Update on Nissan LEAF Battery Replacement

[fotajoye]

I find it absolutely amazing how Nissan treats its customers; they have 450,000 plus EVs on the road , are 10 years into producing EVs and they still have undefined battery policies and prices...that's really poor management.

[GaleHawkins]

I find it absolutely amazing how Nissan treats its customers; they have 450,000 plus EVs on the road , are 10 years into producing EVs and they still have undefined battery policies and prices...that's really poor management.

After proving my OEM battery pack in our 2016 Leaf SL was bad on the 2nd of Jan 2020 it took another month at the division level to decide where they were going to honor the warranty. Prior to this experience I had thought about finding another 2016-2017 for the daughter in college 15 miles away but now have no interest in taking that risk with Nissan.

In the late 90's Nissan was in serious trouble and about to go under and for cash they gave Renault control over Nissan. All restructuring efforts have failed for two decades now they are looking to sell off the the Chinese their factories in England and Spain per on recent report as they work to downsize again world wide.

Recent articles.
Nissan slashes profit outlook after sales slide, says more restructuring needed
https://whbl.com/news/articles/2020/f ... /984578/

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/201 ... HTDJKjIU

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/industr ... 1641610

https://www.thedrive.com/news/32004/mo ... t-nissan

After Nissan's Carlos Ghosn's escape from Japan, Brentwood resident Greg Kelly remains awaiting trial
https://www.tennessean.com/story/mone ... 44929001/

Nissan Dealers Hate How It's Become A 'Bargain Basement Brand': Report
Not impressed by Nissan these days? Neither are the American dealers.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/31905/n ... nd-report

[cwerdna]

In the late 90's Nissan was in serious trouble and about to go under and for cash they gave Renault control over Nissan. All restructuring efforts have failed for two decades now they are looking to sell off the the Chinese their factories in England and Spain per on recent report as they work to downsize again world wide.

Nissan was near bankrupt (and had been in decline in the 90s) when Renault bought a controlling stake and installed a Carlos Ghosn who did turn around the company.

To claim that "All restructuring efforts have failed for two decades" is grossly inaccurate.

Ghosn got rid of Nissan's debt and had them making record profits instead. I read https://www.titantalk.com/threads/nissa ... tar.21966/ when it originally was on detnews.com. Look at all the awards he got at https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/paneuro/s ... rlos-ghosn, including being knighted. You think that all happened due to failed restructuring efforts?

However, things started to go downhill once Ghosn relinquished the CEO title to Saikawa (who has been forced out now) and have continued to get worse.

[cwerdna]

Sorry if this is known already (I did some searching), but https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/ ... 0-0001.pdf (NTB20-001) is the official TSB for replacing 30 kWh Leaf batteries (which we'd multiple reports of this happening) with 40 kWh packs.

It was published Jan 7, 2020 and says "The 30KWh HV battery pack is discontinued as of the publication of this bulletin."

[GaleHawkins]

Sorry if this is known already (I did some searching), but https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/ ... 0-0001.pdf (NTB20-001) is the official TSB for replacing 30 kWh Leaf batteries (which we'd multiple reports of this happening) with 40 kWh packs.

It was published Jan 7, 2020 and says "The 30KWh HV battery pack is discontinued as of the publication of this bulletin."

Thanks. Perhaps the 40 kWh cost them less than the 30 did 3-4 years ago as well.

[DougWantsALeaf]

That is very likely, as can be further seen with the large discounts appearing in Europe on the 40 kWh battery.

[fotajoye]

Don't know why Nissan doesn't just offer the 40kWh battery as a replacement for all their cars, inclusive of the 2011- 2020 MY? they would only need to maintain an inventory of two battery items, the 40 kWh and 62 kWh batteries. There is cost savings in not building obsolete items and maintaining a larger inventory, plus this would increase the value of their used products, leading to higher follow on sales.

Having said this, I'm afraid those of us hoping for a positive battery resolution from Nissan will continue to be disappointed.

[DaveinOlyWA]

Don't know why Nissan doesn't just offer the 40kWh battery as a replacement for all their cars, inclusive of the 2011- 2020 MY? they would only need to maintain an inventory of two battery items, the 40 kWh and 62 kWh batteries. There is cost savings in not building obsolete items and maintaining a larger inventory, plus this would increase the value of their used products, leading to higher follow on sales.

Having said this, I'm afraid those of us hoping for a positive battery resolution from Nissan will continue to be disappointed.

Hmm? Interesting. You might want to "consider the needs of the masses" over yours. I see Nissan's reasoning as rather transparent but lets look at choices.

**Offer a product that people are willing to pay for. $4500 plus labor is something I wouldn't do but it does seem to be very viable for quite a few people from what I have seen.

Or your option; Simplify the line and offer the 40 kwh for... well, no one knows how much but I will put money on it currently not being in nearly anyone's wheelhouse. Nissan saves money because 40 kwh is in current production and gains nearly zero customer loyalty.

Now, I don't really understand the ideology of paying over 5 grand to restore the car back to 24 kwh range in a better than new format. The new pack is better. There is no question about that but its 24 kwh. But I have been confused for a long time. I don't know why anyone would have purchased a 24 kwh EV in the first place. But we all have needs and they vary in roughly 330 million different ways.

Finally; the "hopes" have become reality for a growing number of LEAF drivers. But then again; that is what "they" say.

[DougWantsALeaf]

I am rather excited about the growing aftermarket of service centers doing Leaf Upgrades. Maybe in 6-7 years when my Plus battery is down 20 or so percent, there will be a modestly priced upgrade to a 100kWh pack.

[GaleHawkins]

Don't know why Nissan doesn't just offer the 40kWh battery as a replacement for all their cars, inclusive of the 2011- 2020 MY? they would only need to maintain an inventory of two battery items, the 40 kWh and 62 kWh batteries. There is cost savings in not building obsolete items and maintaining a larger inventory, plus this would increase the value of their used products, leading to higher follow on sales.

Having said this, I'm afraid those of us hoping for a positive battery resolution from Nissan will continue to be disappointed.

You make good points. Until the Nissan Corp finds a way forward we will be in the dark I expect.