Engineers at Nissan have set their sights on a more durable battery for the 2014 Nissan Leaf. According to Electric Vehicle News, Nissan will be altering the chemical composition of their lithium car batteries in order to extend their longevity.
The move came because Leaf owners in hot-weather markets such as Arizona and New Mexico have complained that the current crop of batteries appear to be aging faster than the manufacturer initially envisioned. Nissan has vowed to replace the under-performing batteries for driver’s who have them.
EV batteries are produced in a baking process in which 48 modules of cells are sealed, injected with electrolyte and allowed to age. Chemical composition impacts battery performance, weight, cost and other characteristics. The planned changes will not extend the Leaf’s 73 mile driving range, but will extend the lifespan of its batteries.
