Can You Replace Gen1 Leaf Batteries With Gen2 Leaf Batteries
A common question among Nissan LEAF owners looking to replace their batteries is whether it is possible to upgrade their original 24 kWh battery packs to either the 40 kWh or 62 kWh battery packs found in the second-generation Leaf . In theory, this sounds like a better solution, as they are more common and offer increased range and performance over early LEAF models.
While the Gen2 40 kWh pack is an exact mechanical match to the early 24 kWh LEAF battery packs , the 62 kWh pack is not. There are also ground clearance and weight issues with the 62 kWh pack that would require additional modifications to your LEAF, making the swap even more daunting and unlikely worth the costs.
Both sized packs require electrical modifications in the form of a CAN-bridge converter and adapter cable, which will need to be sourced from an independent EV specialist, as they are not offered from Nissan. Almost every production EV links the battery pack to the car or more specifically, the Battery Management System with a unique code. This makes it difficult for third party mechanics to remove/install battery packs outside of an authorized repair network. Therefore, something like a CAN-bridge is required to translate messages between the old BMS and new battery pack. Even more importantly, one needs a way to program the new battery packs unique code, or spoof it, such that the two can talk to each other unimpeded.
Where Can Nissan Leaf Take You
Go where no Nissan LEAF has gone before! With its standard 40 kWh battery delivering up to 149 miles on a single charge, you can take daily commuting and day trips in stride. With Nissan LEAFs available 60 kWh battery, youve got up to 212 miles of range per charge letting you hit the road to adventure. ]
The Nissan Leaf Is One Of The Most Popular Electric Cars But Understanding The Batteries That Come With It Has Been A Minefield Until Now
Although electric cars can seem like very new technology, the Nissan Leaf has been around since 2011. As a result, if there is one battery-powered car that offers insight into how an EV holds up to the test of time and specifically how well its batteries last, it is the first-generation Leaf – the car we’re focusing on here.
Some drivers would have you believe that the batteries in electric cars will be defunct in a few years and that they will cost a small fortune to replace. Meanwhile, if you speak to an EV early adopter, they would have you believe that electric cars are the answer to life, the universe, and everything. The truth is that electric cars have many positives and a number of negatives to bear in mind. Keep reading to understand the pros and cons of the Nissan Leaf and its batteries.
Common questions about electric cars and their batteries include: How long will they last? How much do they cost to replace? And how long is the manufacturer warranty? With the Nissan Leaf, there has also been the question of how battery leasing works – as Nissan offered the option of buying the car and leasing the batteries separately. All this and more will be covered below.
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Warranty On Nissan Leaf Battery
Warranties have been known to promise the world on first impressions but when you get into the small print they can quickly unravel. While the warranty on Nissan Leaf batteries wont leave you in despair, there are a couple of key points to be aware of.
Firstly, the battery warranty for the first-generation Nissan Leaf is different to that of the second-generation Leaf. Early cars came with a five-year warranty . During that time Nissan would repair or replace the damaged battery components required to bring the capacity back up to a minimal level.
Early Leafs use a bar system to indicate the health of a battery – there are 12 bars and once it falls below nine the warranty comes into play. Nissan will then carry out the necessary works to return the Leaf back to at least nine bars. As 24kWh models are amongst the oldest, the majority will be out of manufacturer battery warranty cover by now.
When Nissan launched the 30kWh Leaf it upped its warranty offering. The same nine out of 12 battery health bars caveat remained but the warranty now lasted for eight years or 100,000 miles. This means that newer Leaf models should still be covered by the Nissan battery warranty.
Nissan Leaf Battery Replacement
The average cost to replace your 2021 Nissan Leaf battery pack is between $6,500 and $7,500. However, thatâs the price to replace the stock 40-kWh battery with another one just like it. If you choose to go with an older model battery, like the 24 or 30 kWh, youâll be able to save some money, but it will come at the cost of battery life and performance.
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About Electric Vehicle Battery Degradation
Also, battery deterioration isnt new. All batteries begin to degrade. Thats one overtime your cellphone has less and less juice. EV battery degradation is the natural process that permanently reduces the amount of energy the battery can store and or deliver.
Things that affect battery health include time, high temperatures, operating at a high or low state of charge, high electric current, and usage. While its difficult to find answers about how long an EV battery will last, some auto manufacturers have warranties that cover the battery for eight years or 100,000 miles.
But automakers guarantee that the costs of batteries are decreasing as more research and development is performed. Since 2019, the average price of a Lithium-ion battery pack has dropped , but with the older Nissan Leaf, costs increased.
