The 2026 Nissan Leaf is redefining what it means to be an affordable electric car. As recently tested in an independent range test by Edmunds, the new Nissan Leaf went the extra mile, literally. The Leaf Platinum+ trim covered 310 miles on a full charge, nearly 20 miles beyond its EPA-rated range of 259 miles.
Such high performance is rare in the electric vehicle industry, where the majority of EVs perform only slightly below their rated performance in real-world driving. Nissan appears to have developed an EV nameplate, which has long existed, but this time around appears to be far more competent.
Edmunds Test Reveals Real-World Brilliance
Edmunds carries out EV range tests in a slightly different proportion compared to the way the Environmental Protection Agency does it. Although the EPA uses a 55 percent city and 45 percent highway driving ratio, Edmunds employs a 60:40 ratio, stating that it is closer to the way ordinary people drive in their day-to-day lives.
Partially, that disparity in approach might be the reason why the Leaf did so well. Nonetheless, the assessment difference notwithstanding, a 20% range gain is noteworthy- and indicative that Nissan’s new powertrain and efficiency advances are beginning to pay off.
Edmunds recorded the 2026 Leaf Platinum+ as 3.6 miles per kilowatt-hour, which is on par with the more expensive EVs such as the Tesla Model 3 or Hyundai Ioniq 6. That will be quite a win for a car that is much cheaper.
Best Leaf Yet: Modern, Efficient, and Affordable
The 2026 Leaf is now in its third generation, and it is surely the finest iteration of Nissan’s pioneering electric car ever. The model has an updated, sleeker appearance, has the capability of charging faster, and has better quality cabin materials and technology. Otherwise, its greatest selling point is still its value for money.
The highest-end Trim Platinum+ tried by Edmunds begins at slightly more than $40,000, already several thousand dollars less than most EVs with similar specifications. Yet it’s actually the lowest-range variant of the lineup. That means things get even more interesting further down the price ladder.
The Real Game-Changer: The $31,000 Leaf S+
The Nissan Leaf S+ is the base model, which has the potential to disrupt the EV market. Retailing at a somewhat above $31,000 out the door, it is already the lowest-priced electric car in America, by a significant margin. The S+ has a strong EPA-estimated range of 303 miles, even though it is affordable.
Even that number would not have been conceivable for an EV under $35,000 a few years ago. However, with the higher trim having done so well in the test conducted by Edmunds, the base model might even exceed its own projected standard, which in the best case may reach 330-350 miles under ideal conditions.
This would result in the Leaf being not only the cheapest, but also one of the most efficient EVs on the American roads.
