Designed and Built in Aotearoa
Designed and Built in Aotearoa
Approximately 240 km under normal city driving conditions, or around 200 km open road. Actual range will vary depending on temperature, driving style, and elevation changes.
The battery was designed in New Zealand by Electric Garage's engineering team, which includes some of the country's most experienced vehicle design and automotive electrical engineers.
It uses NMC prismatic modules that are more heat-tolerant than the original AESC pouch cells. This increases reliability and long-term performance.
No — it uses all of the original Nissan Leaf electronics and battery management systems.
All systems are engineered to strict electrical safety standards. The internal frame is built from 2 mm laser cut sheet steel, and the battery case uses all original Nissan Leaf mounting points. The case itself is unmodified, preserving the integrity of the vehicle. It retains all of the Leaf's original safety systems including dual contactors, pack quick disconnect, and isolation systems.
The pack consists of 16 × 6S1P NMC prismatic modules, integrated into a steel internal frame.
All aftermarket options we have tested were considered unsafe. Issues included poor quality construction, inadequate electronic integration, and designs that were unsafe both electrically and physically.
In contrast, the Electric Garage battery preserves the original Nissan Leaf case without modification, using all factory mounting points and structural members. This ensures safety, integrity, and compatibility, while being engineered specifically for New Zealand conditions. A Leaf battery must be safe for many years, handling the constant rigours of daily driving while remaining safe and not being compromised in any way — potentially for 10 to 20 years.
LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries are heavier and have lower energy density than NMC cells. To deliver the same range, an LFP pack would require more volume and weight than the Leaf's case allows. In addition, the Nissan Leaf's factory battery management system does not support the charging voltages required for LFP chemistry, making it incompatible without major redesign. NMC cells provide the best balance of fitment, performance, and safety for the Leaf platform.
The Electric Garage pack is designed around prismatic NMC modules that are more heat-tolerant than the Leaf's original pouch cells. In New Zealand conditions, they operate safely within their thermal range without liquid cooling.
Adding liquid cooling introduces additional risk by placing coolant inside the battery enclosure, adds unnecessary weight that could take the vehicle outside its legal limits, increases cost significantly, and would make the pack uneconomical for most people. It is not required if the battery is used and maintained correctly.
The Electric Garage 40kWh battery uses NMC prismatic cells rated for approximately 1,200 full charge cycles to 75% state of health. This equates to around 240,000 km of driving under normal conditions. Longevity depends on driving habits, charging practices, and environmental conditions.
Avoid leaving the battery fully discharged or fully charged for extended periods. Limit excessive fast charging, particularly in very hot conditions. Normal overnight charging and balanced driving habits will maximise lifespan. Following these practices makes additional thermal systems unnecessary.
The battery is a sealed, high-voltage unit designed for safety and long-term reliability. Opening it exposes live electrical connections capable of causing serious injury or death. Internally, all components are torqued to precise specifications to prevent loosening or failure over time.
Breaking the seal compromises safety, voids the warranty, and risks damaging critical parts of the pack. Only Electric Garage is authorised to service these batteries.
Three years or 100,000 km, whichever comes first, covering up to 75% state of health. The warranty is void if the battery is opened or damaged through abuse, accident, or neglect.
Some components like the Leaf's BMS, battery electronics, and case are needed for making new batteries. The modules themselves go to solar projects.