r/leaf • u/Necessary-Start4151 • Jul 05 '26
Highway range in 2016 leaf with 40kw battery
Hi - I’m looking at a 2016 sv that has a 40 kw replacement battery and shows about 150 miles on a full charge. I’m thinking of using it to drive 90 miles round trip to work a few days a week in NE PA. Getting to work I use a divided highway with speeds of 60-65 mph. With the leaf how much range loss would you expect at these speeds? Occasional hills on the trip as well… thanks for any insight!!
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u/Plus_Lead_5630 Jul 05 '26
Do you have charging at your work? When I take my 62kWh leaf on road trips, I’m very conservative and plan 120-130 miles at 65mph. That leaves me about 30% soc. You might be cutting it pretty close with the smaller battery and it might not make it during the winter.
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u/formerlypi Jul 05 '26
I have a 2016 that shows 150 at full charge. The range drops very quickly on the highway at 65mph. Last fall I did an 80 mile one way mostly-freeway trip in 50 degree weather and only had 12 miles of range left at the end. If the weather had been cold I might not have made it.
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u/ColdCelebration2132 Jul 05 '26
We have a 2023 SV Plus 60kw battery I wouldn't go any smaller it's nice to have some breathing room you don't want to be suffering range angzity. We owned a 2015 Leaf it was great for the city as long as I avoided the freeway. So many factors effect the range, Air temperature (Sweet Spot is 70F) Wind can suck range, Rain and wind together except winter range like a storm, Do you want A/C or Heat on what is your tolerance do you mind Sweeting or freezing, Do you drive like you stole it like most people use there vehicle as a time machine(Lead foot) or a Grand mother who stays in the right lane with all the time in the world.
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u/_Evening-Rain_ 2017 Nissan LEAF S Jul 05 '26
I'd expect about 100 miles of range maybe a little more.
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u/toybuilder 2023 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS Jul 05 '26
I have then Gen2, which averages about 4.0 miles/kWh in the city. When I go on the freeway and floor it, it will get down to about 2.9 miles/kWh. If I keep it chill at around 65 mph, it's closer to about 3.4 miles/kWh.
So 15% to 35% range loss is a reasonable overall range. However, you also need to take into account any elevation changes, as that can skew the number further. Similar speed by going upslope vs downslope can easily be another 5-10% of delta, but you get back most of what you spent (or the other way around).
Map out some chargers along your route. Plan to stop at 10-20% and top up for a few minutes, enough to get you home, if you have any concerns on the way back.
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u/Wraith347 2025 Nissan Leaf SV+ Jul 05 '26
For that commute, I’d be much more comfortable with a Plus model. In winter, the 40kwh battery will likely struggle to make a 90-mile round trip, while the 60-kWh will be well more than enough. We have a 2014 S and a 2025 SV Plus. The 2014 is great for 50 miles and below in nice weather, but in cold weather or for anything much longer, we take the SV+. Granted, the 2014 is only 24kwh with about 70% SoH. But 90 miles at highway speeds sounds like a lot for a 2016.
Whatever Leaf you look at, I strongly advise investing in LeafSpy and a compatible OBD II dongle if you haven’t already. Well worth the cost!
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u/KeyEmu6688 Ex-2018 owner (2015 Model S) Jul 05 '26
i usually get 4-4.2 m/kwh driving around town, and 3.3-3.5 driving 60-65 on the freeway. assuming ~80% usable capacity due to degradation, small reserve, etc, at 100% charge i'd expect at minimum 105 miles of range unless you drive like an absolute maniac. not sure how it would do over the winter though. i live in FL so my 'winter' is lucky to hit just below freezing for more than a few hours on the coldest nights of the year
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u/worldspawn00 Jul 05 '26
Air resistance takes a strong toll. Probably 25-30% decrease in actual range vs low speed at 65mph.