Tesla remains the electric vehicle industry leader globally, offering innovative battery-powered vehicles for a wide range of customers. Although the brand is a luxury one, it has been implementing aggressive pricing strategies to make its EVs more affordable, along with government incentives.
However, the competition is rapidly intensifying, placing the Musk-led automaker at risk of losing its dominant title. For instance, Japanese legacy automaker Nissan’s subsidiary Infiniti recently revealed plans to have a brand refresh following years of poor sales performances. By 2026, it aims to launch its first all-electric model, with dealers describing it as a “Tesla Model S-like” EV.
Its parent company Nissan will also launch a successor to its iconic Leaf EV by 2026, potentially igniting the competition in the rapidly growing EV market.
Infiniti to have a new logo
Electrek reported that Infiniti’s brand refresh will include a new logo and redesigned Japanese-inspired showrooms.
It will apparently have” ‘an invigorating new multisensory signature’ such as Japanese forest scents and the brand’s own master track, “Moment of Tranquility.”
“The QX Inspiration marks the beginning of a new generation of Infiniti cars and establishes a direct blueprint for the brand’s first electric vehicle.”
Mike Collera, Infiniti’s Marketing and Sales Operations VP, Global Division
Sadly, the brand has no plans yet to launch an all-electric model until the second half of the decade, with plans to sell its first EV by late 2026. This unaggressive timeline could impede the brand from truly competing in the EV industry.
Infiniti presented its first EV model at the company’s recent dealer meeting, with dealers referring to it as a “Tesla Model S-like” sedan. They also claim that the new Infiniti EV has a “striking evolution of the Q70.”
Nissan to phase out the iconic Leaf EV
Nissan’s all-electric Leaf model has been among the most affordable and popular models in the EV industry since its launch in 2010.
As competition continues to grow, Nissan has been prompted to phase out the Leaf in 2026 as its prominence has weakened these past quarters.
The Japanese automaker plans to launch the Leaf’s successor, which is said to be more expensive.
Chevrolet also announced a similar strategy, with plans to discontinue the popular mass-market Chevy Bolt and replace it with a less affordable model.
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Tesla’s EVs have never been regarded as affordable. Nonetheless, they continue to lead the North American market in terms of sales. Other automakers seem to realize that offering “luxury” models than affordable EVs may be a significant factor that may enable them to compete with the Musk-led automaker.
