How Long Does A Nissan Leaf Battery Last?

The Nissan Leaf is a great entry point for anyone looking to buy their first EV, however, while you look, you may wonder how long the Leaf’s battery will last.

So how long does the Nissan Leaf’s battery last? The Nissan Leaf’s battery life can depend on a lot of different factors, however, in general, a Nissan Leaf’s battery can be expected to last up to 10-15 years or anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000 miles depending on the model year you purchase.

Though electric cars are only just starting to gain widespread acceptance and use by the public, the Nissan Leaf has been alive and well since 2011. 

Though I’m not the biggest fan of electric vehicles, I do understand the need for them and have started to accept them more as an easy, economical option for my morning commutes. 

The Nissan Leaf fits this niche perfectly, so if you think you might want to get an EV, the incredibly reliable Nissan Leaf is most likely the best place to start.

First Generation Nissan Leaf

The first generation Nissan Leaf was introduced in the 2011 model year. Being the first EV widely available in the US, the leaf was packed with innovative design choices and technology meant to make the Leaf as efficient as possible.

The first generation Nissan Leaf’s battery was quite small by today’s standards. It came with a  24 kWh battery that allowed for a maximum range of about 84 miles, depending on your own driving habits.

This made it perfect for short commutes to work or running errands throughout the day. 

However, the problem with having such a small battery is that smaller batteries not only have shorter ranges but also tend to wear out a lot quicker than larger ones do.

As a general rule for all batteries, the more times you charge them, the more the battery’s capacity to hold energy decreases.

This can make a big difference when you constantly have to recharge the battery to cover long distances or cover short to medium distances daily. 

Still, the original Nissan Leaf came with a 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty that would cover owners in the case of catastrophic battery failure, although battery failure rates were at less than 1% of models sold.

Because of the limited warranty and the poor lifespan of these small batteries, it is very unlikely that you will see a first generation Nissan Leaf with more than 100,000 miles on it that hasn’t had a significant decrease in range and performance.

Still, if you have the first generation Nissan Leaf, you can expect that the battery will survive past the warranty, generally about 10 years, and anywhere from 100,000 to 150,000 miles.

Second Generation Nissan Leaf

The second generation Nissan Leaf was released in the 2018 model year and it made huge improvements in the battery technology from the first generation Leaf.

The new Nissan Leaf comes with a much larger 40 kWh battery that increases the range to about 150 miles, meaning that you can now get a lot more use out of the new Leaf than you could with the old one, all while charging it much less frequently.

In the 2019 model year, they also released a new Leaf Plus model that has an even bigger 62 kWh battery that increases the driving range to an impressive 226 miles, which is nearly triple the range of the original first generation model.

With these new advancements in the battery technology, Nissan made huge improvements to the battery warranty as well. 

Now the warranty of each battery is for 8 years and 100,000 miles, meaning that if the battery capacity shown on the dashboard drops below 8 of the 12 bars shown before that time, Nissan will fix or replace the battery for free.  

This is a much better deal than the first warranty was and with all of the improvements in the battery technology of the second generation Nissan Leaf, you should expect that the battery will last much longer. 

Generally speaking,  you can expect the second generation Nissan Leaf battery to outlast the warranty as well. If you are planning on buying one, conservatively you should expect that the battery will work well anywhere between 10 and 15 years or 200,000 to 300,000 miles, which is a huge improvement over the first generation vehicle.

What Effects The Lifespan Of A Nissan Leaf’s Battery?

Though these numbers are what the average driver should expect from their Nissan Leaf’s battery, there are a few different factors that can affect how long the overall lifespan of the battery is.

Driving and charging habits have a huge effect on how long the battery will last. Essentially, the more you drive and charge your Leaf, the more the battery will lose capacity and range.

The climate you are driving in can also have a huge effect on the overall lifespan of the Leaf’s battery.  

Constant high temperatures can quickly and easily degrade the battery over time, especially considering that Nissan doesn’t have any water cooling system to cool down the batteries while in use. This is something you should definitely be aware of if you live in a hot climate.

Though it is much better to drive your Nissan Leaf in colder climates, cold temperatures can also take their toll on the Leaf’s battery, causing the range capacity and range to decrease more quickly than normal.

Key Takeaways

• The lifespan of the Nissan Leaf’s battery largely depends on what model you have.
• The first generation Nissan Leaf’s battery can be expected to last up to 10 years and 100,000 miles.
• The second generation Nissan Leaf’s battery can be expected to last 10-15 years or 200,000 – 300,000 miles.
• Driving habits and climates can also play a big role in how long a Nissan Leaf’s battery lasts.