Nissan Leaf Battery Lease Cost
In the past, Nissan offered motorists the chance to purchase a first-generation Leaf without a battery. Instead, the battery was leased from Nissan for a monthly payment, typically somewhere between £70 and £129 depending on how long the lease was for and how many miles the driver expected to cover. Now though, Nissan has stopped offering the battery lease scheme so up-to-date figures do not exist.
Stopping battery leasing is a shame for some drivers, as it had a number of benefits. The biggest being that you didnt need to worry about a costly battery replacement should things go wrong, as the warranty lasted the length of the lease. Battery lease cars also tended to be more affordable to buy or finance, although there was the extra monthly battery payment to factor in.
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Is It Safe To Drive With The Battery Light On
If your 2021 Nissan LEAF battery warning light comes on while driving, be sure to turn off your accessories, so the battery doesnt drain further. The warning light frequently means that the alternator isnt working accurately, meaning you are operating solely on battery power. The purpose of the alternator is to charge your 2021 Nissan LEAF battery while you are driving. When the alternator isn’t working accurately, it can cause the battery to entirely drain all its power, leaving you stranded if the car is turned off. Be sure to turn off the radio, air conditioner, and the lights unless you are driving at night.If you have various warning lights come on including the battery light, then pull over to a safe location if possible. It’s still very possible that your 2021 Nissan LEAF serpentine belt has malfunctioned.Another imaginable sign that could point to the serpentine belt as a cause for the battery warning light, is if steering becomes difficult or feels heavy. If the dash lights indicate overheating, then the water pump was on that belt too. If you’re near Jacksonville and need immediate service, give Coggin Nissan on Atlantic a call at 9047473915. We can even arrange to have your 2021 Nissan LEAF brought in to us.
Choosing A Nissan Battery Replacement Expert
Your options for LEAF battery replacements typically come down to going to a Nissan dealership or working with a battery replacement specialist. Like buying an oil change in a combustion engine vehicle, the dealership service prices tend to be steeper.
More affordable options may exist, particularly if you live on the coasts. The LEAF community actually maintains a list of replacement shops.
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How Do 2021 Nissan Leaf Batteries Work
SLI stands for starting, lighting, and ignition. This type of battery produces energy in order to power your lights, accessories, and engine. So, how do vehicle batteries work? Most vehicle batteries rely on a lead-acid chemical reaction to get your vehicle off & running. These types of batteries are considered part of the SLI category. Once the energy reaches your engine, the alternator provides power. We offer a great selection and the best prices on batteries that were designed for your vehicle. If you are shopping for a battery for your 2021 Nissan LEAF, count on Coggin Nissan on Atlantic. You can discover more about other types of batteries by reaching out to one of our helpful service specialists. Book your service appointment immediately online today or call us at 9047473915 with any questions. With the help of our 2021 Nissan LEAF battery experts, we will get you back on the road expeditiously. We look forward to working with you!
Nissan Leaf Battery Replacement Plan
The 24 kWh refabricated batteries for the Generation 1 LEAFs will be offered for around $2,850 in US dollars. Thats less than half the price of a brand new 24 kWh pack $6,200 . Nissan will try to repurpose used EV battery modules for energy storage systems.
Interesting is that a brand new 40 kWh battery costs just a little more than the 30 kWh unit. 40 kWh stands at 820,000 yen for the modules we believe.
Nissan LEAF Battery Degradation
EV battery life is often a big concern for potential buyers. Electric car battery packs inevitably lose some of their battery capacity over time after some use. Its generally fairly limited to a few percentage points, but when it comes to the Nissan LEAF, some owners have been experiencing more significant degradation.
According to Fred Lambert at Electrek, “Nissan Leaf might be to blame since it had a lot of issues in that regard, which is why Nissan has a much more comprehensive battery capacity warranty now and the company is looking at new programs to address the issue, like this one.”
About GreenTec Auto
GreenTec Auto is a family owned and operated business specializing in rebuilding hybrid batteries. Originally based in the Sacramento, California area since 2009, GreenTec Auto has expanded to nine shops around the United States. Combined with 35 years of general automotive experience, GreenTec Auto knows your hybrid vehicle from the end to end. For more information, visit www.greentecauto.com.
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Is The Nissan Leafs Battery Replacement Cost Worth It
This depends on the following two main factors:
- If it is going to cost you more than you bought the car, then it is definitely not worth it.
- If the vehicle looks old and does not seem like it will last for another few years to come, then it may not be worth it. This is because you will be paying a lot for the new battery just to put it on an old car that wont last long. It doesnt make sense.
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How Do You Keep Your Costs Down When Replacing Nissan Leaf Batteries
Nissan LEAF batteries are still quite expensive if you buy them from a dealer, but, just like any other vehicle, the dealer isnt the best place to go unless your battery is still under warranty. A growing number of independent shops and suppliers are getting into the business, with used first-generation LEAF batteries now available for as little as $1000. Finding information, experienced mechanic and reliable suppliers can be quite daunting, however.
