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NEWS
Nissan's LEAF battery replacement program for US
Battery replacement program costing American LEAF owners $100 a month won't roll out in OzNissan’s US operation has announced a new battery replacement program giving LEAF buyers affordable access to battery technology improvements as they arrive.
The rationale for the program lies in the speed at which battery technologies are improving. The potential problem facing early EV adopters is the likelihood that they will be stuck with weighty power packs of comparatively short range as subsequent buyers get updated cars with lighter, more potent batteries delivering better range for less money.
Set to start in the first half of 2014, the program allows existing LEAF owners to keep up without the lump-sum of thousands of dollars demanded of them to date. The replacement program, expected to cost about $US100 a month, works in parallel to Nissan’s existing eight year/100,000 mile (160,000km) warranty on the pack bought with the car.
But the warranty addresses faults, and remains unaffected for its normal duration. The replacement program allows subscribers to update their batteries even if the old one isn’t playing up.
Owners can opt in at any time, Nissan spokesman Brian Brockman told AutoblogGreen. “When they opt into the program, they will receive a new battery pack with the latest available technology that is compatible with their vehicle. Then, Nissan provides assurance that the replacement pack will maintain nine bars or more [out of twelve] capacity for the time that they own their car and make monthly payments. If their battery drops below nine bars, we will repair or replace the battery pack.”
The program hails from a mix of publicly available industry data and Nissan’s own global survey of LEAF owners and prospective EV buyers. Current and prospective owners voiced a preference for a monthly subscription program, and that they wanted assurances that the battery will maintain its capacity at a certain level.
Asked about the possibility that local LEAF owners will gain access to the program, Nissan Australia spokesman Peter Fadeyev told motoring.com.au the company has “no plans” to bring it Down Under.
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Written byJeremy Bass
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