Nissan to announce official Battery Replacement Program soon

[TomT]

Assuming that they even offer it - and that is a big if - I would not expect to see retrofit capability for any Leaf. It will either come with it or not. To do otherwise would simply be too complicated and expensive.

They won't announce it now for the LEAF, it would stifle sales in the interim, especially in key US markets many of which are in warm/hot climate areas (ie LA, Atlanta, Dallas). I only hope they build in retrofit capability in 2015 models and on. I doubt a retrofit would be cost effective for 2014 models and prior models.

 

[TimLee]

On the Nissan LEAF Facebook page today they said:

Nissan will be updating our community on the Battery Replacement Program soon. Keep your eyes peeled to http://nissannews.com/.../us-united-states-nissan-models.." onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. for breaking news on this, and all things LEAF.

Link to the FB post:
https://www.facebook.com/nissanleaf/posts/10152865517738238?comment_id=10152866633683238&offset=0&total_comments=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Correct link to the news page:
http://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/usa/channels/us-united-states-nissan-models-leaf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well, at least Nissan learned one thing, not to use MNL as the place to announce "details" of their second annual Battery Replacement Program.
Not that their "news" site is a very good forum.
More like a marketing arm for Nissan with lots of bad and inadequate incomplete information.
Very similar to "news" outlets in the USSR.

 

[cgaydos]

Well, at least Nissan learned one thing, not to use MNL as the place to announce "details" of their second annual Battery Replacement Program.

Pretty much expected when a few members respond by posting negative diatribes 25x per day. At some point the signal-to-noise ratio dropped so low that Nissan figured few other people were even paying attention to the discussion anymore - and that this would be true for any other threads Nissan started.

There is a lesson here but I am sure it will go unheeded.

 

[smkettner]

Well, at least Nissan learned one thing, not to use MNL as the place to announce "details" of their second annual Battery Replacement Program.

Pretty much expected when a few members respond by posting negative diatribes 25x per day. At some point the signal-to-noise ratio dropped so low that Nissan figured few other people were even paying attention to the discussion anymore - and that this would be true for any other threads Nissan started.

There is a lesson here but I am sure it will go unheeded.

All Nissan had to do is announce any programs to replace the battery are on hold for 12 to 18 months.
But Nooooo Nissan just leaves it open for banter as the promised time frame comes and goes.

 

[TomT]

Yep! Pure marketing!

More likely a marketing arm for Nissan with lots of bad and inadequate incomplete information.

 

[KJD]

Link to the FB post:
https://www.facebook.com/nissanleaf/posts/10152865517738238?comment_id=10152866633683238&offset=0&total_comments=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Correct link to the news page:
http://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/usa/channels/us-united-states-nissan-models-leaf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do you think that the announcement will be timed with the 2015 LEAF starting to show up at the dealers or some other time?

 

[JPWhite]

Link to the FB post:
https://www.facebook.com/nissanleaf/posts/10152865517738238?comment_id=10152866633683238&offset=0&total_comments=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Correct link to the news page:
http://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/usa/channels/us-united-states-nissan-models-leaf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do you think that the announcement will be timed with the 2015 LEAF starting to show up at the dealers or some other time?

I'd say that's a fair guess.

 

[TheSender]

Let me also remind everyone that to get the new battery you MUST give them the OLD battery so that there are no aftermarket parts.
I will never buy Nissan again. They are very shrewd.

 

[cwerdna]

Let me also remind everyone that to get the new battery you MUST give them the OLD battery so that there are no aftermarket parts.
I will never buy Nissan again. They are very shrewd.

FWIW, thankyouOB has been calling the $100/month battery lease program SYB (Steal Your Battery) for ages.

Presumably, the batteries will be re-purposed for other uses such as grid energy storage before being recycled.

 

[cgaydos]

Let me also remind everyone that to get the new battery you MUST give them the OLD battery so that there are no aftermarket parts.
I will never buy Nissan again. They are very shrewd.

