In conclusion, the Nissan Leaf is an unattractive vehicle because to its low range, severe battery degradation, and high cost of battery replacement. The majority of purchasers no longer choose an unremarkable-looking EV. The used Nissan Leaf market is harmed by this. The Nissan Leaf lost so much value as a result of this lack of demand.
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Reasons Used Nissan Leafs Cost So Little
If you’ve been shopping for a used electric vehicle, you may have heard or seen that Nissan Leafs are incredibly cost-effective when compared to other similar models and to the cost of the vehicle while new. It can seem like a bad deal to pay about $7,000 to $15,000 for a Nissan Leaf that is about 5 years old. In fact, you can save 50% to over 70% on a 5-year-old Nissan Leaf. A 2015 or 2016 Nissan Leaf will now cost between $7,000 and $10,000 in 2021. If purchased at the time without any government subsidies, these models cost about $35,000 including freight.
Compared to other EVs on the market, this one has a substantially greater depreciation rate. So why is a used Nissan Leaf so affordable? Why do they lose value so quickly? Poor battery design, which adds to poor range, unappealing aesthetics, and other factors are what cause them to lose their value so rapidly. As a result, they become less and less competitive with new products entering the market. Find out if you should buy a used Nissan Leaf, whether it is new or used, which model years are the best, and how the Leaf stacks up against other vehicles in its class by continuing to read this car review.
Nissan Leafs have a 5-year depreciation rate of 44% and a resale value of $21,575.
The anticipated depreciation over the following ten years is shown in the figure below. These outcomes apply to cars that travel 12,000 miles annually on average and are in good condition. Additionally, it counts on a $38,839 retail price for the car. Enter the purchase price, anticipated length of ownership, and yearly mileage estimate. Our depreciation estimator will forecast the Nissan Leaf’s anticipated resale value.
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Why Do Used Nissan Leafs Cost So Little? How reliable is it?
The Nissan Leaf is a reasonably priced all-electric vehicle produced by a Japanese company from 2010. As much as 40% of the value of a Leaf is lost in just two years because to the extreme price depreciation.
The cost of buying an electric car is significantly subsidized, which affects used car values rather than the MSRP. This is the reason why the value of any zero-emission vehicle drastically decreases in the first few years.
Since the second-generation machines are at least five years old, their battery life is beginning to dwindle. Older models frequently sell for a small fraction of their initial cost, especially when range degradation is taken into account.
Why are used Nissan Leafs so affordable?
I therefore need a new automobile and would prefer an electric model, but I have limited funds. I was considering the Nissan Leaf and was taken aback by the price. Why are Nissan Leafs so reasonably priced?
In less than two minutes, find out if your auto insurance is being overcharged.
You’re right that making the switch to an electric vehicle is exciting.
Compared to other electric vehicles, the Nissan Leaf is significantly less expensive. Why, you inquire? Even though they are generally good automobiles, the Nissan Leaf doesn’t have the best reputation. Low battery range, depreciation, government subsidies, old technology, and a plain design are a few of the elements that contribute to the Leaf’s low pricing.
- Low battery range: The battery range on a new Leaf is just 80 to 100 miles per charge, and on a used Leaf, this decreases to about 50 miles per charge. Although the Leafas battery is less expensive to produce, its compact size means that it has significantly less power than other electric cars.
- Depreciation: The Leaf depreciates less frequently than the majority of other electric vehicles, which means it does so more slowly than more expensive vehicles. For instance, a Tesla typically depreciates by 20% over the first year of ownership.
- Government subsidies: Depending on the state you live in, there are a number of government subsidies and incentives available when buying a Leaf. These benefits lower the cost of purchasing the Leaf and enable quicker loan repayment.
- The Leaf may be inexpensive to purchase, but its technology hasn’t advanced much since it initially rolled off the assembly line in 2010, especially in comparison to the technological arms race being fought by other electric car manufacturers.
- Design: The Leaf isn’t a bad-looking car, but it isn’t sweeping up design accolades either. This may have contributed to the model’s poor sales and the subsequent price reductions.
Depending on your financial situation, a Nissan Leaf can be the ideal vehicle for you. Whatever you decide, make sure to use Jerry to find a strong auto insurance policy to cover your car.
This excellent vehicle insurance app can enable you sign up for your new policy and cancel your old one after just 45 seconds of registration!
Do Nissan Leafs have many issues?
Issues with Nissan Leaf Reliability. Owners of the Leaf have reported 31 issues over 10 model years. Out of 26 Nissan models, it has a PainRankTM rating of 6th in overall reliability, including minor electrical and brake issues.
What Nissan Leaf drawbacks are there?
restricted range
The Leaf’s restricted range is its primary drawback. Upgraded models, however, have larger batteries and can travel further. Another thing to think about is how much more efficient electric vehicles are in warm weather.
