24 kWh Battery replacement cost back down to $5500

[Lothsahn]

I saw this post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/leaf/comments/ew5zv2/for_those_wondering_if_they_can_buy_a_40kw_to/

It sounded too good to be true, so I called Nissan EV Help. I just got off the phone and the 24 kWh battery replacement cost is now $5500, with the $1000 core charge, plus labor. That means that for around $5500, you could have a brand new 24 kWh battery with a full 5 year warranty on capacity and 8 year on defects.

In case anyone's got a badly degraded Leaf, you now have a decent option!

 

[LeftieBiker]

Good news indeed, although with labor it's likely more like $6500.

 

[Lothsahn]

Good news indeed, although with labor it's likely more like $6500.

Labor should be around $1000, which means that $5500-$1k core deposit+$1k labor. Since labor is up to the dealership, we'll know when someone pays to have one done and shows the receipt from a dealer.

 

[Tortoisehead77]

This is great news. This will weigh-in to my decision whether to keep my Leaf at the end of lease. I realize the 40kWh batteries will be more than $5,500 to replace someday, but this gives me confidence the price won't be outrageous.

 

[powersurge]

This is good news to make the Leaf go to 200k miles...

 

[LeftieBiker]

Good news indeed, although with labor it's likely more like $6500.

Labor should be around $1000, which means that $5500-$1k core deposit+$1k labor. Since labor is up to the dealership, we'll know when someone pays to have one done and shows the receipt from a dealer.

Sorry, I thought it was 5500 + 1,000 for the core.

 

[DrR]

My dealer just quoted me ~$12k for replacing cells :twisted: :evil: . I called NissanCS and have a case open. The support specialist at least confirmed that it should be ~$5K and hope to hear soon.

 

[Lothsahn]

My dealer just quoted me ~$12k for replacing cells :twisted: :evil: . I called NissanCS and have a case open. The support specialist at least confirmed that it should be ~$5K and hope to hear soon.

Replacing cells? What model year do you have? Cell warranty (defects) should be free (warranty) on everything but 2012's and high mileage (8 year, 100k miles). If you have a 2011/2012 battery, you'd probably be better off just buying a whole new battery for 5.5k at this point, because then you'll get the latest chemistry, a new warranty, and much better range.

 

[DrR]

I have a 2012 silver SL , 43K miles, 7 bars left ; leaf spy says 50% SOH.

Update: The dealer just called me after Nissan CS talked to them and they said they can do the swap for $5500 all in. I asked them what part number they will put in and they had no answer. So if Nissan confirms the right chemistry , then I will be going for it.


[/quote]

Replacing cells? What model year do you have? Cell warranty (defects) should be free (warranty) on everything but 2012's and high mileage (8 year, 100k miles). If you have a 2011/2012 battery, you'd probably be better off just buying a whole new battery for 5.5k at this point, because then you'll get the latest chemistry, a new warranty, and much better range.
[/quote]

 

[Lothsahn]

I have a 2012 silver SL , 43K miles, 7 bars left ; leaf spy says 50% SOH.

Update: The dealer just called me after Nissan CS talked to them and they said they can do the swap for $5500 all in. I asked them what part number they will put in and they had no answer. So if Nissan confirms the right chemistry , then I will be going for it.

Nissan hasn't sold the 2011/2012 chemistry in forever, and they don't use it in warranty repairs. It will be the latest chemistry. Good luck with your car!

 

[LeftieBiker]

Nissan hasn't sold the 2011/2012 chemistry in forever, and they don't use it in warranty repairs. It will be the latest chemistry. Good luck with your car!

Yes. For a while, though, before 2015 and the Lizard pack, they used the 4/2013-2014 "Wolf" pack as the warranty replacement. Almost as good as the Lizard, but not quite - especially in hotter climates.

 

[GerryAZ]

Early warranty replacements for 2011s were original chemistry from Japan. My 2011 might have qualified for a second warranty replacement if it had not met its demise since the first replacement was already down to 11 bars.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Early warranty replacements for 2011s were original chemistry from Japan. My 2011 might have qualified for a second warranty replacement if it had not met its demise since the first replacement was already down to 11 bars.

Yikes. I don't know why I'm surprised that Canary packs were falling below 9 bars before mid 2013, but I still am - a little.

