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2011-2012 Nissan Leaf class-action lawsuit finally settled

In 2012, a group of Nissan Leaf owners sued the automaker in a class-action lawsuit over the "wilting Leaf" issue. That describes the steadily decreasing battery capacity of the electric vehicle's battery pack, which didn't line up with drivers' expectations. At the time, Nissan said the lawsuit was without merit but the legal wranglings continued. A new, $24-million settlement will give Leaf owners a new (not repaired) battery if their current pack drops down to fewer than nine bars of energy capacity. There are also options for 90 days of free charging at some of the No Charge To Charge locations or, if they don't live near any of those, a $50 check. One of the main complaints of the lawsuit was that the initial ads for the EV were less-than-clear, telling people the car could go 100 miles when fully charged but, and here's the problem, the automaker recommended that Leaf owners not charge their cars up all the way in hot climates. The class action suit was filed on behalf of Leaf owners in California and Arizona. It reads, in part: Before purchase or lease, Nissan failed to disclose its own recommendations that owners avoid charging the battery beyond 80% in order to mitigate battery damage and failed to disclose that Nissan's estimated 100 mile range was based on a full charge battery, which is contrary to Nissan's own recommendation for battery charging. Following early reports of the wilting problem in warm climates and the initial filing of the lawsuit, Nissan upgraded its battery warranty. It also improved the EV's battery chemistry. The class action suit says that it's this new chemistry that needs to go into any "wilting Leafs" that are affected by the suit. There's more information at the class-action site. Nissan told AutoblogGreen it does not typically discuss litigation. Related Video: Nissan Leaf Battery Explanation 01:18 Embed 00:00 01:18 Play Mute Full Screen Visit AOL On Debug Info Featured Gallery 2011 Nissan Leaf View 20 Photos Government/Legal Green Nissan Electric battery lawsuit class action lawsuit

2014 Nissan Rogue

The compact crossover segment is crowded because it offers near-perfect transportation for small families and empty nesters alike. As more and more consumers discover the benefits of compact crossovers - riding tall in traffic, enjoying four-cylinder fuel economy and the confidence of all-weather traction - automakers are jumping into the game to meet the increasing demand. Today's choices, in no particular order, include the Honda CR-V, Jeep Cherokee, Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Mini Countryman, Subaru Forester, Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Escape, Mitsubishi Outlander, Toyota RAV4 and this Nissan Rogue. Nearly all start around $22,000 in base trim and work their way reasonably upwards with more appealing trim levels and options. If you spend much over $33,000 in this segment, you are a glutton for frosting.
The latest player from Nissan is its all-new second-generation Rogue, introduced late last year as a 2014 model. After a brief First Drive in October, we recently welcomed back the Rogue for a week-long review. The plan was to embed the compact crossover into a family routine during the holidays, where it would receive a hearty workout hauling everything from five adult passengers and their shopping bags to trays loaded with warm honey-glazed hams and pecan pies for a dinner party. The compact CUV handled all with poise, but everything wasn't as sweet as its edible cargo.

Nissan: We lose money on each Leaf replacement battery

Nissan has been playing its cards pretty close to its chest when it comes to the production costs for Leaf battery packs. The company recently put a price on replacement batteries for customers at $5,500 plus the requirement to return the old battery. If the decommissioned battery is worth $1,000 to Nissan, as they have stated, that means the battery costs about $6,500 to make, right? Maybe even less if Nissan wants to turn a profit, as automakers are wont to do? Wrong.
Green Car Reports spoke to Nissan about these battery costs, and found that the automaker actually loses money on selling the replacement battery for the Leaf at the current price. Jeff Kuhlman, Nissan's vice president of global communications said, "Nissan makes zero margin on the replacement program. In fact, we subvent every exchange." All you English majors will know that "subvent" is a fancy way to say "subsidize." Kuhlman added, though, "We have yet to sell one battery as part of the program."
The fact that Nissan offers its replacement batteries for less than it costs to manufacture them is telling of a company both cares about what its customer needs and is dedicated to the success of its product. In this case, both of those things encourage people to give up fossil fuels and adopt electric mobility, which is heartening. As more people switch to battery-powered driving, though, battery technology should become better and cheaper, and the scale of production should cause manufacturing costs to decrease. Eventually, Nissan could easily see itself breaking even selling the Leaf battery replacements.