Much has been made of the high cost of electric vehicle batteries. Currently, the estimate for cost of the LEAF battery is less than $18,000. (If that’s not a good enough reason to lease the LEAF, I don’t know what is!) Of course, we don’t know how much “less than” will be. Granted, by the time that a new battery is needed in eight to ten years (according to Nissan), the cost may have dropped some. But it will probably still be fairly expensive.
So let’s take a look at routine operating expenses.
The highest frequency typical maintenance on an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle is the oil change. No oil in the LEAF – no oil changes. Also, no filters – neither oil nor air. Maintenance cost of oil changes and filters – $0.
Annually recommended on an ICE vehicle is transmission fluid replacement. No transmission in the LEAF, so no transmission fluid replacement. Maintenance cost of transmission fluid replacement – $0.
The next most frequent wear item typically is brake pads. There are two technologies that will work to improve brake pad life. The first is regenerative braking. That is, every time that the brakes are applied, the battery is being recharged. The second, and more important to extending the brake pad life, is operating in Eco mode. When operating in Eco mode, lift your foot off the gas and the electric motor is actually slowing the vehicle, saving on brake usage. This would be similar to downshifting in a conventional vehicle. The Eco mode also slows responsiveness of the accelerator, extending battery life under acceleration. Maintenance cost – possibly reduced.
Finally, as discussed in our previous post, fuel cost per mile may be significantly less, perhaps saving as much as $1000 per year or more. Naturally, this will vary depending on the cost of gasoline and the cost of electricity.
In other words, many of the typical operating/maintenance expenses of an ICE vehicle are eliminated or significantly reduced. You will still need to replace tires and windshield wipers, but these should really be no more expensive than your current replacement costs. Overall, routine operating costs should be less than what you are experiencing today, not factoring battery replacement. Should you choose to buy the LEAF, and own it long enough to replace the battery, that must be taken into consideration.