Getting stuck with your Nissan Leaf on the side of the road after you have completely (and probably distractedly) drained the battery is indeed a dubious experience. After the tow truck arrives and you find yourself at the charging station closest to you or your home, you may be surprised to find out how long it will take you to charge the battery before you can start the vehicle again.
In order for the Nissan Leaf to restart after its battery is completely drained, the battery must be charged to at least ten percent of the total battery (sometimes even 7 percent will be enough but not below) and at least until the dashboard shows one bar. It can take something like two hours.
Whether the death of the battery caught you by surprise (sometimes, especially in slightly older vehicles, the dashboard gives you the feeling that you still have a bar in the battery, but then suddenly the battery dies by surprise) or you drove with increasing concern about your remaining range and could not find a charging station, in the end, the result is the same.
The frustration with the situation may increase even after the tow truck drops you off near a charging station because then you will discover that the minimum charge of the vehicle to ensure it starts again takes much longer than you thought.
What Is the Minimum Battery Level Required for the 24KWH Nissan Leaf to Start Up?
Unfortunately, the answer is not the same for every Nissan Leaf vehicle as it varies according to the model, the year of manufacture, and the software version of the vehicle.
That being said, typically, the Leaf’s battery management system will not allow the state of charge (SoC) to drop below a certain minimum level, usually around 5-10%. This means that even when the indicated battery percentage is very low, the actual SoC will still have some reserve capacity remaining.
In terms of GIDs (Gauge Indicator Dots) and voltages, the critical thresholds can vary. GIDs represent a visual display of the battery capacity in the Leaf, with each dot typically representing a certain percentage of the total capacity. As for voltages, the critical threshold can depend on the specific battery chemistry and the design of the Leaf’s battery pack.
How Long Does It Take To Start a Nissan Leaf Whose Battery Is Completely Dead?
Unfortunately, the answer may frustrate you as it takes between an hour and a half to two hours until the battery reaches the one-bar mark where it can be successfully started. Even if you try before (and believe me I’ve tried) you will find that your attempts got you nowhere and you remain (literally) at the same point.
When you think about the fact that the one-and-a-half to two-hour wait comes after you have already waited for the tow truck and driven it to the charging station – it is clear that this is a few hours of unplanned chaos heading straight for you.
Is Emptying the Battery Completely Harmful to the Battery?
If you have reached the point where you completely drain the battery once even twice, your battery will probably not be significantly damaged. If, however, this is happening often (or even reaching frequent situations where you’ve used up close to the maximum of your battery) it’s safe to say that your battery’s health and longevity will be compromised.
Such a situation can lead to increased wear and tear on the battery cells, potentially resulting in reduced capacity and shorter battery life.
Generally, the recommendation is not to drop below twenty percent of the battery and not to fill the battery above 80%-85% at the most in order to keep the longevity battery life.
Conclusion
If you own a Nissan Leaf and as fate would have it, you drained the battery completely (you didn’t get close to the minimum, but you got to the point where the car stops and refuses to start), then you will have to charge at least ten percent of the battery, an action that can take anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours before you’re able to start the car again.
This situation can be very frustrating, therefore, out of concern for your mental state 🙂 and the damage that may be caused to the battery as a result of such a situation, I strongly recommend being careful and planning your route so that there are many charging stations along the way – just in case.