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Are The Nissan Leaf Batteries Any Good
This is a good question and it has a long answer, thats why we dedicated a whole chapter to it. In essence, the batteries are quite good because they are lithium-ion and they are using modern technology.
The downside of the batteries in the Leaf is their age. They tend to degrade after years of use. The inside of the battery is starting to lose the ability to hold electricity and there are a number of dead cells in each of the battery packs probably in the oldest Leaf cars.
Replacing them could be a nightmare and they could cost thousands of dollars to be replaced with new ones. Thats why getting a new battery pack is the best option for you as a Leaf owner. But what about the Nissan Leaf battery replacement cost? We are going to cover that a bit later. Lets first learn how long they really last in order for you to have a better perspective.
This will be specifically useful to the people who are on the market for a second-hand vehicle. You dont want to stumble upon a car that has a degraded battery and the first thing you will have to do is to waste a few grand on a new battery pack. And even if you go for a used car, you should haggle to get the right price and a new battery to break even. You have to play smart and not lose money. Now lets see how long these batteries last before we cover the Nissan Leaf battery replacement cost.
How Long Does The Nissan Leaf Battery Last
Besides pure range, its also important to know how long the battery will last. Electric cars are not cheap, and so drivers want to ensure that the critical components have a decently long life.
Nissan offers a standard 5-year or 60,000-mile warranty on the Nissan Leaf powertrain. The bumper-to-bumper warranty is 3 years or 36,000 miles. The battery, however, is given its own special limited warranty of 8 years of 100,000 miles, or at least they are for the 2020 model year. The warranty specifically covers defects in materials or workmanship for that period/distance.
Therefore, we can expect the battery of a Nissan Leaf to last at least for that limited warranty period, 8 years or 100,000 miles. The abcnissan.com blog reports that most owners predict the battery will last for about 10 years. Given that the car was only first released in late 2010, and its second and latest generation is just entering its 5th model year, its still too early to tell for sure how long overall the batteries will last.
In the next section of this article, well look at the common problems that Nissan Leaf batteries face.
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Is The Nissan Leaf All Electric
Yes, the Nissan Leaf is all-electric, though some confuse it as a hybrid. Its been all-electric since the Leafs inception in 2010. It was, in fact, one of the first mass-produced EVs ever, before Tesla went mainstream. As of February of 2022, more than 577,000 Leafs have been sold worldwide . More than 165,000 of which, are sold in the US. It was also the top-selling EV prior to Teslas growing popularity.
Making Your Leafs New Battery Last
Got a new car battery installed in your 2021 Nissan Leaf? Great job! Now, help it last longer and stay charged by caring for it from the get-go. turning off all of the lights when you leave your vehicle, decreasing the number of short trips you take, keeping your battery posts clean, and not playing the radio or using other electronics when the engine is turned off.
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There May Come Other Battery Options
In Japan, Nissan has a joint venture with Sumitomo, with whom they operate a battery remanufacturing facility that disassembles Nissan Leaf batter packs. In the process, they salvage any of the 48 battery modules that still have 80 percent or more of their original capacity.
This costs the driver less than $3,000 in Japan, and is thus a great alternative to the idea of getting either a totally new one, or getting the car to Portland to be worked on by the likes of EV Rides, who while undoubtedly doing a good job, also charge a high premium. Its also true that Nissan dealerships are already equipped to offer the installation service for properly made remanufactured Nissan Leaf batteries. Could this be a viable alternative? It would seem so.
Toyota hybrid owners have been able to enjoy battery repurposing and refurbishing on their cars for some time, and at a much lower cost than that of replacing the battery outright. To be a true champion of the environmental cause, it seems to be on Nissan to provide this more comprehensively to its customers, especially those early adopters who then faced a real predicament when their less-than satisfactory batteries started to lose their charge.
Cost Of Replacement Batteries: Official Channels
There has been a perception in place for a long time that Nissan Leaf owners had very limited options when it came to replacing defunct battery packs. The few choices that were perceived to exist were also incredibly expensive.
Right now, Nissan does offer an official replacement on the older 24kWh battery packs, which are priced at $5499 plus the cost of labor estimated by Toyota to be about 3 hours altogether. If you drive a Leaf from 2011 or 2012, then you will also need to shell out another $225 for an adapter kit to help retrofit the newer battery into your older model.
When you consider that a brand-new Nissan Leaf is around $31,000, a new 24kWh battery for potentially $6,000 or more is a pretty expensive proposition. Furthermore, you spend all that money to restore a pretty low driving range, too. It would likely be more worthwhile to just take the $6,000 and use it as a downpayment on a brand-new car!
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