Leaf

Visually, all Type 1 Nissan Leafs look the same. But under the shell, many changes have been made. If you're going to buy a used Leaf, you need to know what's under the hood, otherwise you could end up with a worthless car.

Nissan Leaf as a used car

Posted 30/05/2021 by Terje Bjørnstad

Visually, all Type 1 Nissan Leafs look the same. But under the shell, many changes have been made. If you're going to buy a used Leaf, you need to know what's under the hood, otherwise you could end up with a worthless car.

Wears its age well

Several cars from the first year of production have low mileage and look like new cars both outside and inside. Used car sellers know how to exploit this. They defend the high price by pointing to the car's general condition and mileage. "Owned by old lady...", and so on. As a car buyer, you must put the electric car features before all other features. It doesn't help that the car looks pretty if it can't be used for what it was designed for.

Although the Nissan Leaf 1 was gradually improved, two upgrades in particular are worth noting. The first occurred in mid-2013, the second in mid-2015.

The 2013 upgrade

According to Nissan, as many as 100 different big and small changes were made. By making the car lighter, more aerodynamic and improving regenerative braking energy, the range could be extended from 175 to 199 km NEDC. A more modern heat pump (optional) stole less electricity. By moving the on-board charger from the boot to the engine compartment, the boot was increased from 330 liters to 370 litres. The cars were better braced and thus behaved better on the road. The warranty period on the batteries was increased from 5 to 8 years. Furthermore, the car's on-board charger could take 6,6 kW – not just 3,6 kW – and you could use Type 2 cable. Let's also take into account that you could now get a black interior and leather seats on the Tekna edition.

The cars for Norway were now brought in from Sunderland instead of Japan.

The 2015 upgrade

The biggest news was that customers could now choose a new and long-awaited battery pack of 30 kwh. Almost everyone chose this, but the old 24 kwh battery pack was still in production. Cars with 30 kwh batteries were given a stated range of 250 km NEDC. Other improvements were that you could order cars with DAB radio and the NissanConnect infotainment system that can display available charging stations in real time.

Range

This is the Nissan Leaf type 1's Achilles heel. This is actually the only reason why many people turn their backs on the model. Unfortunately, it is possible to be thoroughly deceived on this point. Here are the ranges you can count on:

Cars before the 2013 upgrade

Official range is given in NEDC. It is a theoretical range that is almost impossible to reproduce under normal driving conditions. According to NEDC, the range is 175 km. Based on an unofficial – but fairly reliable conversion factor, the WLTP range will be approximately 142 km. That is the maximum you and I can expect to get out of a new battery. Practical range was 120-130 km in summer and 80-90 km in winter. We say "was" because the range decreases with age and usage patterns.

Cars with 24 kwh battery after the 2013 upgrade

The NEDC range was stated at 199 km. Some dealers still state this as the only range figure. Based on a conversion factor, the corresponding WLTP range will end up at approximately 156 km. Practical range is 120-140 km in summer.

Cars with 30 kwh battery

Stated range according to the factory is 250 km. Converted to WLTP, it corresponds to approximately 196 km. Practical range in summer is 140-190 km.

Battery capacity and condition (dotted line at outer edge)

Battery life

The Nissan Leaf is equipped with a fantastic function where you can read the state of the battery directly from the instruments. Actually, it's probably a voltmeter. It is marked as a dashed line to the left of the battery's capacity. There are 12 lines in total. Leaf owners indicate the battery's condition by telling the number of bars remaining. The cars in our selection are from 2011 to 2016. In this selection, it is quite normal for the cars to have lost one or two stripes. It is so normal that many dealers do not mention it, nor show a picture of the dashboard. If you don't know about this feature, you could be fooled. 10 dashes out of 12 on a 2013 model is perfectly normal - the dealer can't be blamed - but you might have preferred a car with 12 dashes, had you known this beforehand.

battery condition leaf — Example from a Leaf with greatly reduced battery capacity with only 5 out of 12 lines.

The range is reduced for each streak that disappears

Many owners choose to sell their cars when the battery "loses a streak". In the sales advertisement, they may write that they need better range. If you are considering buying a Leaf, you should calculate the range based on the battery having a line less than today. The first line corresponds to 15%, while subsequent lines each correspond to 7,7%. The range is reduced accordingly. Nissan's battery warranty comes into force if the car has lost more than 3 lines within 8 years. This corresponds to a remaining capacity of 61,9%. Up to 3 lines - which therefore does not trigger any warranty claim - corresponds to 69,6%. Let's go back to practical range numbers for those the very first The Leafs – all within normal capacity loss:

12/12 lines: 120-130 km summer, 80-90 winter.
11/12 lines: 102-110 km summer, 68-65 winter.
10/12 lines: 92-100 km summer, 61-69 winter.
9/12 lines: 83-90 km summer, 55-62 winter.

