IF you really fancy leasing an electric-only SUV then… well, you’re a bit limited to Tesla and its imposing Model X.

But the market looks like it will expand with a Nissan Leaf-based SUV possibly called Terra.

And at something rather less than the lease cost of a Model X (from £1,140 + VAT per month on a 36-month business car lease).

According to a report in AutoBeat Daily, Nissan has filed to the Malaysian patent office a request to trademark the name Terra.

What makes this more likely is that Nissan is due to launch an all-new version of the Leaf this autumn, and the new SUV could share the Leaf’s base architecture and 60kWh battery with its 200 mile-odd range.

Back in 2012, Nissan showed an SUV concept at the Paris Motor Show called TeRRa. That concept model showed a transmission system powered by a Nissan Leaf battery driving the front wheels, and a hydrogen fuelled electric fuel cell the rear wheels.

The Nissan TeRRa measured 4160mm long, 1800mm wide and stood 1560mm tall.

At the 2012 launch, Nissan said it wanted to take the company’s expertise in both SUVs and EVs to provide an SUV that was relevant for urban life with zero emissions.

Let’s hope Nissan launches the Leaf-based Terra EV SUV soon!