 

[theblueleaf]

I drive a 2011 Leaf and my battery is at 8 bars. In the winter, I can barely get 20-25 miles on a charge (with the heater off!). This is extremely welcome news.

I called my local Nissan dealer. They don't have an EV technician, but hope to train someone on it within the next year. I could wait, but I've waited long enough.

I then called my next closest Nissan dealer. They don't service EV vehicles and have no plans to do so.

My next call was to one that is far enough away that it would take 2-3 charges to get there. A long trip, but okay if it's just once. They said that they can quote me $650 for the labor, but they have no idea what the cost of the battery would be and they don't know how to even find out. The man I spoke with told me not to believe what I read on the Internet and that even he, a Nissan employee, wouldn't be able to get a price for a battery out of corporate.

There are now multiple reports of this new price (thanks, OP, for this thread!), so I was confident that this guy was wrong about corporate not giving out prices. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for first-hand experience, so I called and can confirm that they are telling people it is $5,499 minus a $1,000 credit for trading in your original battery, plus labor, taxes, etc. Didn't even have to coax that info out like I expected; they were happy to share it and did so right away. The national hotline rep was extremely nice and knowledgeable. He noted that the first step for getting a new battery is to take your car in for a battery test, which I plan to do asap (hoping the local dealer can do the test even if they can't do EV repairs). It takes a minimum of 4-6 weeks for a new battery to be delivered to a dealer after that.

I know that $5,500 is more than the value of my car at this point, but I am willing to pay it. I'll walk away with a car that I know is in good condition and with a brand new battery. No matter what the blue book value is, I know that's worth the investment. I expect to get 8-10 years out of this battery (it better last at least as long as the previous one considering it will be a lizard battery), and that's a reasonable cost for that length of time. At the $8,500 price it was a no, but this price seems much more reasonable. Not great, but reasonable.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

What is the value of the car with a new pack? I think there is a HUGE personal reason to get the pack upgrade. Its MUCH cheaper than anything else. You could more than double the cost and get a decent used 30 kwh LEAF likely with more range than the new 24 kwh pack but again, that would be more than double the $5500.

Providing the range is sufficient; I don't see how anyone could think this is a losing proposition?

 

[jjeff]

I drive a 2011 Leaf and my battery is at 8 bars. In the winter, I can barely get 20-25 miles on a charge (with the heater off!). This is extremely welcome news.

I called my local Nissan dealer. They don't have an EV technician, but hope to train someone on it within the next year. I could wait, but I've waited long enough.

I then called my next closest Nissan dealer. They don't service EV vehicles and have no plans to do so.

My next call was to one that is far enough away that it would take 2-3 charges to get there. A long trip, but okay if it's just once. They said that they can quote me $650 for the labor, but they have no idea what the cost of the battery would be and they don't know how to even find out. The man I spoke with told me not to believe what I read on the Internet and that even he, a Nissan employee, wouldn't be able to get a price for a battery out of corporate.

There are now multiple reports of this new price (thanks, OP, for this thread!), so I was confident that this guy was wrong about corporate not giving out prices. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for first-hand experience, so I called and can confirm that they are telling people it is $5,499 minus a $1,000 credit for trading in your original battery, plus labor, taxes, etc. Didn't even have to coax that info out like I expected; they were happy to share it and did so right away. The national hotline rep was extremely nice and knowledgeable. He noted that the first step for getting a new battery is to take your car in for a battery test, which I plan to do asap (hoping the local dealer can do the test even if they can't do EV repairs). It takes a minimum of 4-6 weeks for a new battery to be delivered to a dealer after that.

I know that $5,500 is more than the value of my car at this point, but I am willing to pay it. I'll walk away with a car that I know is in good condition and with a brand new battery. No matter what the blue book value is, I know that's worth the investment. I expect to get 8-10 years out of this battery (it better last at least as long as the previous one considering it will be a lizard battery), and that's a reasonable cost for that length of time. At the $8,500 price it was a no, but this price seems much more reasonable. Not great, but reasonable.

The one gamble is if you get in an accident, your fault or even the other persons. More than likely they'll just want to give you book value for the car, which may be less than the cost of a new battery, for sure less than the cost of the car as it sits now + the cost of the new battery, drive safely and defensively
I'm kind of in the same boat with my 8 bar '12. In the cold with even minimal heat it's about a 30 mile car, summer about 50, it would sure be nice to have the range of new, even if only 70 summer 40+ winter.

