When electric cars first appeared on the scene circa 2010, lots of people asked, “How much does it cost to replace the battery?” Now Nissan has given a definitive answer to that question. If you own a 2011 to 2015 Nissan LEAF, replacing the battery will cost you exactly $5,499, plus installation, which the company estimates will take about 3 hours. Owners of 2011 and 2012 cars must also add $225 for a special adapter kit to retrofit the new battery to their cars.
Hey, that’s not too bad, is it? After all, take your Belchfire 5000 to your local dealer and ask them how much it will cost to replace the internal combustion engine if if throws a rod and pukes oil all over itself. You would be lucky to get a new engine for a paltry $5,500.
There are a couple of stipulations you should be aware of. First, you must own the car that is having the battery replaced. Second, if you have a loan outstanding on the car, you will need to get the lender’s approval for the swap. Three, the original battery goes back to Nissan for recycling or use in a grid storage system. You can’t keep it and use it as a coffee table in your living room. Nissan assigns the old battery a value of $1,000.
You can finance the purchase of the new battery through Nissan if you wish. The company says to figure on a monthly payment of around $100. Once the new battery is paid for, you own it. It is not a lease or a rental arrangement. The replacement battery will have the benefit of all the latest improvements, including cooling upgrades. The new battery is what Nissan calls its “lizard battery.” meaning it is not as susceptible to early degradation if used in a hot climate.
The warranty on the new battery is the same as it is in a brand new LEAF — 8 years/100,000 miles against defects and 5 years/60,000 miles against capacity loss. “These replacement batteries are the same battery found in 2015 LEAF vehicles, which are also on sale now at Nissan dealers. As a replacement, this battery is expected to provide similar range and charging characteristics as the battery offered since the launch of the LEAF in 2010,” Nissan says.
Source: Nissan Hat Tip: Leif Hansen
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