If you end up below 9 lines, it can be problematic to use the car in winter.

Import cars

Since 2012, several dealers have imported cars from the US and other European countries to meet the high demand for electric cars. Most of the imported cars are manufactured in the USA. These lack equipment that "Norwegian" cars have, including heated seats and heated steering wheel. Nor can they be connected to "Carwings", where the owner can remotely control pre-heating and more. In addition, the navigation system lacks European maps. It must be up to the individual to assess how important these features are on a nearly 10-year-old used car. The most serious thing is that the imported cars are among the worst in terms of loss of battery capacity. Some of the imported cars are sold with halved capacity, which makes the car unusable for the vast majority.

Check the chassis number (VIN)

You need to check the car's chassis number to determine the country of manufacture. You can find the chassis number or VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) most easily online by using the Norwegian Motor Vehicle Inspection Authority's lookup option. Enter the car's registration number on the link below and find the 17-digit number under the page marked "Registration data".

Vegvesen.no – Vehicle information

If the first character of the chassis number is "J" and character number 11 is a number, for example "0", the car is manufactured in Japan. Ordinary imports before 01.07.2013 took place from Japan. Cars produced in the USA were imported in parallel. USA-produced cars before 01.07.2013/11/1 may also have "J" as the first character in the chassis number, but character number 01.07.2013 is then "T". Then the car is manufactured in Tennessee. Cars with "XNUMX" as the first character are also produced in the USA. Cars from Sunderland, England, have "S" as the first character. This has been a normal import after XNUMX.

Few errors and problems

In general, there are few problems on the Nissan Leaf. Many report problem-free car maintenance for several years. Problems with the starter battery discharging are a common problem. Wear and tear related to wheel suspension and chassis seems to be on par with other cars, with replacements on cars that have passed well over 100. As long as the car is treated well, high km is not a big problem. A car with close to 000 on the odometer with 100/000 dashes can be just as good as a grandmother's car with extremely low km, stood for several years with a constant 12% on the batteries.

Prices

The prices are based on "on the route" prices from Finn.no.

2016 Nissan Leaf 30 kwh

Km 0-49: NOK 999 (129 cars)
Km 50-000: NOK 99 (999 cars)

2016 Nissan Leaf 24 kwh (for comparison)

Km 0-49: NOK 999 (115 cars)
Km 50-000: NOK 99 (999 cars)

2015 Nissan Leaf 24 kwh

Km 0-49: NOK 999 (99 cars)
Km 50-000: NOK 99 (999 cars)
Km 100-000: NOK 149 (999 cars)

2014 Nissan Leaf

Km 0-49: NOK 999 (90 cars)
Km 50-000: NOK 99 (999 cars)
Km 100-000: NOK 149 (999 cars)

2013 Nissan Leaf (both Series 1 and Series 2 cars)

Km 50-000: NOK 99 (999 cars)
Km 99-999: NOK 149 (999 cars)

2011/2012 Nissan Leaf

Km 50-000: NOK 99 (999 cars)
Km 100-000: NOK 149999 (49 cars)

Here you can see that prices fall by NOK 10 per year. 000 models with 2016 kwh batteries are understandably more expensive than equivalent cars with 30 kwh. These are undoubtedly the best in the selection and our clear choice. Here you get a lot of electric cars and simple car maintenance for the money. Our second choice is one of the cars after the 24 upgrade.

Driving with one pedal

Posted 27/03/2018 by Terje Bjørnstad

drive with one pedal — The new Nissan Leaf can be driven with one pedal.

In a TV advertising campaign, Nissan launches its new Leaf. One of the new features is that you can drive with one pedal. As the advertising voice says: “- One pedal … for gas … and braking. ” At the same time, a small logo pops up at the bottom of the screen. “e-Pedal.” Like a kind of trademark. “e-Pedal by Nissan,” – like? But this is nothing new. BMW introduced this in 2009 – first for the Mini E, later on its own BMW i3.

