Mitsubishi taps Nissan Alliance to launch 2026 BEV

Mitsubishi Motors is doubling down on its Momentum 2030 plan with the announcement of a U.S.-bound battery-electric vehicle (BEV) coming next year.

Let’s rewind for a sec: Back in May 2024, Mitsubishi rolled out its North America game plan—more EVs, more models, a sharper retail experience, and a stronger, more profitable dealer network.

• As MMNA President and CEO Mark Chaffin put it, this plan came at a pivotal moment in the U.S. market.

• Chaffin said that when the plan first launched “there was a buzz in the room” from dealers—but also a curiosity for more concrete insight into what was to come.

The good news? Yesterday’s announcement was just that.

Worth noting: What dealers did know at inception, is that the plan promised one new or significantly revamped vehicle every year through 2030.

• The first follow-through came with the debut of the 2025 Outlander. 

• And now, a new BEV (based on Nissan’s next-gen LEAF platform) is set to premier in the U.S. and Canada come summer 2026.

Jeremy Barnes, senior director of communications and events, told CDG News that extra details—name, specs, pricing, imagery—will come later, which is not too out of the ordinary (building the hype).

• But that’s not the only pricing update to come, because we still don’t have a clear look at how Mitsubishi plans to navigate tariff costs. 

• Barnes told CDG News this was on purpose, and that the team’s main focus right now is maintaining a “measured” approach by not  “over- or under-reacting” to the policy shifts.

That said, their alliance with Nissan and Renault is coming in handy because by using Nissan’s LEAF platform, Mitsubishi is scoring faster speed to market, less supply chain friction, and—critically—lower exposure to tariffs thanks to North American production.

It’s a well-timed strategic hedge, and better than pouring every extra penny into a ground-up EV launch.

And the alliance cuts both ways... 

Bottom line: This move gives Mitsubishi a credible BEV entry without blowing up the playbook. And for dealers, it’s another product designed to meet demand in a split market—one where gas, hybrid, and EVs are all still in the mix.

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