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Nissan Leaf ZE0

2011–2017 · ZE0 · hatchback

First-generation Leaf, the first mass-produced, mass-market all-electric car. Launched late 2010 in Japan, December 2010 in the US. 24kWh laminated lithium-ion battery at launch (~73 miles EPA range), upgraded to 30kWh in 2016 (~107 miles). Single AC synchronous motor, FWD, single-speed reduction gear. Passive air-cooled battery, no active thermal management. CHAdeMO DC fast-charge port. Outsold every other EV combined for most of its production run.

Watch out: The headline issue is battery degradation, the ZE0 has no active battery cooling, so cars driven in hot climates (Arizona, Texas, the desert Southwest) lose capacity faster than spec. Original 24kWh cars often show only 50-70% of original capacity by 8-10 years old. Check the battery state-of-health (SOH) on the dash bars or via LeafSpy before buying. Out-of-warranty pack replacements are expensive ($5-8k+).