Works better than you'd think

I only know driving with one pedal from the BMW i3. All rechargeable cars have some form of artificial engine braking that returns more or less energy to the batteries, but it is not the same as driving with one pedal. The special thing about the BMW i3 is that you don't need to move your foot onto the brake during normal driving. If you lift your foot slowly, the car brakes slowly. If you let off the gas suddenly, the car slows down just as you would with the brake pedal. During heavy braking, you may hear a faint screeching sound. It's like music to my ears. That means I get extra kilometers - completely free.

Optimal energy absorption

The biggest advantage of driving electric cars with one pedal is that the car is able to capture deceleration energy perfectly optimally. Of course, you get recovered power by using the ordinary brakes as well. But I imagine they steal more energy. The BMW i3 has also been named the most energy-efficient electric car in several forums. The reason for that is the efficient one-pedal solution.

It is promising that Nissan has also jumped on the one-pedal solution. I predict that in time we will see further improvements. Today, a lot of research has been done into creating intelligent gearboxes that continuously monitor driving patterns and surroundings. The same intelligence can also be used when braking – by reading the movements of the same accelerator pedal. The more intelligent, the more kilometers we get.

How the brake lights come on

I have previously expressed skepticism about how the brake lights are affected when you brake with the gas. The BMW i3 is a popular car. Many of them are driven by drivers who dictate how the brake lights come on. After studying i3s on the road for several years, my conclusion is that the BMW i3 turns on the brake lights automatically when the car is actually decelerating – apparently via some kind of deceleration meter.

Use the brake pedal occasionally!

Another skepticism is that, as is well known, the brakes must be used regularly. This applies to all cars, but it can be easy to forget when the brake pedal is only used for sudden braking. And should an emergency braking occur, it is reassuring to know that the braking will start even before you have lifted your foot from the accelerator.

Gives extra km - not driving pleasure

I like the BMW i3. It's fun to drive without being able to put my finger on exactly what it is that I like. In terms of driving pleasure, I am indifferent to driving with one pedal. Behind the wheel, I think a normal, artificial engine brake works perfectly alright. I still give one-pedal a thumbs up because it gives me extra mileage. The BMW i3 has proven that.

Hope the new Nissan Leaf is just as fun to drive.

See

Temperature control of electric car batteries — **Leaf lacks active cooling of the batteries!**

Leaf for car enthusiasts?

Posted 02/05/2017 by Terje Bjørnstad

Among the cars of the car enthusiast public, I could not find any Leafs other than "mine". Strange, because the Leaf is one of the best-selling car models in Norway. Last year it was in 7th place.

This weekend I visited the Classic Cars Show Norway at Exporama outside Oslo. When car enthusiasts gather, there are many beautiful cars in the parking lot. I myself arrived in a Nissan Leaf, – 30 KWH with a range of 250 km.

250km?

There were only 187 km on the dashboard when I took over the car. Then it had been charging for over a day. The charging time for 30 amp chargers is 5,5 hours. Where had the last kilometers gone? Skeptical. But after driving exactly 40 km, I discovered that the batteries had only lost 25 km. Despite the fact that I didn't get the full range at the start, I see that it should be possible to get a mileage that comes well up to what Nissan promises. I would have preferred the indicator to be more accurate, but settled on the fact that this car can go significantly longer between charges than other electric cars I've driven. Thus, I stopped following the consumption.

I like the look of the Leaf. It resembles a duck, with a beak at the front and a kind of tail at the back. Everyone recognizes it on the road. "My" Leaf is a Nordic. It has LED lights, BOSE system, DAB radio, reversing camera and intelligent control functions for mobile. The seats are comfortable, but without a hint of sportiness. It felt like sitting in an ordinary armchair. The adjustment options are simple, but I quickly found an alright sitting position. The velor-like seat cover is pleasant to sit on and touch, but hardly suitable for coffee spills and small children.

The Leaf does not feel like a premium car, but it is not a cheap car either. The quality of the switches, instruments and infotainment system is completely up to par. I like the composition. The interior is unsophisticated. A lot of plastic, but still quite alright. I like to highlight the feelgood factor here.

On the road, the impression of comfort is reinforced. The noise level is amazing. No "tram sound" from the engine, no whistling wind and no rumble from the tires against the road, as you experience in the e-Golf. But the comparison is not real, since the Leaf was still on soft, stud-free winter tyres. The 109-horsepower electric motor ensures that the one and a half tonne heavy vehicle accelerates effortlessly. You can cruise at 100 km/h on the motorway without any problems. Of course, I know that you should stay below 90 km/h to get the most out of the batteries, but 100 km/h suited the Leaf very well.