 

[alozzy]

The other gamble, which I think is significant, is the likelyhood of a very expensive to replace part as the car ages.

 

[Anonymous]

I drive a 2011 Leaf and my battery is at 8 bars. In the winter, I can barely get 20-25 miles on a charge (with the heater off!). This is extremely welcome news.

I called my local Nissan dealer. They don't have an EV technician, but hope to train someone on it within the next year. I could wait, but I've waited long enough.

I then called my next closest Nissan dealer. They don't service EV vehicles and have no plans to do so.

My next call was to one that is far enough away that it would take 2-3 charges to get there. A long trip, but okay if it's just once. They said that they can quote me $650 for the labor, but they have no idea what the cost of the battery would be and they don't know how to even find out. The man I spoke with told me not to believe what I read on the Internet and that even he, a Nissan employee, wouldn't be able to get a price for a battery out of corporate.

There are now multiple reports of this new price (thanks, OP, for this thread!), so I was confident that this guy was wrong about corporate not giving out prices. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for first-hand experience, so I called and can confirm that they are telling people it is $5,499 minus a $1,000 credit for trading in your original battery, plus labor, taxes, etc. Didn't even have to coax that info out like I expected; they were happy to share it and did so right away. The national hotline rep was extremely nice and knowledgeable. He noted that the first step for getting a new battery is to take your car in for a battery test, which I plan to do asap (hoping the local dealer can do the test even if they can't do EV repairs). It takes a minimum of 4-6 weeks for a new battery to be delivered to a dealer after that.

I know that $5,500 is more than the value of my car at this point, but I am willing to pay it. I'll walk away with a car that I know is in good condition and with a brand new battery. No matter what the blue book value is, I know that's worth the investment. I expect to get 8-10 years out of this battery (it better last at least as long as the previous one considering it will be a lizard battery), and that's a reasonable cost for that length of time. At the $8,500 price it was a no, but this price seems much more reasonable. Not great, but reasonable.

blueleaf,

I'd caution against spending $5,500 on a "new" 24 kWh pack (for a cost of $230/kWh, while other manufacturers' packs are being sold today for barely $100/kWh). The newer pack chemistry (post 2012) degrades about half as fast per year as the original chemistry, but it still degrades, and after 7-8 years you're likely to have <60% capacity once more. By that time, batteries are likely have become substantially cheaper and more durable, and more advanced charging technology may be ported to older vehicles. Don't rush into giving Nissan the full price unless you're sure it's worth it.

 

[SalisburySam]

I wonder if this price decrease is in any way designed to counter 3rd-party battery replacements. Fenix is proposing a $6K purchase option in addition to a couple of subscription options. A $5500 Nissan battery becomes a much more desirable option, especially if battery chemistry is improved over the original.

My 2012 SL now shows 9 capacity bars but will only get about 30 miles total to VLBW on a 100% charge. If I were to opt for the battery replacement, I’d be adding, say, $6k to the capital cost of the vehicle. That, plus the $40k I paid originally, makes my 2012 a $46k cost item. For the 13,500 miles I’ve driven it in the last 8 years, that’s about $3.41/mi not including electricity, registration, annual taxes, maintenance, and insurance. Cab fare would have been much less. Worse, after the battery replacement I’d have a vehicle that is likely worth about $3k or less. Worse yet, my TCU failed earlier this year, a $1200 ticket to replace. So now, no connectivity, no pre-heating or pre-cooling, etc., etc.

The net of all the above is that I think my 2012 has reached the point of throwing good money after bad. I very much like the car but perhaps the major cash injections it would require to be new again are just not worth it for me.

So good on Nissan for the price reduction, but I believe I’ll pass at this point.

 

[jjeff]

The other gamble, which I think is significant, is the likelyhood of a very expensive to replace part as the car ages.

Very good point. While the Leafs have proven to be pretty reliable they do occasionally have something major go that could cost thousands. I somewhat worry about the heater, it seems like when they go I've seen reports of several thousand dollars and in my state anyway, no heater no drive in the winter which is probably 6 months of the year