It was only on sale in the U.S. for three years but it appears Nissan is rapidly throwing in the towel on the Ariya EV with the Japanese auto giant confirming the model is exiting the U.S. market as the company continues its broader efforts to streamline operations and fight for its very survival.

Ariya making room for new Leaf

The apparent confirmation came from a memo obtained by Automotive News stating “This decision enables the company to reallocate resources and optimize its EV portfolio as the automotive landscape continues to evolve.”

Nissan’s decision to discontinue the Ariya is mostly due to changing market dynamics and a slow down in EVs. However, the Ariya was also a slow seller for Nissan and its mediocre driving range and charging speed certainly didn’t help matters. It’s best sales year was in 2024 when it sold over 24,000 units which is a figurative drop in the bucket when compared to leaders like the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Nissan not abandoning EVs completely

While the Ariya is being axed in the U.S. Nissan is not abandoning EVs outright. The Ariya is still being sold in other markets and the company will use the Ariya’s U.S. departure to make room fo the recently unveiled Leaf.

Unlike the Ariya, the Leaf will attempt to win over U.S. customers with an electrified vehicle that’s not only in a smaller package, but also comes with a smaller price tag with a base Leaf starting at just under $30,000 which is not only $10,000 less than a base Ariya, but it would also make it the cheapest EV in the U.S. when it goes on sale in 2026.

Nissan’s move is not unique with Ford, GM and others also pulling back their commitment to EVs. However, Nissan’s precarious financial situation does make this move stand out and it will be interesting to see if the Leaf can help fill the missing pieces for Nissan in the U.S. in a market that’s poised to slip once the $7,500 EV tax credit is gone.