I notice that the Leaf is not as direct and direct as the e-Golf in a "moose test" (steer away from game that suddenly appears). The comparison would be fairer on summer tires, but this is perhaps where you can also feel the age. When the Leaf came on the market in 2010, the driving characteristics in extreme driving conditions were not the most important thing. At the time, it was a big news that you could drive 10-15 kilometers with 5 people in the car - quickly and comfortably, like a completely normal car that didn't look like a Tupperware product.

Like other electric cars, the Leaf also has an artificial engine brake that regenerates electricity. You can switch between B (engine brake) and D (drive) on the gear lever. This may be a matter of taste and preference. Without an artificial engine brake, you can save electricity by letting the car roll freely. The Leaf's engine brake is basically not as powerful as on the BMW i3. In normal driving mode, it is roughly like the first step on the e-Golf, or like the engine brake on a normal petrol engine. By pressing the Eco button on the steering wheel, the artificial engine braking is reinforced. This is an effective way to increase your reach.

Place

The interior space is one of the Leaf's biggest advantages. This really is a full-fledged 5-seater. The boot is 370 litres, 29 liters more than the e-Golf, and 10 liters less than the standard Golf. The usefulness of the room is somewhat reduced by the fact that it is not flat, and that the tailgate is quite slanted. Also, the bag for the charging equipment steals some space, and I don't know if it's a subwoofer or what, which also steals some floor space. The Leaf is not particularly suitable for transporting large suitcases and prams, but perfectly fine for small packages.

Safety

The Nissan Leaf was tested by NCAP in 2012. What was most critical for the driver and passenger was the risk of injuries to the knees and hips in a frontal collision due to hard materials in the inner ear. In the test, some poor protection against whiplash was also demonstrated. The overall grades are still good. Compared to its competitors, the Leaf's overall marks are below the standard Golf, which was tested in the same year, - and marginally higher than the BMW i3.

Economy

The Nissan Leaf Nordic costs NOK 267 at the dealer. Put on winter tires and annual tax and you are "good to go". The competitor e-Golf costs approx. 990, with a 306 km range. It has similar equipment to the Leaf, but in addition a very extensive list of additional equipment.

I don't think the range increase is big enough to create new uses for the Leaf. It is still a car for urban areas and relatively short trips. The advantage is primarily that you don't have to charge as often, and that you are safer against running out of power. I recommend choosing the largest 30 KWH battery pack due to trade-in price. Unfortunately, there is no possibility to upgrade cars with 24 KWH battery packs to 30 KWH. When traded in, I think the Leaf will hold its value well, despite the fact that there have been extensive parallel imports.

Although the electric motors themselves are not very advanced, there is a lot of advanced electronics in the electric cars. When new models appear, people are naturally skeptical about durability. Will the cars work for many years or will they collapse like the Nokia phones did a few years ago? Because the Leaf has been in production for so long, a lot is known about maintenance costs. It is known that the cars last, and that they rarely cause big surprises for the owners. Everyone knows that the general, daily operating costs of an electric car are very favorable.

Conclusion

There was a lot of fun to see at the Classic Cars Show Norway for car enthusiasts. I think the ticket price of 250 was quite high, as many of the cars were exhibited by voluntary car clubs. It's still not every time you get to study Arnardo's old Mercedes-Benz 600, or see an Iso Grifo, Lamborghini Espada or Tatra Tatraplan in unrestored condition.

Last year, 4127 Leafs were sold in Norway. It is one of Norway's best-selling car models. Of course, there must be the occasional car enthusiast in the customer lists. The Nissan Leaf is unlikely to be the first choice of a "keen driver". It was initially a hit because it then competed with cars such as the Think, Buddy and Reva. It was an easy match for Leaf!

But today? Leaf is no Tesla. It does not have as good driving characteristics as the e-Golf. It's not as cool as the BMW i3. It is still my first choice in terms of space and comfort. It's a car I happily take for a ride. Another factor, which counts for many, is operational reliability. Leaf has proven that.

It is, after all, Norway's longest-lived usable electric car.

Not as fast as this one (parked outside by NSK member).

The Maserati Biturbo is not the world's best Maserati, but perhaps the Maserati that sold the most when new in Norway?

See

Looks small, but you sit high and airy in it.

Nissan.no