Quick answer: The Nissan Leaf is one of the cheapest ways into a used EV, but its battery is passively air-cooled, so heat and age can take a bigger toll than on liquid-cooled EVs. Battery condition varies a lot between cars of the same year. Count the capacity bars on the dashboard as a first clue, then get a state-of-health test before you buy.
Used Leafs in Australia include cars sold new here and many imported second-hand from Japan and the UK. That makes the history of each car, and its battery, even more variable.
Which Leaf battery is it?
- 24 kWh (first generation): sold new in Australia from 2012 to 2016, and also common as a second-hand import.
- 30 kWh (first generation): a larger first-generation pack, mostly seen in Australia as an import.
- 40 kWh (second generation): the new-shape Leaf sold in Australia from 2019, with more range and still air-cooled.
- 62 kWh "e+" (second generation): the long-range version, added later.
Why the Leaf is different: air cooling
Most modern EVs pump liquid through the battery to keep it at a comfortable temperature. The Leaf's battery is cooled passively by air. In hot weather, or after long fast-charging sessions, the pack can stay warmer for longer, and heat is the main thing that ages lithium-ion batteries. That's why Leafs that lived in hot climates, or were fast-charged often, can show more capacity loss.
Reading the capacity bars
The Leaf's dashboard has a battery capacity gauge with 12 bars. A new battery shows all 12. On first-generation cars, the first lost bar is generally reported to mean about 15% capacity loss, and each bar after that about 6%. On second-generation cars the bars are an even rougher guide: owners have reported cars still showing 12 bars with a measured state of health well below new. Bars are a useful first check, but a state-of-health reading gives a precise figure.
What the battery warranty covers
For first-generation 24 kWh Leafs sold new in Australia between 2012 and 2016, Nissan's battery warranty was 5 years or 100,000 km, so those cars are now out of battery warranty.
For newer Leafs, Nissan Australia warrants the battery against capacity loss below 9 of the 12 bars for 8 years or 160,000 km, whichever comes first.
If the car was imported second-hand, don't assume any Australian Nissan battery warranty applies; check with a Nissan dealer. If the battery has been replaced, ask for the paperwork and the warranty on the replacement pack.
Buying a used Leaf: what to check
- Battery size and whether the car was sold new in Australia or imported
- Number of capacity bars on the dashboard
- Range at 100% compared with what that battery size should give
- How it was charged, and how much fast charging it's done
- Any battery or charging warnings
- An independent battery health report, before you agree on a price
How our battery health check works
We come to the car anywhere within about 60 km of Melbourne's south-east, including the seller's driveway. We read the battery's state of health, every cell group's voltage, module temperatures and stored battery fault codes through the diagnostic port. Nothing is opened up or changed. It takes about 45 minutes, and the plain-English PDF report arrives the same day.
The price is $149 including GST, and you pay after the test. Tell us the exact car when you book and we'll confirm what can be read for it before we come out.
EV Pitstop is an independent business and isn't affiliated with Nissan.