Battery Replacement Program Details

[klapauzius]

TYOB: I haven't forgotten that, nor am I trying to ignore it. I hope to have better details than the ones I've already shared. I understand the frustration that is being expressed by some of you on the forum, and I apologize that I've taken this long to respond to your concerns.

Will these details concern the battery rental program or the replacement battery price?

 

[Randy3]

Is the LEAF battery a consumable item?

I've been mulling this over for the past few months. I have a wireless mouse and keyboard. Every so often, I have to switch batteries on them, or else my computer becomes worthless. Even the more durable batteries, like laptop batteries, degrade and need replacement.

Awhile ago, I was showing off my LEAF and someone brought up the battery replacement problem. He asked how much it would cost to replace it and when I expected that would happen. He really liked the LEAF and I felt a little embarrassed that I couldn't answer his questions. This incident (again) showed me that the battery is a consumable item.

So, now I look at the battery like I look at gas in an ICE, or electricity in the LEAF. Every mile, every day, (every temp increase?), it's costing me something. Something. I don't know how much. Something.

I'd like to relate a battery price to miles driven. Like, electricity costs about two cents per mile. At $100 per month and an average mile usage of 625 (based on Nissan's statement of 7,500 miles per year expected use), battery cost would be 16 cents per mile.

Would you be willing to pay 16 cents per mile for a battery use fee? (That is, everything else is as described, after 60 month warranty, nine bar guaranty, etc.)

I might. But I'd like to have more than nine bars for that. And I'd like to keep my old battery.

 

[thankyouOB]

why bless me and lordy be; it is now more than a month since nissan rolled out the steal-your-battery program in answer to their promise to provide and our multiple requests for a battery price.*

WIthin a few posts, they acknowledged that the program explanation was shot full of holes and they couldnt answer almost any of our numerous and elementary questions.
Accordingly, they promised a Q&A.

We do not have it.
---
Just sayin'.

*(no, i dont plan to forget about this or stop posting about it. so dont ask, unless you like to waste your time.)

 

[TomT]

And this surprises you how?

We do not have it.

 

[thankyouOB]

who said surprised?

 

[LEAFfan]

Is the LEAF battery a consumable item?

I've been mulling this over for the past few months. I have a wireless mouse and keyboard. Every so often, I have to switch batteries on them, or else my computer becomes worthless. Even the more durable batteries, like laptop batteries, degrade and need replacement.

Awhile ago, I was showing off my LEAF and someone brought up the battery replacement problem. He asked how much it would cost to replace it and when I expected that would happen. He really liked the LEAF and I felt a little embarrassed that I couldn't answer his questions. This incident (again) showed me that the battery is a consumable item.

So, now I look at the battery like I look at gas in an ICE, or electricity in the LEAF. Every mile, every day, (every temp increase?), it's costing me something. Something. I don't know how much. Something.

I'd like to relate a battery price to miles driven. Like, electricity costs about two cents per mile. At $100 per month and an average mile usage of 625 (based on Nissan's statement of 7,500 miles per year expected use), battery cost would be 16 cents per mile.

Would you be willing to pay 16 cents per mile for a battery use fee? (That is, everything else is as described, after 60 month warranty, nine bar guaranty, etc.)

I might. But I'd like to have more than nine bars for that. And I'd like to keep my old battery.

Mark was told it was $10K with trade-in.

 

[GRA]

Is the LEAF battery a consumable item?

I've been mulling this over for the past few months. I have a wireless mouse and keyboard. Every so often, I have to switch batteries on them, or else my computer becomes worthless. Even the more durable batteries, like laptop batteries, degrade and need replacement.

Awhile ago, I was showing off my LEAF and someone brought up the battery replacement problem. He asked how much it would cost to replace it and when I expected that would happen. He really liked the LEAF and I felt a little embarrassed that I couldn't answer his questions. This incident (again) showed me that the battery is a consumable item.

So, now I look at the battery like I look at gas in an ICE, or electricity in the LEAF. Every mile, every day, (every temp increase?), it's costing me something. Something. I don't know how much. Something.

I'd like to relate a battery price to miles driven. Like, electricity costs about two cents per mile. At $100 per month and an average mile usage of 625 (based on Nissan's statement of 7,500 miles per year expected use), battery cost would be 16 cents per mile.

Would you be willing to pay 16 cents per mile for a battery use fee? (That is, everything else is as described, after 60 month warranty, nine bar guaranty, etc.)

I might. But I'd like to have more than nine bars for that. And I'd like to keep my old battery.

Mark was told it was $10K with trade-in.

Uh huh, and yet Nissan's spokesperson, who we know monitors this thread, has yet to give an official price. If $10k is anything more than a guesstimate by a service tech, you'd think even Nissan would figure out that they should officially announce it here, there being a moderate amount of interest in the matter.

 

[TimLee]

Mark was told it was $10K with trade-in.

Mark who? When, where, by whom?
Second hand information from an unidentified party, with no information on who provided the information, is useless.

 

[surfingslovak]

Mark was told it was $10K with trade-in.

Mark who? When, where, by whom?
Second hand information from an unidentified party, with no information on who provided the information, is useless.

I was told that the price of a new Leaf battery was down to $10k ..That came from the person in charge of Leafs repairs @ the dealership...
If anyone has any questions they would like me to ask @ the dealership, I will be glad to see if I can get them answered for you next week, when I return the Leaf again for the new battery ..

