Nissan Leaf Battery Capacity Loss: Covered By Warranty, Now

Nissan is becoming the first manufacturer to offer limited warranty on battery capacity loss, when it implements a new warranty in Spring 2013.

Announced via the MyNissanLeaf.com forums, Nissan executive vice president, Andy Palmer, has confirmed that Nissan is to offer an updatedNew Electric Vehicle Limited Warranty.

The warranty is designed to protect against battery capacity loss in the first five years or 60,000 miles, for U.S. customers.

Should the battery capacity gauge fall below nine bars (from twelve) in that period, Nissan will repair or replace the battery under warranty with a new or remanufactured unit, "to restore capacity at or above a minimum of nine bars."

Nine bars signifies remaining capacity of approximately 70 percent. Palmer confirms that this warranty is still subject to the same terms, conditions and exclusions found in the existing battery warranty.

The new warranty coverage reflects recent issues experienced by Nissan Leaf owners living in warmer climates.

A group of owners from Arizona lobbied Nissan to look into battery capacity loss when several driversfound they were losing capacity in the high temperatures experienced in some areas of the state.

Palmer reassures customers that Nissan is keen to maintain and expand current high levels of advocacy and customer satisfaction with the Leaf, and the new warranty should go some way to reaffirming trust in thevehicle.

Nissan confirms that the expanded warranty will cover 2011 and 2012 models, as well as the new 2013 models set for release next year.

You can read further details on the warranty terms and a full Q&A via the forum post, though Nissan will officially contact Leaf owners over the following months before the warranty rolls out in Spring 2013.