While automotive news was flowing in a steady stream from the Detroit Auto Show, Nissan managed to slip a quiet update under the radar. It’s no secret that sales of its Leaf electric car haven’t exactly met expectations, so Nissan is doing the prudent thing: it’s slashing the Leaf’s starting price.
Thanks to a newly-created Leaf S trim, as well as a shift to lower-cost U.S. assembly, Nissan is selling its electric car at a starting price of just $28,800. That’s $6,000, or 18-percent, less than the Leaf’s point of entry last year. Factor in federal and state tax credits, and Nissan points out that the Leaf could ultimately cost as little as $18,800, putting it in the same price bracket as comparable gasoline-powered vehicles.
Nissan has reduced Leaf pricing on other trims as well, so customers shopping for higher content levels will save money, too. A 2012 Leaf SV was priced from $35,200 (sans destination), while the 2013 Leaf SV begins at just $31,820 (also excluding destination. The range-topping Leaf SL cost $37,250 last year, but this year’s price is dropped to $34,840.
Will that be enough to boost sales? We suppose that answer is tied to the cost of gasoline and the amount of consumer disposable income for a second (or third) vehicle. We don’t know of anyone who’d buy a Leaf as a primary vehicle, since its limited range and long charging times are an issue for most consumers. Still, as a daily commuter (for those with short to moderate commutes), the Leaf makes some sense. Is it now priced attractively enough for consumers to agree? Nissan hopes the answer is yes.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