Lack of compatibility with chargers
It has a CHAdeMO rapid charge connector but is unable to utilize Tesla’s Superchargers, therefore only owners of Nissan or one of its partner brands are able to use fast charging.
astronomical cost
The cost is the next factor to take into account. The Leaf is still one of the most costly electric vehicles on the market, despite all the federal and state incentives that are available.
less power than standard vehicles
The Nissan Leaf’s lack of power in comparison to gasoline-powered vehicles is a significant drawback. Because the electric engine only generates 107 horsepower, acceleration and overtaking may be slower than in a gas vehicle.
slow to pick up speed
The Nissan LEAF’s lack of acceleration is yet another drawback. The electric motor in the car doesn’t have the same amount of power as a conventional gasoline engine.
Which Nissan Leaf model year is the most dependable?
Except for the three Nissan Leaf years to avoid, we can pretty much recommend every model year if you’re searching for a Nissan Leaf that’s a decent option as a secondhand car. Having said that, we’d especially suggest the models from 2017 through 2020.
Of course, it might be difficult to find a secondhand 2019 or 2020 model in that case. Since most owners are still keeping their cars, the most modern models aren’t appearing on the used market very often.
It’s also important to keep in mind that compared to other models, you might have to pay a bit more for a used Nissan Leaf automobile. This is due to the fact that models with a lengthy history of dependability and efficiency tend to hold their value better than cars with more widespread problems.
How long is the lifespan of a Nissan Leaf?
The 24 or 30 kWh battery used in the first generation Leafs has a maximum range of 100,000–150,000 miles. The second version has a battery that can go 200,000–300,000 miles and weighs 40–66 kWh. We anticipate that the Leaf will last between 10 and 15 years because batteries also deteriorate with time.
Is the value of the Nissan Leaf stable?
With its 2018 makeover, Nissan extended the Leaf’s range between charges to 150 miles. Its 34.3% three-year resale value can be attributed to the fact that this is still on the low side when compared to some of the most recent EVs. A more powerful model, the Leaf Plus, with a greater 226-mile range, will, however, make its appearance later in 2019. That model might be able to maintain its worth longer.
What are some typical Nissan Leaf issues?
The Nissan Leaf can only be used with specific charging stations because of its design.
Additionally, there have been numerous reports of charging incompatibility problems with Eaton chargers, particularly for the 2018 Leaf.
Can you go by car with a Nissan LEAF?
It was a long trip—600 miles—with a combination of largely high-speed highway travel, slow work zones, and some city driving.
We tried to extend our range for some of the journey. We chose comfort and speed for the other sections of the trip—the hot, rainy parts. This, in our opinion, represents the effectiveness of a road trip fairly well.
We ended up using 3.4 miles per kilowatt-hour on average. The Nissan Leaf Plus’s effective range after a full charge is 211 miles, with a battery size of 62 kWh. That’s a respectable efficiency that is on par with some of the more efficient EVs now available. Battery capacity dictates range.
The Leaf is a capable vehicle for long trips. It’s relaxing. It moves fairly quickly. Excellent safety technology. It works well. The charge rate on numerous fast chargers is the only thing preventing it from doing really extended road trips.
Although the majority of individuals won’t drive their cars in that manner, that is also not how Americans believe. The Ariya, Nissan’s upcoming fully electric vehicle, is expected to address all of these issues with CCS high-speed charging and smart temperature control. Heck, it might end up being the finest road trip EV if it charges quickly enough — like over 200 kW.
Nissan Ariya’s real-world range may already be known to us, or it may not.
How often should a Nissan LEAF’s battery be replaced?
How frequently should a Nissan Leaf battery be changed? Every three to five years, but to ensure that it’s performing at a high level, you should have your battery tested naturally for voltage drops.
How frequently should a Nissan Leaf be charged?
Calculate the average energy consumption of your daily drive (I just use the trip odo and dash energy economy meter), and then determine how long it will take your charger to recharge the energy. Give your automobile at least that much time to charge, during the time when your power utility charges the least, but before you leave for work each day. Every day of the week that you anticipate being a “normal drive” day, set the timer. The amount of charge in the car will gradually increase over several days, depending on how much ten-minute “rounding up” you had to do on the charging time. Skip plugging in that night when the charge is high enough to allow you to travel for two days while still having a comfort margin (say, 40% charge), but otherwise, plug in every night. Let the charge burn out as previously mentioned before resuming the nightly plug-in if you’re just switching to this policy from one of “let the car charge 100% every day.”
If you own a 2nd-gen (2018+) LEAF, you should be aware that whenever the vehicle departs from its GPS “home” position, the charging timers will be immediately disabled. After only five years of pleading on the forums, I was surprised that Nissan’s designers would add something so helpful. However, I highly recommend it because you won’t have to remember to press the “timer override” button if you ever need to use a public L1/L2 charger. Another advantage is that charging will continue if someone needs to unplug and replug your car (at least, it COULD, depending on the arrangements on the EVSE itself).
Of course, you may set up the other timer for your weekends if they are equally repeatable but have a different normal travel distance.