Nissan Micra EV revealed as Sunderland gears up for Leaf and Juke
Nissan has shared the first images of its all-new, all-electric Micra, which will go on sale later this year.
The supermini will arrive ahead of the next generation of Leaf and the first Juke EV as Nissan steps up its EV offensive.
Based on the same AmpR platform as the new Renault 5, the Micra EV will be built alongside the French hatchback at Renault’s Douai factory. It will come with a choice of 40 or 52kWh batteries providing a maximum range of 248 miles, and presumably the same choice of 118bhp or 148bhp motors.
The new Micra has been designed by Nissan’s European design team, based in London and while it shares some lines with the Renault, Nissan has gone for a softer overall shape, with huge round headlights in tribute to the third generation.
There’s no word on exact launch date or price for the new Micra EV, but it’s likely to be priced to compete with the £23,000 Renault 5 and £22,000 Citroen E-C3.
Hot on the heels of the new Micra, production of the third-generation Nissan Leaf will begin in Sunderland towards the end of 2025.
The latest version of Nissan’s pioneering family EV has been reimagined as a crossover, replacing the previous hatchback shape. It is based on the same CMF-EV platform as the larger Ariya and Nissan says it brings ‘significant range improvements’ thanks to a new three-in-one EV powertrain.
No technical details have been shared but the previous generation Leaf offered 239 miles of range from a 62kWh battery mated to a 214bhp motor. The Ariya offers up to 330 miles from its 87kWh battery and comes with the option of up to 429bhp all-wheel-drive. It seems unlikely that the Leaf will go all-wheel-drive, but it could share the Ariya’s battery, which would give the smaller, lighter Leaf a range in excess of 350 miles.
Newly released images of the Leaf show it will also share the slippery, smooth design language of the Ariya, with a simple grille-less front end featuring full-width front light bar and illuminated Nissan badge. Other features designed to aid aerodynamic efficiency include a swooping coupe-inspired roof line and flush-fit door handles.
Both Micra and Leaf will launch later in 2025 and will be followed in 2026 by a new electric version of the Juke.
That compact crossover is based on the Hyper Punk show car and a teaser image suggests it will blend some of the radical elements of that concept, albeit toned down, with the already striking design of previous Juke generations.
It is expected to be built on the same platform as the Leaf and Ariya but technical details are still under wraps.
