Would letting us upgrade instead on getting new batteries make sense?

[Newporttom]

I'm waiting on word on my warranty replacement batteries. I started thinking/dreaming.... "Would it make financial sense for Nissan to let us pay $5,000 to upgrade to the comparable new (2015/2016) model instead of giving us new batteries?".

I figure the net cost to Nissan to give us new batteries is about $5,000, by the time you figure in paying the dealer to do the replacement etc. If they allowed us to upgrade to a new model for $5,000 and our old car, they could avoid that $5,000 cost, get $5,000 from the customer, and get the $7,500 rebate. A net benefit to them of $17,500.

In addition they would have our old Leaf. So they get the old batteries which are apparently of value. Let's say $1,500. First of all they could just crush the old Leafs or use them for parts, but it seems they could also throw a battery in them for about $5,000 and sell them for $7,500 or so.

All told it would seem they could get about a $20,000 benefit by doing this. I don't know what he actual costs to manufacture a Leaf are.

So how crazy is this idea?

 

[GerryAZ]

The only way Nissan could get the $7500 tax credit is if they lease the new car to the owner of the old car. If Nissan were to offer such a plan, it might be an OK deal for someone leasing the car with the bad battery. It would be a terrible deal for someone who purchased their car because they would pay $5000, give Nissan the car they own, and end up with a new car that they would only rent for two or three years. At the end of the lease, they would have nothing. If Nissan just puts a new battery in the old car, the owner still owns the car.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Just what we need - more good EVs crushed! When I read the (typo) title I thought it meant something else...

 

[Firetruck41]

Pinch! Time to wake up from the dream!

(No doesn't make sense.)