nissan isn’t abandoning electric vehicles entirely. It will continue selling existing models like the Leaf (shown below) in the US, but its future lineup will definitely concentrate more on hybrid technology as a stepping stone.

 Nissan Promised Mississippi A $500 Million EV Plant, Now It’s Building Gas Pickups Instead

Nissan

Nissan’s Primera Looks To Return After 19 Years As A Chinese EV Bigger Than A Camry

  • The Nissan Primera will return in the form of a large electric sedan.
  • A listing on the Department of Energy Philippines reveals more details.
  • The technical specifications confirm it will be a rebadged Nissan N7.

Nearly two decades after the last one rolled off the line, the Nissan Primera looks set for another act. While the company itself has yet to confirm the news, the nameplate has surfaced in a filing with the Philippines’ Department of Energy (DOE), and the document points to a very specific electric sedan.

The DOE paperwork suggests the new Primera will run purely on electrons. It also lays out the dimensions: 4,930 mm (194.1 inches) long, riding on a 2,915 mm (114.8-inch) wheelbase, which is enough to outstretch a Toyota Camry. Those numbers tally with months of speculation that the car would be a rebadged Dongfeng Nissan N7 from China.

More: Nissan’s New Electric Sedan Is As Big As A Maxima, Cheap As A Versa

According to Top Gear Philippines, working from the DOE-certified specs, the Primera will use a single electric motor good for 215 hp (160 kW / 218 PS) and 305 Nm (225 lb-ft) of torque. Those figures match the entry-level N7 exactly. The 60 kWh battery is calibrated a touch differently and promises 500 km (311 miles) of range.

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Judging from the shared footprint, we don’t expect any styling changes compared to the Nissan N7 besides a new Primera script on the tailgate. The interior will most likely be carried over as well, including the 15.6-inch infotainment display on the minimalist dashboard.

More: Nissan’s New Sedan Drives Like An EV But Runs On Gas

Nissan is staying quiet on dates, but the company has already confirmed that the N7 is bound for export markets. The model is produced at the Dongfeng Nissan Huadu plant in Guangzhou, alongside the smaller N6 and the NX8 SUV.

The DOE filing suggests that the Primera’s revival is imminent in the Philippines. It will be interesting to see whether the same name will be used in other export markets, something that makes sense as it is far more recognizable than the N7.

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A Short History Lesson

The Nissan Primera debuted in 1990 as a mid-size sedan for Japan and Europe, spanning three generations until its discontinuation in 2007. Available in sedan, liftback, and wagon forms, the model built a motorsport reputation by winning the BTCC championship in 1998 and 1999.

More: Nissan’s New Terrano Is Coming For The Land Cruiser, And This Time It Has 429 HP And A Plug

While primarily a Japanese and European affair, the first two generations of the Primera were also sold in North America as the Infiniti G20 until 2002. In later years, the Altima assumed the Primera’s role in certain markets. The nameplate remains a familiar part of Nissan’s history in Europe and Asia, which helps explain the decision to bring it back.

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Nissan

The Nissan Primera Is Coming Back As A Rebadged Chinese EV

  • The Nissan Primera will return in the form of a large electric sedan.
  • A listing on the Department of Energy Philippines reveals more details.
  • The technical specifications confirm it will be a rebadged Nissan N7.

The Nissan Primera appears to be making a comeback after spending almost two decades in hibernation. While the automaker has yet to confirm the news, the nameplate has appeared in the Philippines’ Department of Energy (DOE), pointing out to a very specific electric sedan.

The details in the government filing suggest that the new Primera will have a fully electric powertrain. They also reveal the dimensions, including a Camry-beating length of 4,930 mm (194.1 inches) and a 2,915 mm (114.8-inch) wheelbase. Those specs all but confirm earlier reports and speculation that the model would be a rebadged version of the Dongfeng Nissan N7 from China.

More: Nissan’s New Electric Sedan Is As Big As A Maxima, Cheap As A Versa

As reported by Top Gear Philippines citing the DOE-certified specs, the new Primera will be fitted with a single electric motor producing 215 hp (160 kW / 218 PS) and 305 Nm (225 lb-ft) of torque. This is identical to the entry-level N7, although the 60 kWh battery pack is slightly different, promising to offer 500 km (311 miles) of range.

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Judging from the shared footprint, we don’t expect any styling changes compared to the Nissan N7 besides a new Primera script on the tailgate. The interior will most likely be carried over, including the 15.6-inch infotainment display on the minimalist dashboard.

More: Nissan’s New Sedan Drives Like An EV But Runs On Gas

While Nissan is keeping its cards closed on a specific launch date, it has been officially confirmed that the N7 will be offered in export markets. The model is produced at the Dongfeng Nissan Huadu plant in Guangzhou, alongside the smaller N6 and the NX8 SUV.

The DOE filing suggests that the Primera’s revival is imminent in the Philippines. It will be interesting to see whether the same name will be used in other export markets, something that makes sense as it is far more recognizable than the N7.

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A Short History Lesson

The Nissan Primera debuted in 1990 as a mid-size sedan for Japan and Europe, spanning three generations until its discontinuation in 2007. Available in sedan, liftback, and wagon forms, the model earned motorsport fame by winning the BTCC championship in 1998 and 1999.

More: Nissan’s New Terrano Is Coming For The Land Cruiser, And This Time It Has 429 HP And A Plug

While primarily a Japanese and European staple, the first two generations of the Primera were also sold in North America as the Infiniti G20 until 2002. In recent years, the Altima took over the role of the Primera in certain markets. Still, the nameplate remains a well-remembered part of Nissan’s heritage in Europe and Asia, which explains the company’s decision to bring it back.

