The most affordable electric car in the USA exceeded its EPA range rating.
The 2026 Nissan Leaf Platinum+ covered 499 kilometers (310 miles) on a single charge in an independent test by Edmunds. This is 20% more than its officially declared EPA rating of 417 kilometers (259 miles). At the same time, the car's efficiency was 3.6 miles per kilowatt-hour (approximately 5.8 km/kWh).
What is Known
The difference between the Edmunds test and the EPA is the ratio of city to highway driving mode — 60% city and 40% highway instead of 55/45 as per EPA methodology. In Edmunds' opinion, this approach is more similar to a real-life scenario for electric vehicle operation.
The top-end Platinum+ trim costs just over $40,000 and yet has the shortest range. However, the base version S+ is estimated at about $31,000 and has an EPA rating of 488 kilometers (303 miles) — almost 160 kilometers (100 miles) more than the previous model. It is expected that this version will also exceed the declared figures in tests, making it an even more attractive choice in the US market.
Source: Edmunds
