Is this going to be a huge year for Nissan?
This year marks one of the most important years for the Japanese car manufacturer, Nissan.
Over the next 12 months, it plans to launch several new electric models and is aiming to take production at its Sunderland Plant, UK, to the next level with its ‘EV36Zero’ vision project.
This follows after the firm fell into financial difficulty, due to declining global sales and its European partner, Renault, reducing its stake in the company.
So, what can we expect to see from Nissan in 2026? And, what plans does it have going forward to secure its future?
New Micra EV
The Micra nameplate is making a return as an affordable compact EV, which shares its chassis, platform, batteries and interior with the funky Renault 5.
The previous Micra was taken off sale in the UK in 2023, due to lack of demand and the appetite for the combustion-powered supermini segment reducing.
Now, though, the Micra is back and features a bold new look with circular front headlights and taillights and hidden rear door handles. There will be a choice of 40kWh and 52kWh battery packs too, which can do claimed electric ranges of 198 miles and 260 miles, respectively.
Prices for the Micra start at £22,995 for the entry-level model, although the car is eligible for the government’s Electric Car Grant, which will slash £1,500 off the car’s list price, meaning the range kicks off at £21,495.
New Leaf SUV
The Leaf is Nissan’s most important model as it was the pioneer for mass-market EVs, and now, for its third-generation, the car has morphed from a hatchback into a coupe-esque SUV.
The new car is bigger, more practical and better equipped than its predecessor and is available with a choice of two battery options.
The ‘Standard Range’ 52kWh car comes equipped with an electric motor that produces 171bhp and 345Nm of torque, while it can manage a claimed 271 miles between charges. There is also an ‘Extended Range’ 75kWh model, which boosts power to 212bhp and 355Nm of torque, and gives a claimed range of up to 386 miles between trips to the plug.
The Leaf will be built at Nissan’s Sunderland Plant in the UK, where it also receives the government’s full £3,750 Electric Car Grant, bringing the starting price down to £32,249 for the entry-level car.
Nissan’s Sunderland Plant and EV36Zero project
To help kickstart the new Leaf’s production at Nissan’s Sunderland Plant, UK, it has received a £450m investment, which is to assist production of the new model, including 78 new high-tech robots in the paint shop, 475 automated guided vehicles to deliver parts, upgraded factory technology with virtual reality and digital mapping, as well as 360,000 hours of team training to build the new car.
All of this will also help start Nissan’s new ‘EV36Zero’ vision project, which involves investing a further £3bn in three gigafactories for battery production and a fully-sustainable electric microgrid to help cut down on the firm’s carbon footprint in the manufacturing process. All of this will help the production of further electric models at the Sunderland Plant, and will push Nissan to become a carbon-neutral company by 2050.
Future models planned
Nissan has big plans for its future EV model line-up, which is thanks to the EV36Zero vision project investment, with electric versions of the Qashqai and Juke in the pipeline.
Although details on these cars are limited at this stage, what we do know is that they will be built at the firm’s Sunderland Plant here in the UK.
Also, Nissan will introduce a new electric city car, which is likely to share the same underpinnings, chassis and electric motors found in the new Renault Twingo. Further information regarding images, technical details and specifications for this model will be revealed soon.
Interested in getting behind the wheel of a new Nissan? At UK Carline, we’ve got a range of this manufacturer’s latest models, so check them out today.
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