Can Big Discounts Save Nissan’s Struggling EV?

Can Big Discounts Save Nissan’s Struggling EV? originally appeared on Autoblog.

The Nissan Ariya Isn't Gaining Traction

Since its arrival in the US, the Nissan Ariya has struggled to gain ground with buyers. Touted as the brand's first real electric SUV, the Ariya was supposed to challenge models like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E. But based on the numbers, it's barely putting up a fight.

In all of 2024, Nissan sold just 19,798 units of the Ariya. For the first half of 2025, the figure stands at 11,619 – an improvement over last year's pace, but still underwhelming. Compare that to Nissan's gas-powered Rogue, which moved 245,724 units in 2024 and 109,563 in the first half of 2025.

Versus the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Ariya hasn't been giving a tight contest. The Korean marque sold 44,400 units of the Ioniq 5 in 2024, while the first half of this year already saw 19,092 units delivered to owners.

It doesn't help that the Ariya launched late, hampered by chip shortages and supply chain issues. Now that it's more widely available, Nissan seems to be sitting on more inventory than it can move.

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Massive Discounts, Lease Deals, and 0% Financing

According to a recent dealer bulletin obtained by CarsDirect, Nissan is pulling out all the stops to sell the 2025 Ariya, which got updated pricing. Shoppers can now get a $10,000 Customer Cash rebate when purchasing the vehicle outright. That's a huge discount off the sticker price, but Nissan's not done there.

Buyers who opt for special financing can choose 0% APR for 72 months and still get $2,500 in bonus cash. On a $50,000 Ariya, the special finance offer works out to be cheaper than taking the cash and applying a typical 7% APR loan.

Leases are even more aggressive. In markets like Southern California, the base Ariya Engage trim is being advertised for $179 per month for 36 months, with $4,989 due at signing –an effective cost of just $318 per month. That's cheaper than leasing the current Nissan Leaf, even though the Ariya is larger, newer, and more advanced.

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Nissan's Undergoing a Tough Transition

It's no secret that Nissan is currently going through a tough transition. The company recently installed a new CEO, Ivan Espinosa, but shareholders expressed doubt in his leadership during the company’s latest annual meeting.

The Ariya was supposed to mark a new chapter for Nissan, especially in the EV space, but somehow reflects the brand's ongoing struggles. With waning demand for EVs and more competition in the market, Nissan may need more than big discounts to fix its EV problem. Hopefully, the newly updated 2026 Leaf, which is also now a crossover, does that job for the brand.

Can Big Discounts Save Nissan’s Struggling EV? first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 11, 2025

This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.