Nissan Leaf SV+ price & real 5-year cost in the U.S.
The Nissan Leaf SV+ starts at $28,140. As of August 6, 2026, over 5 years, owning one (EV) costs about $45,770 in the U.S. — $763/month, $0.76/mile — including depreciation, charging (with the ~12% AC charging loss most calculators ignore), maintenance, insurance, financing and fees. That's $10,494 more than a comparable Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) over the same 5 years.
Nissan Leaf SV+ federal & state incentives
The federal $7,500 EV credit expired Sept 30, 2025 and is not applied. 10 states run their own EV purchase incentives (income and price caps may apply) — each is shown for reference on its state hub, never inside our totals. Source: IRS; state programs are cited on each state hub.
Nissan Leaf SV+ · U.S. average · 5-year estimate$45,770 total · $763/mo · $0.76/mi
Where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · Nissan Leaf SV+ | Hybrid · Toyota Prius LE |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | $17,728 (39%) | $9,639 (27%) |
| Charging / fuel | $4,903 (11%) | $4,049 (11%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~$588) | — |
| Maintenance | $3,660 (8%) | $4,320 (12%) |
| Insurance | $13,750 (30%) | $11,500 (33%) |
| Financing interest | $4,728 (10%) | $4,768 (14%) |
| Registration & fees | $1,000 (2%) | $1,000 (3%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $45,770 | $35,276 |
The charging-loss row is the ~10–15% of electricity lost to AC charging that you pay for but never reaches the battery — we include it; most calculators don't.
Nissan Leaf SV+ specs & assumptions
- Starting MSRP
- $28,140manufacturer base
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 30 kWh/100miEPA
- Range
- 212 miEPA
- Electricity (US avg)
- 18.4¢/kWhEIA
- Annual miles (assumed)
- 12,000adjustable in tool
Compare the Nissan Leaf SV+ against any car, your miles & your state
What else moves your Nissan Leaf SV+ cost
The 5-year total already folds in depreciation, charging, insurance, maintenance and financing. These are the levers that actually move money on this car, biggest first — each figure re-run through the same kernel with one input changed. Levers that don't move $400+ here aren't listed.
- Financing. The total finances $25,140 of the $28,140 price at 7.0% over 60 months: $4,728 of pure interest, 10% of everything above. Paying cash or shopping the rate removes it outright — both are inputs in the calculator.
- Where you charge. The total assumes 80% home charging. Flip that — 20% home, 80% public DC fast at the 2.5× rate the kernel uses — and the Nissan Leaf SV+'s 5-year total rises to $49,164, $3,394 more. If you can't charge at home, that is the number that applies to you.
- Insurance. At $2,750/yr this EV costs $550/yr more to insure than a comparable gas car ($2,200/yr). Over 5 years that is $2,750 working against it, already inside the total. EV parts and repairs are the reason.
- Depreciation curve. We cost the Nissan Leaf SV+ on its own residual curve, not the EV average: it holds 37% of its $28,140 after 5 years against 43% for a typical EV. That is about $1,688 more depreciation than the class curve would give it — and depreciation is $17,728 of the $45,770 above (39%).
- State EV road-use fees. 41 of the 51 states charge EVs an annual road-use fee in place of fuel tax — up to $270/yr in New Jersey, or $1,350 across 5 years. On a car in this price band that is 3% of the whole total.
- Your mileage vs the Toyota Prius LE (hybrid). At U.S.-average rates the Nissan Leaf SV+ stays behind the Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) even at 30,000 mi/yr — no realistic annual mileage flips that verdict. See the full head-to-head →
Nissan Leaf SV+ cost anatomy — where the money concentrates
The Nissan Leaf SV+ costs about $45,770 to own over 5 years in the U.S. — $763/month, $0.76/mi at 12,000 mi/yr — and depreciation is the biggest line: $17,728, 39% of the total (as of August 6, 2026).
- Where the Nissan Leaf SV+'s $45,770 actually goes: depreciation $17,728 (39%), insurance $13,750 (30%), charging $4,903 (11%), financing interest $4,728 (10%), maintenance $3,660 (8%), registration & fees $1,000 (2%).
- Per mile, that is $0.30 of depreciation and $0.08 of charging, with $0.39 for everything else — $0.76/mile all-in.
