Nissan Leaf to have shallower depreciation curve than ICE cars

Strong residual values are set to boost interest in Nissan’s Leaf electric car, which goes on UK sale early next year.

The electric car, which is available to order and will begin arriving with customers in March 2011, is valued at 40% of its original £28,990 cost on October’s CAP monitor at three years/30,000 miles.

However, for customers receiving the £5,000 discount on electric vehicles currently being offered by the Government, it will result in a residual value of 46% over the same period.

This certainly makes a mockery of UK based Glass’s Guide who in June published that in their 'opinion' The Nissan Leaf would only retain 12.8% of it's value after 5 years.

The cost of charging an electric vehicle to drive its maximum potential range of 100 miles is usually six to ten times less expensive than travelling 100 miles in a petrol or diesel powered vehicle.

CAP's Mark Norman said: "The Leaf should have a shallower depreciation curve than conventional cars; the electric motor has fewer moving parts than an internal combustion engine so when mechanical issues and wear and tear begin to affect other cars, the Leaf should still be running well." Exactly the point we made back in June.

He added that companies using the Leaf and other electric vehicles will gain more from the running costs equation the longer they keep them on the fleet.