FWIW, thankyouOB has been calling the $100/month battery lease program SYB (Steal Your Battery) for ages.

Presumably, the batteries will be re-purposed for other uses such as grid energy storage before being recycled.

"Presumably". Actually, the details of the program have never been hinted at in any way. We have no idea. And most of us suspect Nissan didn't really think through the details but rather hastily issued that June 20, 2013 press release on the very last day of Spring in order to preserve a previous promise made.

A few regular posters on MNL have responded by posting negative diatribes about Nissan whenever they see the opportunity. I kind of understand the sentiment. BUT, when I see another car company that provides information to its prospects and buyers in a truthful and ethical way I'll pay close attention. Unfortunately I've not seen any car company to date which qualifies - and if you are thinking of Tesla then research their alleged $500/month lease from last year. For me, I'm stuck with working with Nissan - to date the only company that has commited to EVs priced below the average annual income.

 

[RegGuheert]

"Presumably". Actually, the details of the program have never been hinted at in any way. We have no idea. And most of us suspect Nissan didn't really think through the details but rather hastily issued that June 20, 2013 press release on the very last day of Spring in order to preserve a previous promise made.

+1

I think that is exactly what happened last year and the response they got was well-deserved.

And I will say without hesitation that Nissan HAS very thoroughly thought through battery replacement over the past year. We will all have to wait for their announcement to learn the details and decide for ourselves whether it suits our individual needs.

 

[thankyouOB]

Let me also remind everyone that to get the new battery you MUST give them the OLD battery so that there are no aftermarket parts.
I will never buy Nissan again. They are very shrewd.

FWIW, thankyouOB has been calling the $100/month battery lease program SYB (Steal Your Battery) for ages.

Presumably, the batteries will be re-purposed for other uses such as grid energy storage before being recycled.

yes, the SYB is a well-deserved name.
you cant have the same program -- $100 a month for a new battery and turn in your old -- for buyers and lessees, unless you want to be unfair to buyers.
and while i dont take issue with the fact that other companies -- perhaps not tesla -- arent ahead of the curve on this, nissan has done nothing to answer the call from a majority of us; all of whom want a purchase price for a batter, with an install cost and with a recycle value on the battery.
I ask again: how does a company get away legally with selling a car but not make available for later sale the most expensive and important part of the vehicle, which they know degrades?

 

[TimLee]

"Presumably". Actually, the details of the program have never been hinted at in any way. We have no idea. And most of us suspect Nissan didn't really think through the details but rather hastily issued that June 20, 2013 press release on the very last day of Spring in order to preserve a previous promise made.

+1

I think that is exactly what happened last year and the response they got was well-deserved.

And I will say without hesitation that Nissan HAS very thoroughly thought through battery replacement over the past year. We will all have to wait for their announcement to learn the details and decide for ourselves whether it suits our individual needs.

It's about time they put some thought into it. Whether to sell the LEAF with battery or only lease the battery was the biggest uncertainty when I talked with the Nissan manager over the program at the Versa test mule with LEAF drive train event in early 2010 more than four years ago.
Seems clear they will not sell replacements any time "soon".

Most likely something like the battery lease rates on page 22 of the UK brochure.
http://www.nissan.co.uk/content/dam/services/gb/brochure/Nissan+Leaf+Brochure.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
But hard to do accurate conversions from £ with value added tax to US price pre-tax and to guess what valuation will be given for the traded in battery. Let alone what difference there would be for an owner versus a leasor. For the leasor NMAC owns the battery and entering into the program is really just a change of the lease contract.

Really sad and bad business that a company that now probably has 5,000 used LEAFs in the used car market a large % that have come off lease still has no battery replacement program

 

[aarond12]

For me, I'm stuck with working with Nissan - to date the only company that has commited to EVs priced below the average annual income.