Im not sure if they did the software update or not but my charged capacity jumped 20 miles or the equivalent -2 bars even tho I still have -4 bars showing ...

Click to open

 

[Valdemar]

^^^ Even if true, this doesn't mean one can just walk in and buy a new battery. Also it is not clear if 10k is a wholesale price or retail, I tend to think it is the former. With dealer markup and install cost you're probably looking at 12k out of pocket, assuming you could actually buy one.

 

[surfingslovak]

^^^ Even if true, this doesn't mean one can just walk in and buy a new battery. Also it is not clear if 10k is a wholesale price or retail, I tend to think it is the former. With dealer markup and install cost you're probably looking at 12k out of pocket, assuming you could actually buy one.

Of course, but this type of anecdotal information can help narrow it down a bit. Ideally, Nissan would make an announcement or make the battery assembly available in their parts catalog.

 

[thankyouOB]

i cant really be the guinea pig on this because I still have 12 bars, but what happens if an owner with lost bars goes into a nissan dealer and asks them to price and replace the battery because he/she can no longer do his/her commute because of loss of range?

will they check the battery and price a replacement, or just try to up-sell you on a new LEAF or other fine car?

 

[ydnas7]

but what happens if an owner with lost bars goes into a nissan dealer and ask them to price and replace the battery because you can no longer do your commute because of loss of range?

will they chek ur battery and price a replacement, or just try to up-sell you on a new LEAF or other fine car?

If the price to trade-in to a new LEAF is less than the price of a replacement battery (most likely) then its more responsible to up sell to a new vehicle.

 

[davewill]

i cant really be the guinea pig on this because I still have 12 bars, but what happens if an owner with lost bars goes into a nissan dealer and ask them to price and replace the battery because you can no longer do your commute because of loss of range? ...

TaylorSFGuy asked a long time ago, and was basically told, "Sorry, come back later."

 

[surfingslovak]

i cant really be the guinea pig on this because I still have 12 bars, but what happens if an owner with lost bars goes into a nissan dealer and ask them to price and replace the battery because you can no longer do your commute because of loss of range? ...

TaylorSFGuy asked a long time ago, and was basically told, "Sorry, come back later."

Wasn't the $100 replacement program announced in the OP supposed to address this use case?

 

[TimLee]

i cant really be the guinea pig on this because I still have 12 bars, but what happens if an owner with lost bars goes into a nissan dealer and ask them to price and replace the battery because you can no longer do your commute because of loss of range? ...

TaylorSFGuy asked a long time ago, and was basically told, "Sorry, come back later."

Wasn't the $100 replacement program announced in the OP supposed to address this use case?

The program won't be available until 2014. Might not be too bad a deal for TaylorSFGuy, ~$3,000 for 2 1/2 more years, 80,000 miles of vehicle use, if he can live with the currently undefined termination terms at the end of the 2 1/2 years.
But the program won't even be available till 2014, three years after Nissan started selling the LEAF. :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[kmp647]

I still think its unlikely many will use this program, it will likely change in terms between now and whenver 2014 rolls around(think 2015) this is a stalling tatic to accomadte the squealers

Nissan has a battery replacment program already, its the same as other mfrs replacement program its called a trade in and we get to sell you another car.

also all the talk of used batteries from Lease turn ins is unlikely, the cars will stay whole, go to auction just like all lease turn ins , or at last resort be groupped by nissan and shipped to another country.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I would not do the lease in TaylorSF's case until its been announced that a better chemistry is available first. Keep in mind that he will still have car payments in Q1-2014 to go along with any battery lease payments.

for his amount of driving, he is still $$ ahead because he is probably saving much more than $100 a month but he takes the lease and he is stuck until he is down 3+ CPs. A better option for him (and ME !) is a few more well placed QCs.

As much as I like and use Tumwater, its not the most accessible being a good 2-3 minute drive (on good days) from either exit off I-5 (it sits between exit 101 and 102) which is a far cry from ones like Fife where its much closer to the freeway and there is no question as to which exit to take.

 

[thankyouOB]

it is pretty clear that nissan threw together the steal-my-battery program without having a detailed plan, as they have been unable in more than a month to answer questions or supply a straightforward Q&A on the issue.

as to the complete failure to, deception and finally lying about providing a sale price for a battery, that is fully on them. they will have to deal with the fall out from selling a car with a battery (not leasing the battery) for more than two years, before they even hinted that owners would not be able to buy a replacement for the most vital and costly part in the car.

i still love the car. but this shell game has pulled the rug out from under.

 

[cgaydos]

I still think its unlikely many will use this program, it will likely change in terms between now and whenver 2014 rolls around(think 2015) this is a stalling tatic to accomadte the squealers

That's pretty obvious. There were too few details at announcement time and a number of scenarios that clearly hadn't been thought through. It was announced literally on the last day of spring to comply with the letter of the promise from the Nissan executive.

Nissan has a battery replacment program already, its the same as other mfrs replacement program its called a trade in and we get to sell you another car.

also all the talk of used batteries from Lease turn ins is unlikely, the cars will stay whole, go to auction just like all lease turn ins , or at last resort be groupped by nissan and shipped to another country.

All true. I do have to wonder what would happen if you bought one of those salvage LEAFs and towed it to a dealership and asked them to swap the batteries from the salvage car to your LEAF. I've seen asking prices under $8k for salvage LEAFs which had very few miles. It would be a lot of work but you could offset a lot of the costs by selling off the used parts.