ECVS
Nissan Leaf 52kWh Battery Upgrade
Replacing degraded factory packs in early Leafs with modern NMC cell modules.
The Product
An NZ made 52kWh new battery upgrade for Gen 1 Leafs
There are thousands of first-gen Nissan Leafs in New Zealand (ZE0 2010-2012, AZE0 2013-2017) with badly degraded batteries. The cars still drive fine, they're just stuck with 50-80km of range on a good day.
ECVS has developed an upgrade kit comprised of a new 52kWh battery that bolts and plugs into an existing vehicle with no modifications required. The original Leaf BMS is retained with reflashed firmware to suit the new cells, so LeafSpy continues to work, CHAdeMO DC fast charging runs at full factory speed with all safety control parameters retained, and SOH, battery bars and charger cycles are reset.
The AC onboard charger is unchanged.
Engineered to ECE R100 standard, the design specifically resolves the issues common in informal Leaf upgrades: no CAN bridge, no chassis mounting spacers, and no rubber lid spacer. Mounting and electrical interfaces match the OEM design.
Prototype Results
1,600km in a week, no issues
Palmerston North to Auckland in torrential rain, Auckland to Palmerston North via Tauranga: 1,309km, 233kWh, 0.178 kWh/km with a 300kg payload. That's a 290km theoretical range on a real trip with no attempt to conserve energy.
Palmerston North to Wellington return with sightseeing: 330km at the same 0.178 kWh/km, including a 5kWh top-up at Shannon and 40kWh on a DC charger.
DC charging holds at 47kW up to nearly 80% SOC. 40kWh, or about 225km of range, goes in over 55 minutes. The usable pattern is drive 300km, charge for an hour, drive another 225km to your destination.
Some Leaf owners are getting 0.15 kWh/km around town, which is closer to 350km range. For most owners the 300km / 1-hour / 225km pattern is what makes the upgrade worthwhile.
Technical Spec
Modules and pack
Battery modules (per module)
- Model
- CALB D221N147A
- Configuration
- 12S1P
- Chemistry
- NMC
- Capacity
- 147Ah @ 1C
- Nominal voltage
- 44.52V
- Voltage range
- 33.6V - 52.2V
- Energy per module
- 6.5 kWh
Vehicle pack (8 modules)
- Total capacity
- 52 kWh
- Battery weight
- 280 kg (lighter than original)
- Expected range
- ~300 km real-world
- BMS
- Original Leaf (reflashed)
- DC charging
- CHAdeMO retained (50kW)
- AC charging
- Original OBC unchanged (6.6kW)
- Install time
- While you wait at an approved installer
Pricing and Terms
First batch of 6
Price
Including GST. Ex Works.
$7,500 deposit secures a build slot. Balance of $6,700 is due before the battery is dispatched.
Initial lead time is approximately 6 weeks from the point we fill 6 build slots: 4 weeks sea freight of the battery modules, then 2 weeks build. Once we have batteries in stock, lead times will reduce.
Terms
- - Ex Works. Transport is arranged on a case-by-case basis depending on your location.
- - Includes trade-in of the old battery, expected to be returned within one month of removal.
- - 2-year or 80,000 km warranty, whichever comes first.
- - Warranty requires four LeafSpy reports at 6-month intervals so we can track battery performance.
- - Currently available for ZE0 and AZE0 model Leafs only. ZE1 support is on the roadmap.
Installation
Approved installer or DIY
Approved installers
We have a network of installers around the country who can handle the upgrade for you. They will assess the existing battery with LeafSpy before removal and confirm the new battery's status after install.
DIY install
If you'd prefer to install yourself, we provide a full work instruction. You will need LeafSpy and a compatible OBD scan tool to check the health of the old battery before removal and confirm the new battery's status after install.
Roadmap
Where we are
Phase 0: Validation
- Technical approach validated (existing BMS, LeafSpy compatible)
- Strategy locked: CHAdeMO retained, BMS reflash, no CCS2 upgrade for now
- Prototype vehicle sourced
Phase 1: Prototype
- Battery and aluminium enclosure designed and fabricated
- First installation built and tested
- 1,600km driven on prototype vehicle
- Installation process documented
Phase 2: Pilot and Production
In progress- WOF inspection passed with no issues
- Pricing finalised at $14,200 incl GST
- Taking deposits and allocating slots for the first 6 builds
- Lead time approximately 6 weeks once 6 slots are filled (4 weeks sea freight + 2 weeks build)
- Refine process and pricing based on customer build learnings
- Build stock so future orders ship without freight wait
- ZE1 model support and V2X/V2G under evaluation
Reserve a slot in the first batch of six
A $7,500 deposit secures a build slot. To request an invoice, get in touch with the following details: full name, address, phone number, vehicle registration, and vehicle type (ZE0 or AZE0).
Questions or want to discuss with other owners? Join the conversation on our Facebook page.
Get in touch