The firm announced today that sales of Mitsubishi’s EV, which is based on the 2026 Nissan Leaf, will commence in the second half of 2026. Next year, the next-generation Nissan Leaf will also be introduced. This vehicle will transition from a hatchback to a compact SUV. Nissan has announced that the new Leaf will have a range of over 300 miles, though it will not be available with all-wheel drive. Mitsubishi entered the electric vehicle industry early with the launch of the iMiEV hatchback in 2012. Unfortunately, with a 62-mile range, a top speed of 80 mph, and a zero-to-60 mph time of 13.0 seconds, the iMiEV was just a glorified golf cart. Mitsubishi plans to launch a new electric vehicle with substantially more potential. The Japanese automaker announced today that a new electric vehicle (EV) modelled after the Nissan Leaf will be available in North America next year. Nissan has announced plans to build a new Leaf for the 2026 model year, despite the fact that the current model is outdated, unwieldy, and has a limited range of 149 to 212 miles. Nissan claims the new Leaf will have a range of more than 300 miles, but this will most likely require an upgrade to a larger battery pack. The Leaf is set to evolve from a hatchback into a subcompact SUV, comparable in size to the gasoline-powered Kicks. Nissan has also stated that the Leaf will feature a front-wheel-drive system with a single motor, rather than offering all-wheel drive. Since the Mitsubishi and Leaf are expected to feature similar powertrain options, the Mitsubishi is likely to deliver comparable performance and adopt the form of a compact crossover. According to Nissan, the 2026 Leaf will include a NACS charging port that will allow it to connect to Tesla’s Supercharger network. This feature should also be available on Mitsubishi’s electric vehicle. Mitsubishi indicated that the new EV will go on sale in North America in the second half of 2026, but provided no other information. Although the name of the new EV is unknown, Mitsubishi has recently registered trademarks for several of its past names in the United States, including Lancer, Lancer Evolution, Colt, Galant, and Montero. We assume the subcompact SUV will be dubbed a Lancer or Colt. Mitsubishi and Nissan have collaborated to build the vehicle. As part of the arrangement, Mitsubishi will provide Nissan with plug-in hybrid technology, which it has perfected with the Outlander PHEV, for a new model in 2026. According to Nissan, the popular Rogue small SUV, which currently shares its underpinnings with the Outlander, will receive a facelift that incorporates this plug-in hybrid.
