The Nissan Leaf has been on the market since 2010, so there’s a good chance that some of them are getting close to 60,000 miles. This is important because it’s when the 5 years/60,000 miles capacity loss warranty expires. Nissan has announced that pricing for a replacement battery start at $5,499.
As an EV battery pack is defined as 'used' once it's capacity reduces to approx 80% Nissan have developed a new business model to create a market for 'used' Leaf battery packs. The old battery must be exchanged for the new battery as a condition of the sale of the replacement battery, and Nissan’s suggested retail battery pricing reflects a $1,000 core value assigned to the battery. Nissan will ensure that the old battery is recycled and reused as part of their 4R Energy business.
Nissan and Sumitomo Corporation created the joint venture company, “4R Energy Corporation”, in September 2010, to address the secondary use of EV lithium-ion batteries. Earlier this year they launched the world’s first large-scale power storage system which utilizes used batteries collected from electric vehicles.
The used EV batteries that will be recycled into this large-scale storage system have been recovered and have gone through thorough inspection and maintenance at 4R, to confirm safety and performance. The prototype system (600kW/400kWh) consists of sixteen used EV batteries.
The $5,499 price is just for the battery, and that doesn’t include taxes or dealer installation. Owners of the 2011 and 2012 Nissan Leaf will also need to pay $225 for an installation kit that allows the newer battery design to fit into the older models.
Nissan will offer financing options to customers who need to replace their battery. Details about this financing probably won’t be finalized until closer to the end of the year, but Nissan expects to keep monthly payments close to $100 per month.
Like the batteries found in a new Nissan Leaf, the replacement batteries will carry an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty against defects and a five-year/60,000-mile against capacity loss.
To read more head on over to the My Nissan Leaf forum.
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