---
title: "Nissan: Current Leaf Can’t Get AWD, Leaf Nismo Unlikely for US"
description: "A sportier Nissan Leaf? That's gonna be a Nis-no."
date: "2019-03-30"
modified: "2019-03-30"
authors:
  - name: "James Gilboy"
    job_title: "Contributing Writer"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/27214/nissan-current-leaf-cant-get-awd-leaf-nismo-unlikely-for-us"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "Electric Vehicles"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Nissan News"
tags:
  - "All Wheel Drive"
  - "compact"
  - "Denver Auto Show"
  - "Electric Vehicle"
  - "Hatchback"
  - "JDM"
  - "Leaf"
  - "NISMO"
  - "Nissan"
  - "Nissan LEAF"
  - "Tesla Model 3"
---

# Nissan: Current Leaf Can’t Get AWD, Leaf Nismo Unlikely for US

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/07/180719_01_03-source-e1531986142499.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com\</em\>*

A Nissan spokesperson told *The Drive* at the 2019 Denver Auto Show that its current generation of [electric Leaf hatchback](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/26119/2019-nissan-leaf-review-electric-car-rookie-attempts-to-daily-drive-epiphany-ensues>) probably won't be sold in a sportier Nismo trim stateside—and that an all-wheel-drive variant isn't on the table.

They explained that the [Leaf Nismo](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/14809/nissan-confirms-leaf-nismo-for-production>) introduced in Japan last year won't be coming to the United States because it's more than analogous to the market's new, long-range [Leaf Plus](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/26602/2019-nissan-leaf-plus-review-the-big-battery-leaf-is-a-better-electric-car>): they're mechanically identical, and differ only in name.

"The Nismo version that's in Japan *is* the Plus. It was introduced in Japan before the U.S.," explained the spokesperson to *The Drive*. When asked if the Leaf Nismo being renamed for the American market precluded the introduction of a Nismo-branded Leaf variant, they were confident that it did.

"Yes, I think so," answered the spokesperson. "I don't know the full reasoning for that—Nismo has a lot more caché and credibility in Japan than it does here, so I think there was just going to be a little bit of a confusion there. So, we just went with Leaf Plus rather than Leaf Nismo, but it's the exact same vehicle."

Increasing prevalence of all-wheel-drive in electric vehicles prompted us to ask whether it's even possible for the redesigned Leaf to be sold with twin-motor AWD, but the Nissan spokesperson told us the current Leaf's architecture can't fit a second motor out back.

"As far as the architecture on the rear, not on this one," said the spokesperson. Nissan has previously explained that it kept front-wheel-drive on the second-generation Leaf so as not to reduce cargo room under the hatch, which would be reduced if accommodation for a rear-axle motor were needed.

The current Leaf Plus comes in at [a price range broadly similar to that of a low-trim Tesla Model 3](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/26719/2019-nissan-leaf-plus-pricing-announced-takes-aim-at-35k-tesla-model-3>), attracting direct comparison of the two models despite their varying body styles. Although the Leaf won't be able to compete with the Model 3 on the AWD front, the most costly Leaf—the SL Plus model—is $5,950 cheaper than the least expensive AWD Model 3 which starts at $48,500. Tesla's reducing eligibility for federal tax credits means comparison between low-end Model 3s and Leaf Pluses will become more favorable for Nissan with the march of time...Until Nissan too crosses the 200,000-car threshold and starts to lose out on the full tax credit.

## Author
James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids."

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/jamesgilboy>)