Introduction

It is very difficult to find the specifications (type of chemistry, voltage, capacity, temperature range) of the old modules from the Nissan Leaf ZE0 and the new ones from the Nissan Leaf AZE0 and ZE1, as typically only the characteristics of the entire high-voltage battery are indicated. Therefore, I tried to gather all the information in one place.

Why Separate Modules Are Needed

Modules from the Nissan Leaf are very well-suited for DIY projects. When the capacity drops to 60-70%, the car becomes difficult to use, and car owners either buy a new battery or repackage the old one. For this reason, the old modules can be purchased quite cheaply—much cheaper than Li-ion, LiPo, NMC, and lead-acid batteries of the same residual capacity.

What They Can Be Used For:

• Storing energy generated by a solar power station.
• If you have a variable-rate electricity tariff (which does exist!), you can store very cheap electricity at a low price and use it during peak hours. If your home has an electric water heater, the savings will be very noticeable.
• Assembling an additional battery for the Nissan Leaf from old cells. It is better, of course, to assemble a battery from new cells since weight is very important, but that is very expensive. With old cells, the resulting capacity won't be very large, but it will be very budget-friendly.

Differences Between Nissan Leaf Gen1, Gen2, Gen3, and Gen4 Modules: The Enclosure

Gen1 Modules: These are battery modules from the 24 kWh Nissan Leaf ZE0. They have a single size and a smooth enclosure. Gen1 modules can have different polarities (different positions of the positive terminal). The positive terminal can be easily identified by the red ring around the terminal.

Gen2 Modules: These are battery modules of the same 24 kWh capacity but from the newer Nissan Leaf AZE0. Note that the AZE0 had its electrical system redesigned. The battery also changed slightly while maintaining the same capacity. At the very least, the high-voltage connector was changed, making it incompatible with the ZE0. The modules inside are exactly the same size and capacity. The only difference is the pressed indentations in the protective metal casing.

Gen3 Modules: These modules are from the high-voltage battery of the ZE1. The battery capacity is either 30 kWh or 40 kWh. They have a double size.

Gen4 Modules: These modules are from the new Nissan Leaf e+ with a 62 kWh battery. They are packed in large blocks. The blocks come in three sizes depending on where they are located in the battery.

Gen1 and Gen2 Modules: Electrical Characteristics

From an electrical point of view, Gen1 and Gen2 modules are identical.

Each module contains 4 cells inside. There are two parallel groups of 2 cells each (2s2p configuration). The midpoint is middle output terminal.

Chemistry: LMO (Lithium Manganese Oxide)

Nominal Voltage: 3.65 V per cell, 7.3 V per module

Nominal Capacity: 64 Ah for the entire module, 32 Ah per cell

Nominal Energy Capacity: 467 Wh

Operating Voltage Range:

Output Terminals

• Current terminals - M6 screw
• Measurement terminal (midpoint) - M4 screw

Module Dimensions and Weight (Gen1 and Gen2)

Dimensions (LxWxH): 303x223x35 mm

Weight: 3.8 kg (4 cells at 800 g each + enclosure 600 g)

Diameter of mounting holes: 9.1 mm

Nissan Leaf Gen3 Modules (30kWh and 40kWh Battery)

Electrical Characteristics

Cell Chemistry: NMC (Lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides)

The third-generation modules contain 8 cells. There are 6 external contacts.

There are 24 modules in the battery.

Nominal Cell Voltage: 3.65 V
Nominal Module Voltage: 14.6 V
Cell Configuration: 4s2p.
Capacity per Cell (Ah): 42.8 Ah for 30kWh and 57.1 Ah for 40kWh [Approximate values. Exact data unavailable]
Capacity per Module (Ah): 85.6 Ah for 30kWh and 114.3 Ah for 40kWh [Approximate values. Exact data unavailable]
Energy Capacity per Cell (Wh): 156 Wh for 30kWh and 208 Wh for 40kWh [Approximate values. Exact data unavailable]
Energy Capacity per Module (Wh): 1.25 kWh for 30kWh and 1.67 kWh for 40kWh [Approximate values. Exact data unavailable]

The values are approximate as they were recalculated based on the total battery capacity. Accurate data on capacity could not be found.

Dimensions and Weight

Dimensions (LxWxH): 300x222x68 mm

Weight: 8.7 kg

Nissan Leaf Gen4 Modules (62kWh)

Few people have disassembled these batteries into individual modules, so there is very little information available about the modules.