(Posted on May 16, 2018 at 04:36PM by Michelle Bogle)
If you drive an older model Leaf all-electric vehicle and are looking to replace the battery pack, you’ll be pleased to hear that Nissan will be offering rebuilt packs this month.
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Currently, the refurbished power cells are only available in Japan; however, Nissan is investigating whether or not they can expand the program to the United States. Based on data from Green Car Reports, the cost for each rebuilt pack is $2,850 in Japan, which is more economical than replacing with a new battery at $6,500.
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At the moment, Nissan’s program only covers 24-kWh batteries, but the automaker does have plans to begin recycling 30- and 40-kWh batteries, which are found in newer model year Leaf EVs and boast a longer range.
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According to Nissan, their new battery recycling plant in Naime, Japan, is the first such factory recycling lithium-ion batteries. Naime is the region devastated by the earthquake and tsunami that melted down nuclear reactors in Fukushima. The plant will also recycle batteries from forklifts and large-scale storage systems and turn used electric car batteries into power plants for other industrial uses.
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To learn more about how Nissan is changing how we power our daily lives, stop by to visit our team at Kirkland Nissan in Seattle, Washington.