Thinking of buying a used 2014-2015 nissan leaf (need help)

[DaveinOlyWA]

Get one that has double the most range you expect to drive and then NEVER NEVER NEVER charge it past 80% SOC.

That advice is a bit extreme. Charging to 100% right before starting a trip isn't going to cause measurable damage to the battery, especially in weather that isn't really Hot.

With "double the most range" there is NO reason to charge to 100%.

The only reason I said double was to discount winter explanations. He mentions what? 25 miles is longest trip he might take? He uses other options for anything greater. So sorry, no need to charge to full.

 

[WetEV]

The only reason I said double was to discount winter explanations. He mentions what? 25 miles is longest trip he might take? He uses other options for anything greater. So sorry, no need to charge to full.

One reason to charge to full is to avoid discharge to near zero.

Like cash in the bank, having reserve range is always a good thing. If you plan on arriving home with 0% left, what if there is a detour? Or you have to go someplace right after getting home? Anything from a run to the grocery to an emergency.

Battery life will be better if discharges below 30% are avoided. On the flip side of this, leaving the battery fully charged especially when hot also decreases battery life. Staying in the center is best, and there is no ideal way to do this for everyone. So as a general plan with twice the range needed in summertime charge to perhaps 80%, and try to time charging to finish near departure time. In wintertime, charge to 100% if needed to avoid deep discharges. Worry a lot less about charging to 100% or leaving the car at 100%.

If winter is cold like the Yukon, you probably need a lot more than twice the summer range. For milder winters, twice summer range is probably OK.

 

[LeftieBiker]

When you tell someone to "Never" do something, it's nice to have a good reason. "You don't have to" is not a very strong reason, especially when you have no way of knowing that the need will never arise. Charging to 100% for a short time does not measurably harm the battery, and as WetEV notes, it avoids too-deep discharges.

 

[rasgaroo]

It seems finding a 2015 leaf is not that easy in where I live. After searching for about a month, I found two cars:

2015 Acenta :
Battery bars: 9 (shows 130 km / 80 miles on full charge)
Mileage: 51,000 km / 32 ,000 miles driven

2014 :
Battery bars: 10 (shows 160km / 100 miles on full charge)
Mileage: 30,000 km / 19,000 miles driven

The cost is just about the same.

Should I better go with the 2015 model because of the lizard battery? Or 2014 because of the higher battery bars and low mileage?

Note: I live in the tropics. We don't have seasons. It's always around 80 - 86 degrees (27C - 30C). All leaf cars here show exactly 6 temperature bars all the time.

 

[LeftieBiker]

That's a tough one. I think it depends on how you will use the car. If you can baby it the way the 2014 probably was treated, then the 2014 "Wolf" battery could last as long as the Lizard. If you will be giving the battery a workout, with fast charges and spirited driving, the Lizard pack will probably last better in the long run.