On paper, the new Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf were supposed to change the game for EV ownership in the U.S. In some ways they did, with the overhauled and affordable EVs delivering more range and fewer compromises than a sub-$30,000 electric model ever had. They also landed with a thud.
When General Motors unveiled the new Bolt last year, it said the car would only have a “limited run,” lasting partway into 2027. Last year, Nissan’s then-marketing chief warned that the Leaf’s rollout would be conservative, and the company has only moved 2,318 units in the U.S. this year so far. That’s fewer than the same period in 2025, before the new model went on sale.
