Nissan and Honda plan to enter into negotiations for a merger to better compete in the rapidly changing automotive industry, the Nikkei newspaper reported.
It is a big, untapped market but it’s not a big market for the Leaf. Tesla sold 3x more Model 3 in the last year alone than Nissan has sold in the entire 14 year production run of the Leaf. It’s a hot mess.
I think it’s more that they don’t want to choose the lowest quality option when making such a large purchase. I’d rather spend an extra few thousand, spread over 5 years or whatever term length you choose, to get something that gives more power, range, and features than be stuck with a low quality EV that barely gets a 100 mile range after my loan is paid off.
The Bolt is another cheap EV that sells quite a bit better than the Leaf but still it’s a tiny fraction of what more expensive models like the Model 3 or Ioniq 5 sell because it’s so limited. You aren’t going to fit your family of 4 or 5 inside on comfortably, so why not just spend a little more to get something that can be used outside of solo work commutes if you’re going to be spending tens of thousands on it either way?
It’s the same reason why people buy trucks even if they only need a truck 2-3 times a year. It’s better to have a vehicle that can check all the boxes than something that’ll perform well in only a few areas of use.
It is a big, untapped market but it’s not a big market for the Leaf. Tesla sold 3x more Model 3 in the last year alone than Nissan has sold in the entire 14 year production run of the Leaf. It’s a hot mess.
The Model 3 is over $40,000. It’s selling more because Americans are barely even aware cheaper EVs exist.
I think it’s more that they don’t want to choose the lowest quality option when making such a large purchase. I’d rather spend an extra few thousand, spread over 5 years or whatever term length you choose, to get something that gives more power, range, and features than be stuck with a low quality EV that barely gets a 100 mile range after my loan is paid off.
The Bolt is another cheap EV that sells quite a bit better than the Leaf but still it’s a tiny fraction of what more expensive models like the Model 3 or Ioniq 5 sell because it’s so limited. You aren’t going to fit your family of 4 or 5 inside on comfortably, so why not just spend a little more to get something that can be used outside of solo work commutes if you’re going to be spending tens of thousands on it either way?
It’s the same reason why people buy trucks even if they only need a truck 2-3 times a year. It’s better to have a vehicle that can check all the boxes than something that’ll perform well in only a few areas of use.