- Charging vs the fleet: at $4,903 over 5 years the Nissan Leaf SV+ sits within $327 of the $5,230 median for the 43 EVs we price — nothing unusual either way.
What we assume for maintenance
Maintenance & repairs for the Nissan Leaf SV+ are costed at $0.061/mi (our standard EV rate) — about $732/yr at 12,000 mi/yr, and $3,660 of the 5-year total above. That's about $132/yr less than the $0.072/mi we cost for the hybrid Toyota Prius LE it is compared against above ($4,320 over 5 years) — no oil changes, fewer wearing parts, regenerative braking.
Rates are anchored to U.S. DOE 2025 per-mile figures (AAA-calibrated) — full sourcing in the methodology. The total scales with the annual-miles input in the calculator.
Nissan Leaf SV+ battery — replacement cost & lifespan
Most EVs never need a battery replacement inside the 8-year / 100,000-mile warranty, so this is not in the 5-year total above — but it's the cost buyers worry about most, so here it is transparently.
- Out-of-warranty replacement
- $13,000–$20,000estimate · limited data
- Battery warranty
- 8 yr / 100,000 mimanufacturer
- Typical lifespan
- ~12 yrindustry est.
Cost to charge the Nissan Leaf SV+ at home
A full charge of the Nissan Leaf SV+ costs about $13, and it runs about $6.29 per 100 mi at home — versus about $12.82 for a typical 30 mpg gas car. Home charging only (the ~12% AC charging loss is included); public DC fast-charging is billed per session by each network — often 2–3× the home rate — and isn't in these figures.
- Full charge (60 kWh usable)
- $13pack ÷ (1 − 12% loss) × $0.18/kWh
- Per 100 mi at home
- $6.2930 kWh/100mi + 12% charging loss × $0.18/kWh
- A typical 30 mpg gas car
- $12.82/100miat $3.85/gal — for comparison
Recalls & reliability record — Leaf
Official U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety record for the Leaf, MY 2017–2026. Figures cover all powertrains and trims sold under the Leaf nameplate for the model years shown. A recall means a free remedy is available at no cost. Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov), data as of .
Recalls (13)
- Seat Belts
Dealers will replace the rear outboard seat belt assemblies, free of charge.
- Electrical System
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures and should not charge their vehicles until the remedy is completed.
Park outside, away from structures, until repaired — NHTSA “Park Outside” advisory.
- Electrical System
Owners are advised not to use Level 3 quick charging until the remedy is completed.
- Electrical System
Dealers will update the battery software, free of charge.
- Back Over Prevention
Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary.
- Vehicle Speed Control
Dealers will reprogram the vehicle control module (VCM), free of charge.
- Service Brakes
Dealers will inspect and replace the right-hand brake tube, as necessary, free of charge.
- Equipment
Nissan will mail an addendum with updated instructions on how to operate the defroster, free of charge.
Full recall history: every Leaf campaign → — all 13 campaigns, grouped by year.
Consumer complaints
NHTSA has 528 consumer complaints on file for the Leaf (MY 2017–2026). The most-reported areas: Electrical System, Fuel/Propulsion System, Service Brakes. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA.
Nissan Leaf SV+ head-to-head comparisons
The Toyota Prius LE (hybrid), the rival buyers cross-shop, is the clear value pick: $10,494 cheaper over 5 years — about 30% of its own total. We say that plainly.
The 5-year cost gap against the cars buyers cross-shop:
Where the Nissan Leaf SV+ numbers change most
Same car, same 5-year horizon, 51 different state rate sets: the total runs from $43,648 in Nevada to $54,174 in Hawaii — a $10,526 swing, 23% of its U.S.-average $45,770. Every 1¢/kWh on your electricity bill moves this car's total by about $266; state registration and EV road-use fees stack on top of that. Each link opens that state's cost table at the Nissan Leaf SV+ row.
Cheapest states for the Nissan Leaf SV+
Most expensive states for the Nissan Leaf SV+
- Hawaii $54,174
- California $49,578
- Rhode Island $48,850
- New York $47,906
- New Hampshire $47,789
- New Jersey $47,699
Does any state change the verdict? No. Against the Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) — the segment rival we price it against — the Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) is cheaper in all 51 state rate sets, by $10,494 at the U.S. average. No state's mix of electricity, pump price and fees closes that gap, so there is no "it depends on where you live" story here.