Allow me to introduce you to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. $23K with CHAdeMO. Sure it's not a great car, but Mitsubishi is committed to making inexpensive EVs.

 

[GregH]

It's only "SYB" if you opt for the $100/mo lease deal. Nobody is holding gun to your head. If you want a new battery (Lizard I assume, as the 2015s no doubt are as well) then you start shelling out $100/mo and they "take care"/steal your old battery. If they let you keep the old battery (only a few folks here would have any use for it I'm guessing) they probably couldn't afford to lease you a new one for $100/mo. And while I respect the fact that some would rather shell out $$$ (likely well North of $8000) to own the new battery, the American sales model clearly favors monthly payments (just ask the cell phone companies).

The geek in me doesn't really care to re-hash the topic of how expensive batteries are (or how politically sensitive companies like Nissan are to disclosing that information)... But I am really eager to learn the specs/trade-offs(?) with the new lizard battery.

 

[TomT]

You know, when we first started discussing this a year or so ago, I had some strong opinions on the subject... But now that the light at the end of the tunnel is near on my four year lease, and it is seems likely that might next EV will not be a Leaf (I haven't yet decided what it will be despite having a deposit on a Tesla X), I've found that I don't much care any more... I'm tired of playing the Nissan Shuffle (tm)...

It's only "SYB" if you opt for the $100/mo lease deal.

 

[epirali]

You know, when we first started discussing this a year or so ago, I had some strong opinions on the subject... But now that the light at the end of the tunnel is near on my four year lease, and it is seems likely that might next EV will not be a Leaf (I haven't yet decided what it will be despite have a deposit on a Tesla X), I've found that I don't much care any more... I'm tired of playing the Nissan Shuffle (tm)...

It's only "SYB" if you opt for the $100/mo lease deal.

This is probably the least emotional, most damning thing I have read here yet about the battery issues. I was not an early adopter, but I can see how Nissan by not deciding, communicating in a timely fashion, have really turned off the early adopters. And that can't be good.

With slightly different timing and more aggressive battery plans they would have kept the excitement going I guess. What a shame. I am still in that phase where I am loving my Leaf and recommending it to people. But this gives me pause.

 

[uwskier20]

I am still in that phase where I am loving my Leaf and recommending it to people. But this gives me pause.

I am still in love with my LEAF, and am an old timer myself, but am no longer in love with Nissan. I think much of the fanboyism is gone, save for a few here in the PNW who are trying to justify going to all-LEAF garages to themselves.

When people ask about the LEAF, I'm no longer lavish in my praise, and mostly bill it as being appropriate for driving routines of less than 40 miles a day to account for capacity loss. I also strongly recommend leasing, despite having been strongly opposed to the notion of leasing in the past.

I think what Nissan announces in the coming weeks will definitely help me in my decision process. Although unlikely, I am hoping they make additional concessions to their vanguard owners, since our avid support early on undoubtedly had a hand in the LEAF's success.

 

[JPWhite]

Although unlikely, I am hoping they make additional concessions to their vanguard owners, since our avid support early on undoubtedly had a hand in the LEAF's success.

A very romantic notion which I appreciate. The reality is likely to be along the lines of "What have you done for me lately". I too have moderated my enthusiasm for the LEAF when speaking with potential customers. If we aren't valuable in boosting sales anymore, we are no longer valuable to Nissan. Many have defected to Model S or RAV4 rather than wait wait any longer for Nissan to make good on promises.

Won't be long before Model S's come to the second hand market which will provide me with another option to sitting around waiting for a more durable LEAF or upgrade to my current LEAF.

 

[mwalsh]

I'm still ready to be enthusiastic about Nissan, but they gotta stop with the bonehead stuff and make things right with us. We've been in an abusive relationship for almost 4 years and we need to have this leopard change his spots! What could do this and would he? Well, no more nonsense about the battery replacement warranty would be one way, and a bit more transparency going forward on the lizard battery would be another.

I still love the car. The company...not so much.