Originally published on EV Obsession.
Those who own a Nissan LEAF but wish that the range was a bit higher may want to listen up — a company by the name of Hybrid Industries is now offering third-party battery upgrades for the popular electric car.
The upgrades reportedly (I can’t verify this personally) increase the Nissan LEAF’s single-charge range to 160 miles per charge, rather than ~80 miles per charge — for just $6,500. The upgrade is to a 48 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery, from the standard 24 kWh battery that comes with current Nissan LEAFs.
One would presume, though, that the heavier battery would decrease range below the 160 miles per charge mark, rather than simply doubling range. Seems as though that would be the case, doesn’t it?
The company offers a 2–4 year “no hassle” warranty for the upgrade, so one would guess that the workmanship is fairly good (or at least decent). The new, additional 24 kWh battery (accompanying the factory-installed one) is apparently installed in the trunk in a “custom enclosure” — potentially altering the handling of the vehicle one would think.
Other things worth noting: the upgrade is compatible with the 2011 through 2014 model years of the EV; no extra components or charger are needed; and the new battery charges via the factory-installed charger just as the factory-installed battery does.
What does everyone think? Maybe better just to do the upgrade yourself (not the most complicated process, if you have related experience)? More trouble than it’s worth? Great option?
More information (and contact information) can be found at the company’s website here.
Image Credit: Hybrid Industries
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