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Time of India
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Nissan launches new Leaf in push to revive its electric mojo
Nissan is betting on a new version of its Leaf electric vehicle (EV) to revive its fortunes, having gone from mass-market EV pioneer to laggard since its first model entered showrooms in 2010. The Japanese carmaker's third-generation Leaf was launched on Tuesday and will go on sale in the United States in the autumn, with other regions to follow. But its success is far from certain in the face of significant obstacles. The cars sold in the U.S. will be made at Nissan's factory in Tochigi, Japan, and therefore subject to tariffs. EV demand in the U.S., meanwhile, has cooled as customers clamour for hybrids, which Nissan still does not offer in America. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mississippi: Metal Roof Upgrade Opportunities In These Zip Codes. Metal Roof USA Learn More Undo "There is a high possibility that this is going on sale at the worst possible time, given the imposition of tariffs and the Trump administration's rollback of EV subsidies," said Koji Endo at SBI Securities. "If the new Leaf doesn't sell, it will mean big trouble for Nissan." Live Events The price of the new Leaf has yet to be announced, but the previous hatchback styling has been overhauled as a crossover with battery capacity up to 25% more than the previous version. Nissan estimates a maximum range of up to 303 miles in the U.S. with its 75 kWh battery. Even with the tariffs, the U.S. price will be competitive, a Nissan spokesperson said. It is difficult to understate the Leaf's symbolic importance to Nissan. It was the world's best-selling EV for years until it was overtaken by Tesla. Introduced by the now-disgraced Carlos Ghosn, it heralded Nissan's desire to play a big role in the electric future. Despite the company's troubles in recent years, it has sold almost 700,000 Leaf vehicles. Chief Executive Ivan Espinosa now faces the difficult task of delivering much-needed cost cuts while continuing to invest in development of new vehicles to refresh its ageing line-up and lack of hybrids in the United States. Espinosa has laid out plans for big cuts, including seven plant closures and 11,000 jobs. That will bring staff cuts to about 20,000, including those announced by his predecessor last year. Nissan reported a net loss of about $4.5 billion in the past financial year and faces 596 billion yen ($4.1 billion) in debt due next year. The new Leaf will also be made at the Sunderland factory in Britain. The Tochigi and Sunderland plants are not expected to be among the closures, though the Oppama factory where the Leaf was first made could be axed.
Reuters
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
Nissan launches new Leaf in push to revive its electric mojo
TOKYO, June 17 (Reuters) - Nissan (7201.T), opens new tab is betting on a new version of its Leaf electric vehicle (EV) to revive its fortunes, having gone from mass-market EV pioneer to laggard since its first model entered showrooms in 2010. The Japanese carmaker's third-generation Leaf was launched on Tuesday and will go on sale in the United States in the autumn, with other regions to follow. But its success is far from certain in the face of significant obstacles. The cars sold in the U.S. will be made at Nissan's factory in Tochigi, Japan, and therefore subject to tariffs. EV demand in the U.S., meanwhile, has cooled as customers clamour for hybrids, which Nissan still does not offer in America. "There is a high possibility that this is going on sale at the worst possible time, given the imposition of tariffs and the Trump administration's rollback of EV subsidies," said Koji Endo at SBI Securities. "If the new Leaf doesn't sell, it will mean big trouble for Nissan." The price of the new Leaf has yet to be announced, but the previous hatchback styling has been overhauled as a crossover with battery capacity up to 25% more than the previous version. Nissan estimates a maximum range of up to 303 miles in the U.S. with its 75 kWh battery. Even with the tariffs, the U.S. price will be competitive, a Nissan spokesperson said. It is difficult to understate the Leaf's symbolic importance to Nissan. It was the world's best-selling EV for years until it was overtaken by Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab. Introduced by the now-disgraced Carlos Ghosn, it heralded Nissan's desire to play a big role in the electric future. Despite the company's troubles in recent years, it has sold almost 700,000 Leaf vehicles. Chief Executive Ivan Espinosa now faces the difficult task of delivering much-needed cost cuts while continuing to invest in development of new vehicles to refresh its ageing line-up and lack of hybrids in the United States. Espinosa has laid out plans for big cuts, including seven plant closures and 11,000 jobs. That will bring staff cuts to about 20,000, including those announced by his predecessor last year. Nissan reported a net loss of about $4.5 billion in the past financial year and faces 596 billion yen ($4.1 billion) in debt due next year. The new Leaf will also be made at the Sunderland factory in Britain. The Tochigi and Sunderland plants are not expected to be among the closures, though the Oppama factory where the Leaf was first made could be axed.
Japan Times
05-06-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Space-debris firm that saw shares surge 62% on IPO loses half its value
When Astroscale Holdings began trading in Tokyo a year ago, excitement over the Japanese space-debris pioneer was riding so high that the stock surged 62%, making it a billion-dollar company. That lasted one day. The value of its shares have since halved after those lofty expectations soured, with the company announcing delays of some projects and lowering some of its earnings estimates. Astroscale is now the worst performer among Tokyo's 10 biggest listings in the past year and it's trading below its initial public offering price, data shows. While the company says the setbacks are temporary, its stock performance illustrates how fast investor patience can run out even for frontier industries like space. "Investors had put high expectations on the company, and the delay in scheduled plans resulted in the stock's underperformance,' said Ikuo Mitsui, a fund manager at Aizawa Securities. "There was a mismatch between investors and the company in terms of timelines.' The company, whose services include removing space debris and repairing satellites in space, recently downgraded its earnings estimates, projecting net losses doubled to ¥22.5 billion in the year ended April 30. It cited delays in new contract signings and revenue recognition for existing projects, according to a release by Astroscale, which will report earnings next week. It didn't help that the company also issued more stock to raise funds, diluting the value of existing shares, according to Koji Endo, an analyst at SBI Securities. Though investors are aware the company needs money, it needs to show better growth, he said. There are some positive signs, however. The company posted its first gross profit during the fiscal third quarter and its operating losses have been narrowing the past two quarters. The company remains optimistic that recent setbacks are only transitory. "We expect more growth for the current fiscal year and aim to achieve better profitability than last year,' said Nobuhiro Matsuyama, chief financial officer at Astroscale, in an interview. Astroscale aims to improve its profitability further by controlling costs and securing 20 to 30 projects globally, he said. The company has enough funding for now, raising about ¥12 billion in a recent share sale, but Astroscale will continue to raise funds if there's a need for investment, Matsuyama said. Toshiyuki Tateno, an analyst at Phillip Securities Japan, agrees that the company's long-term prospects remain bright. Despite the recent weak performance, the technology the company has should revalue the stock higher going forward, he said.
