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Nissan Leaf ZE1

Weaknesses, engine ratings and buying advice

★★★★★
3.0 / 5.0 · Based on 1 engine variants · How we rate

Generations

Engine Overview

The Nissan Leaf ZE1 is available with one engine variant at 109 hp.

Elektro · Electric· 150–217 PS
2017 2024

Nissan's own electric motor, fitted in the Leaf and e-NV200. Proven, but early 24 kWh batteries degrade quickly.

  • !! Accelerated battery degradation (no active cooling) from 80,000 km

    The Nissan Leaf uses passive air cooling for the battery. Especially the 24 kWh variant (ZE0) loses significant capacity in warm climates or with frequent fast charging. Remaining capacities below 70% after 80,000 km are documented.

    Symptoms: Decreasing range, fewer capacity bars on display, shorter distances per charge
    4,500–10,000 $
    Ad Battery Nissan Leaf ZE0 24kWhBattery pack Nissan Leaf replacementBattery degradation Leaf
  • !! Rapidgate: Charging throttled during repeated fast charging

    The Leaf ZE1 (40 kWh) drastically throttles fast charging speed after multiple CHAdeMO sessions on a long trip. The cause is the absence of active battery temperature management. Nissan improved the software but did not fully resolve the issue.

    Symptoms: Charging speed drops drastically during the second or third fast charge session, charging times double
    0–0 $
    Ad Fast charging Nissan Leaf ZE1CHAdeMO throttling Leaf 40kWh

Vehicle Weaknesses

WeaknessCost
!Rapidgate: charging power collapses on repeated fast charging

In the Leaf ZE1 40 kWh the DC fast charging power drops sharply after multiple fast charges on a single journey — down to 16 kW instead of 50 kW. Nissan released a software update that reduces the throttling to ~40 kW.

Symptoms: Second and third fast charge sessions significantly slower, charge bar fills very slowly on display
Ad Software update Leaf ZE1 RapidgateCharge control Leaf ZE1 40kWh
 Low
!Battery degradation 30 kWh faster than 40 kWh

Leaf ZE1 models with the 30 kWh battery demonstrably degrade faster than the 40 kWh variant. After 4 years, 30 kWh vehicles often achieve only the range of older 24 kWh models.

Symptoms: Decreasing range, reduced bars on battery display, shorter charging times to full
from 80,000 km
Ad Battery 30kWh Leaf ZE1Battery replacement Leaf ZE1 30kWh
 High
!CHAdeMO charging error

Some Leaf ZE1 vehicles show errors during DC fast charging via CHAdeMO. Error messages at the vehicle or at the charging station are known and can indicate communication errors between vehicle and charger.

Symptoms: Error message 'A vehicle fault has been detected' during CHAdeMO charging, charging session aborts
from 60,000 km
Ad CHAdeMO module Leaf ZE1Charge controller Leaf ZE1OBC Leaf ZE1
 High
NHTSA Owner Complaints
Below average
462 complaints · 2017–2024
  1. 01 Electrical
    290 ⚠ 2
  2. 02 Other
    80 ⚠ 5
  3. 03 Fuel System
    67 ⚠ 1
  4. 04 Brakes
    30 ⚠ 7
  5. 05 Powertrain
    27

Top Reported Issues

⚠ Electrical (290 complaints)
⚠ Other (80 complaints)
⚠ Fuel System (67 complaints)
Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov) · 2026-03

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Known Problems and Issues +

A total of 6 weaknesses have been documented for the Nissan Leaf ZE1 (2017–2024) — 2 engine-related and 4 vehicle-related. Typical issues affect Electronics, HVAC.

Leaf (EM57, 2017–2024) — Be Careful: Accelerated battery degradation (no active cooling), Rapidgate: Charging throttled during repeated fast charging. Power: 150 PS.

Leaf (EM57, 2019–2024) — Be Careful: Accelerated battery degradation (no active cooling), Rapidgate: Charging throttled during repeated fast charging. Power: 217 PS.

What to watch out for with the Nissan Leaf? See the detailed listing of all engine and vehicle weaknesses in the sections above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What problems and weaknesses does the Nissan Leaf ZE1 have? +
The Nissan Leaf ZE1 has 2 known engine weaknesses and 4 vehicle weaknesses.
What should I look for when buying a used Nissan Leaf ZE1? +
faq.watch_a_none
Which engine is recommended? +
Be careful: EM57 (Elektro). No engine is rated 'Good Choice'. The most fun to drive is the EM57 (Elektro).
Which Nissan Leaf ZE1 engine is the most fun? +
The {code} ({displacement}) offers the most driving fun in the Nissan Leaf ZE1 — rated: "Decent". {description} With the larger battery and more power the Leaf is genuinely fun — not despite being electric, because of it.
Is the Nissan Leaf ZE1 worth buying used? +
The Nissan Leaf ZE1 requires careful consideration — choosing the right engine variant is crucial.
What horsepower variants are available for the Nissan Leaf ZE1? +
The Nissan Leaf ZE1 is available with engine variants from 109 to 394 hp.

Last updated: February 2026 · All information without guarantee