Nissan Leaf 52kWh Battery Upgrade
Replacing degraded factory 24kWh & 30kWh batteries in Gen1 Nissan Leafs with modern modules. More range, full compatibility with existing charging infrastructure and no CAN bridge.
This is now being handled through ECVS. Check out the details page at www.ecvs.co.nz/52kwh-Leaf-Upgrade.
The idea
There are thousands of first-gen Nissan Leafs in New Zealand (ZE0 2010–2012, AZE0 2013–2017) with badly degraded batteries. These cars still drive fine they're just stuck with 80–100km of range on a good day.
I'm developing an upgrade kit comprised of a new 52kWh battery that will bolt and plug into an existing vehicle with no modifications required.
The approach keeps the original Leaf BMS with re-flashed Nissan firmware to suit the new cells, so LeafSpy continues to work, CHAdeMO DC fast charging runs at full factory speed with all safety control paramaters retained, SOH, battery bars and charger cycles are reset. The AC onboard charger is unchanged. This solution is a battery swap and BMS calibration.
Technical spec
Battery modules (per module)
- Model
- CALB D221N147A
- Configuration
- 12S1P
- Chemistry
- NMC (Ternary Lithium)
- 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 (re-flashed)
- DC charging
- CHAdeMO retained (50kW)
- AC charging
- Original OBC unchanged (6.6kW)
- Install time
- While you wait at an approved installer
Roadmap
Phase 0: Validation
- Technical approach validated (existing BMS, LeafSpy compatible)
- Installation partner confirmed (ECVS)
- Strategy locked: CHAdeMO retained, BMS re-flash, no CCS2 upgrade for now
- Prototype vehicle sourced
Phase 1: Prototype
- Battery arrived
- New aluminium battery enclosure designed and fabricated (replaces modified OEM box)
- First installation built and tested
- 1,600km driven on prototype vehicle
- Installation process documented
- WOF inspection passed with no issues
Phase 2: Pilot and Production
In progress- Pricing finalised at $14,200 incl GST
- Now 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