Having just got my leaf Tekna (71) reg I asked Nissan for charging and battery health advice. Their answer is below.
Q..Does Nissan have a recommended battery charging percentage for everyday use?
Answer below.
“Nissan no longer mentions a maximum charge percentage at which to stop. We can therefore provide customers with the general recommendations to avoid going under 5% and above 95% battery state of charge level. It’s better to charge every day, even if the battery level is not low. More recommendations to maximise the battery's useful life can be found below.
We value all feedback and are always looking for ways to help our customers. We are happy to list some information for you. Furthermore, we hereby trust that you will find this information useful so that you can enjoy a better driving experience in your Nissan Leaf.
The energy consumption of each LEAF depends not only on the efficient use of energy from the car battery, but also on the driving behaviour of the driver and other factors. The range that is realistic depends on many different factors, including driving style, vehicle speed, use of comfort functions or assistance systems, ambient temperature, number of passengers, luggage, selected driving profile (normal or ECO), hilly terrain and weather conditions. As the driving behavior, traffic situation and / or weather conditions will always be different, a difference between the measured laboratory values and the values from daily practice on the road remains possible. All new passenger cars are subject to official (laboratory) tests to determine fuel consumption and emissions, or the power consumption and driving range (electric vehicles).
Lifespan of the Lithium-Ion battery.
Over time and through use, the lithium-ion battery, like all batteries, loses the ability to hold a charge, resulting in a lower range compared to the range when the car was new. This is normal and as expected, and does not indicate a malfunction of the car or the lithium-ion battery. The lithium-ion battery's ability to hold a charge can be affected by the temperature of the lithium-ion battery while driving and charging, and the way you drive, store the car, and charge the lithium-ion battery.
To maximise battery life, apply the following driving and charging habits as much as possible:
Do not expose the car to extreme ambient temperatures for extended periods of time.
Do not store the car at temperatures below −25 ° C (−13 ° F) for more than seven days.
Do not leave your car for more than 14 days when the capacity meter of the lithium-ion battery is at zero or near zero (charge status).
Let the car and lithium-ion battery cool down after use and before charging.
Park / store your car in a cool place, out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.
Avoid prolonged high battery temperatures (caused by, for example, exposure to very high outdoor temperatures or prolonged highway driving with multiple fast charge sessions).
Use the normal charge method to charge the lithium-ion battery and use the fast charge at public charging stations or the fast charger as little as possible. Drive at a moderate speed.
Use the ECO mode.
Do not use the charging timer several times after the lithium-ion battery has been fully charged and the charging connector is still connected to the car. Otherwise, the 12-volt battery may run down.
The capacity of the lithium-ion battery can be checked via the capacity meter of the lithium-ion battery.”
Q..Does Nissan have a recommended battery charging percentage for everyday use?
Answer below.
“Nissan no longer mentions a maximum charge percentage at which to stop. We can therefore provide customers with the general recommendations to avoid going under 5% and above 95% battery state of charge level. It’s better to charge every day, even if the battery level is not low. More recommendations to maximise the battery's useful life can be found below.
We value all feedback and are always looking for ways to help our customers. We are happy to list some information for you. Furthermore, we hereby trust that you will find this information useful so that you can enjoy a better driving experience in your Nissan Leaf.
The energy consumption of each LEAF depends not only on the efficient use of energy from the car battery, but also on the driving behaviour of the driver and other factors. The range that is realistic depends on many different factors, including driving style, vehicle speed, use of comfort functions or assistance systems, ambient temperature, number of passengers, luggage, selected driving profile (normal or ECO), hilly terrain and weather conditions. As the driving behavior, traffic situation and / or weather conditions will always be different, a difference between the measured laboratory values and the values from daily practice on the road remains possible. All new passenger cars are subject to official (laboratory) tests to determine fuel consumption and emissions, or the power consumption and driving range (electric vehicles).
Lifespan of the Lithium-Ion battery.
Over time and through use, the lithium-ion battery, like all batteries, loses the ability to hold a charge, resulting in a lower range compared to the range when the car was new. This is normal and as expected, and does not indicate a malfunction of the car or the lithium-ion battery. The lithium-ion battery's ability to hold a charge can be affected by the temperature of the lithium-ion battery while driving and charging, and the way you drive, store the car, and charge the lithium-ion battery.
To maximise battery life, apply the following driving and charging habits as much as possible:
Do not expose the car to extreme ambient temperatures for extended periods of time.
Do not store the car at temperatures below −25 ° C (−13 ° F) for more than seven days.
Do not leave your car for more than 14 days when the capacity meter of the lithium-ion battery is at zero or near zero (charge status).
Let the car and lithium-ion battery cool down after use and before charging.
Park / store your car in a cool place, out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.
Avoid prolonged high battery temperatures (caused by, for example, exposure to very high outdoor temperatures or prolonged highway driving with multiple fast charge sessions).
Use the normal charge method to charge the lithium-ion battery and use the fast charge at public charging stations or the fast charger as little as possible. Drive at a moderate speed.
Use the ECO mode.
Do not use the charging timer several times after the lithium-ion battery has been fully charged and the charging connector is still connected to the car. Otherwise, the 12-volt battery may run down.
The capacity of the lithium-ion battery can be checked via the capacity meter of the lithium-ion battery.”
