YouTuber installed a new battery in Nissan Leaf and doubled the range

YouTuber Battery Man installed a battery from the same second-generation model on a first-generation Nissan Leaf electric car and doubled the range.

In the video, the YouTuber shows how, after spending about three hours, he replaced the battery with his own hands, improving the 15-year-old car. Battery Man compared the Nissan Leaf to a Lego car in terms of ease of replacement of parts.

In his work, the YouTuber used a set of hydraulic jacks, a set of jack stands, and a set of basic tools. First, the man removed the old 30 kWh battery and installed a more modern 62 kWh battery from a second-generation model. 

In order to install it, the man had to make a set of metal brackets. Using a welding machine, he also lengthened two brackets that were already in the first-generation Nissan Leaf. 

Improving your Nissan Leaf Battery Man finished by replacing bolts, new rear springs, installing pyroelectric fuse, OBD reader and CAN bridge. The new 62 kWh battery has increased the range from 172 to 366 km. 

At the same time, for those interested in modernization a first-generation Nissan Leaf with his own hands, the YouTuber notes that a used Nissan Leaf will cost about $4 thousand, while a used 62 kWh battery can cost from $5 thousand to $10 thousand. Battery Man, who lives in the UK, paid about $4.3 thousand to upgrade his car. 

The YouTuber notes that there are other nuances that require certain knowledge. For example, the CAN bridge that allows the new battery to work on the first-generation Leaf requires some software modifications. However, the man emphasizes that it is actually easier than it sounds. 

Battery Man noted that it hopes that in the future such improvements will be possible for a wide range of car owners of this brand without the use of special tools. 

Earlier we wrote that the Nissan Leaf third generation turned from a hatchback into a crossover and received a charging port from Tesla.

Nissan Leaf remained the most popular model on the electric vehicle market in Ukraine in 2024.