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Nissan

Nissan’s Strangest-Looking SUV Just Got Stranger, And It’s Going Electric To Prove It

  • The new Juke goes on sale in early 2027 as a pure electric crossover.
  • Its platform is shared with the Renault Scenic E-Tech and the Alpine A390.
  • Nissan will keep the second-gen hybrid model on sale alongside the new EV.

The Nissan Juke has always stood out from the crowd, sporting a unique shape that’s allowed it to remain a solid option despite competition in its segment always increasing. At its Vision event in Japan, Nissan has unveiled the third-generation Juke, and it’s even more striking than we could have predicted.

The new Juke will be sold exclusively as an EV and will be built at the brand’s British site in Sunderland, alongside the Leaf. It’s based on the CMF-EV or AmpR Medium platform used by the likes of the Renault Scenic E-Tech, Alpine A390, and Nissan Ariya, and is scheduled to launch globally in the spring of next year.

Read: Nissan’s New Rogue Wants To Take The RAV4’s Hybrid Crown

Nissan has yet to release final specifications for the Juke, nor has it released any photos of the crossover’s interior. However, it has unveiled the full exterior design, and it looks unlike any other model Nissan sells. In fact, the design is striking enough that it looks more like a concept car than one that’ll be sold to the public.

Concept Looks

 Nissan’s Strangest-Looking SUV Just Got Stranger, And It’s Going Electric To Prove It

The design is dominated by sharp and jagged lines, starting at the front with a large blacked-out grille and intriguing headlights. It’s also been showcased with angular black wheel arches, while much of the body is finished in a bright shade of green. This color really helps to highlight the profile of the Juke, particularly the wild door skins.

As with the outgoing Juke, the handles for the rear doors remain on the C-pillars. Like the front, the rear is bold with intricate LED taillights and a distinctive tailgate.

Like the current Leaf, the new Nissan Leaf EV will support vehicle-to-grid technology. The battery packs will likely mimic those of the Nissan Leaf, meaning it could be offered with 52 kWh and 75 kWh packs. Interestingly, the existing second-generation Juke isn’t going anywhere.

Despite originally planning to replace the old model with this new one, the second and third-gen versions will instead be sold alongside each other. It’s understood that Nissan will update the design of the old model to mimic the new EV.

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Japan’s Favorite $11,800 EV Just Got A Facelift Before BYD Comes For Its Crown

  • Facelifted Nissan Sakura adopts a redesigned grille and bumper.
  • It also gains a new color and an extra cup holder inside the cabin.
  • There are no changes to the 63 hp e-motor and 20 kWh battery.

Update: After a short teaser run, Nissan has now fully revealed the model in Japan, with fresh images and additional details added below.

Nissan’s Sakura isn’t broken, but it is getting older. Japan’s best-selling EV has now been given a light facelift to keep it competitive in the kei segment, just as a high-profile challenger from China, BYD, enters the scene. The tiny electric car has been around since 2022, when it emerged as the production version of Nissan’s IMk concept from three years prior.

Fresh Face And Floral Hues

The most noticeable change is up front, where a redesigned fascia introduces a body-colored grille section that mimics the Nissan Leaf. It’s paired with a revised bumper that brings sharper angles and more pronounced vertical elements along the sides. The LED headlights carry over unchanged, as does the sheet metal along the profile and the back.

More: Nissan’s New Skyline Borrows Its Most Iconic Detail From The GT-R

Interestingly, these updates are only effective to the X and G grades, with the entry-level S retaining the old design.

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The color palette gains a new shade called “Minamono Sakura”, inspired by cherry blossoms floating on water. This is combined with copper accents and a Sterling Silver roof creating an unusual tri-color finish for the flagship Sakura G.

Key-Sized Improvements Inside

The interior looks familiar, but Nissan has introduced several functional upgrades. The drive mode switch has been moved to a more ergonomic position, and the passenger side now includes an additional cup holder.

More: Nissan Killed The Xterra Eleven Years Ago. It Just Teased Its Return

Designers didn’t seem to bother changing the 7-inch digital instrument cluster and 9-inch infotainment, but they did relocate the USB Type-C ports lower in the center console.

For the mid-range X trim, Nissan has moved several popular options to the standard equipment list, including the Intelligent Around View Monitor, heated front seats, and a steering wheel heater. The EV also gains auto lock and unlock functions, a rear seat reminder, a locking mechanism for the charging port, and an optional 1500W AC power outlet.

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Mechanically, the Sakura remains powered by a single electric motor producing 63 hp (47 kW / 64 PS) and 195 Nm (144 lb-ft) of torque. The carry-over 20 kWh lithium-ion battery provides a range of up to 180 km (112 miles) under the WLTC cycle.

More: Nissan’s 2027 Rogue Is Gunning For The RAV4, And Its Hybrid Works Nothing Like Toyota’s

The facelifted kei car is available to order in Japan, with the first deliveries expected this summer. Pricing ranges from ¥2,448,600 ($15,400) for the base X trim to ¥2,998,600 ($18,900) for the flagship G. If you take into consideration Japan’s current clean energy subsidies of ¥580,000 ($3,650), the starting price drops to approximately ¥1,870,000 ($11,800).

Nissan says the model has been Japan’s best-selling EV for four consecutive years, recording 14,093 sales in 2025. Competition comes from familiar domestic rivals, including the Mitsubishi eK X EV twin, the Honda N-One e: and N-Van e:, as well as the upcoming BYD Racco.

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