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DOUBLE THE BATTERY IN AN OLD NISSAN LEAF

An open-source CAN bridge lets a 2016 LEAF run the 62 kWh pack from the LEAF e+, more than twice its original 30 kWh, with custom rails, new rear springs and a 446 km range estimate.

by Dala's EV Repair

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

EnergyAutomation

difficulty
●●●●●
time
a long weekend
license
GPL-3.0
repo
repo ACTIVE361 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
1
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COMPAREE VERDICT

This is high-voltage automotive work, not a weekend electronics project. Dala's repo gives you the CAN bridge firmware that makes a newer LEAF battery talk to an older car, but the 62 kWh swap itself needs metalwork: the e+ pack is taller and has a different mounting flange, so the video uses 40 mm steel square tubing rails, adapter plates and extended rear mounts. The wiki adds that the rear springs must be changed (the 62 kWh pack weighs 410 kg against 294 kg for the 30 kWh pack), the undertray should be the e+ version, ground clearance drops by about 40 mm, and the upgrade is not legal in some countries. On the AZE0 in the video the plugs fit as-is, and the car showed a 446 km estimate at 95 percent charge. Dala says he would not recommend the 62 kWh job to a beginner unless the adapter rails are made by someone else; the 40 kWh pack is the easy, near plug-and-play option. The most common electrical mistake per the README is CAN-H and CAN-L wired the wrong way round, which leaves the dash without battery info.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —Firmware for the 2-port and 3-port CAN bridge is in the repo, with compiled .srec files in Releases.
  • —The wiki explains battery generations, compatibility, the 62 kWh mounting and part numbers.
  • —Hardware is bought separately: 2-port board from AliExpress or 3-port from Muxsan's Tindie store.
  • —A 3D-printable case for the 2-port bridge (by Cyril Douteau) is included in the repo.
  • —Licence is GPL-3.0, which allows commercial use if you share the source.
  • —The 62 kWh rails are fabricated or bought premade; the wiki links a SketchUp drawing of the spacer bars and lists OEM part numbers for springs, splash shields and rear mounts.

Parts to buy

7 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • CAN bridgeFind
  • ST Link V2 or AVRisp mkII flasherFind
  • 62 kWh LEAF e+ battery packFind
  • E+ rear springsFind
  • E+ splash shieldsFind
  • 40 mm steel tubing for spacer rails or premade railsFind
  • Extended rear mountsFind

Can I build this?

PrintOptional 3D-printed case for the 2-port CAN bridge (STL files included)
BuyCAN bridge (2-port blue PCB from AliExpress or 3-port from Muxsan), ST Link V2 or AVRisp mkII flasher, 62 kWh LEAF e+ battery pack, e+ rear springs, e+ splash shields, 40 mm steel tubing for spacer rails or premade rails, extended rear mounts
ToolsLift or jack for dropping the battery, high-voltage PPE, ST-LINK Utility or Atmel Studio for flashing, welding and drilling tools for rails, multimeter
SkillsHigh-voltage electrical work, automotive disassembly, basic firmware flashing, welding and fabrication for custom mounts. Not a beginner project.
TimeAbout a full day in the workshop for an experienced EV technician, per the video; longer if you fabricate the rails yourself. The springs were fitted later.
Cost$$$, dominated by the 62 kWh battery pack.
SafetyHigh-voltage traction battery, lethal if mishandled. Wear insulated gloves, disconnect the 12V battery first and verify zero voltage before touching high-voltage connections. The 62 kWh pack weighs 410 kg, so support it properly. Not legal in all countries.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

Ultimate Nissan LEAF Battery Upgrade (62kWh)9:15

Removing the 30 kWh pack from a 2016 AZE0 LEAF, fabricating rails and adapter plates, mounting the 62 kWh pack, flashing the CAN bridge and the first start showing a 446 km estimate at 95 percent. The rear springs were fitted later by another shop.

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Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the entire wiki (Covers compatibility, terminology (direct upgrade, pairing, CAN bridge), and what can go wrong.)
  2. 2.Order the CAN bridge hardware(2-port: search AliExpress for 'MB CAN Filter 18 in 1' (blue PCB only). 3-port: Muxsan's Tindie store.)
  3. 3.Get the flasher and software(2-port needs ST Link V2 and STM32 ST-LINK Utility. 3-port needs Atmel AVRisp mkII and Atmel Studio v7.0.1931.)
  4. 4.Download the latest firmware (Compiled .srec files are in Releases. Flash using BridgeFlasher.exe (2-port) or Atmel Studio (3-port).)
  5. 5.Plan the 62 kWh mounting, springs and undertray (The pack does not bolt straight in: you need 40 mm spacer rails and extended rear mounts (fabricate or buy premade), e+ rear springs and the e+ undertray. The wiki lists the part numbers.)
  6. 6.Install and wire the CAN bridge (Wiring list and an example install photo are in the README. CAN-H and CAN-L must be correct or the dash shows dashes. The bridge needs constant 12V. The wiki recommends fitting the bridge when you swap the battery, not long before.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Buying the wrong CAN bridge board. The 2-port must be the blue PCB; other variants are not supported.
  • Swapping CAN-H and CAN-L. The dash will show --- with no battery info until the wiring is right.
  • Skipping the rear spring upgrade. The 62 kWh pack weighs 410 kg versus 294 kg for the 30 kWh pack; the wiki says the rear springs need to be changed to e+ springs (55020-5SJ1B, two needed) or custom springs.
  • Not checking legality. The 62 kWh pack lowers ground clearance by about 40 mm, which is not legal in some countries, and you may need to re-certify the car for the extra weight.
  • Forgetting to fuse the 12V supply to the bridge. The README calls for a 3A fuse on the red wires, joined together, to constant +12V.
  • Reusing the old undertray. In the video most of the original under guards did not fit; the wiki lists the e+ splash shield part numbers.

Can I use a 40 kWh pack instead of 62 kWh?

Yes. The 24, 30 and 40 kWh packs are all the same physical size, so on a 2013+ LEAF a 40 kWh pack bolts in and only needs the CAN bridge. In the video Dala calls the 40 kWh pack one of the easiest installs. The 62 kWh pack is taller and heavier and needs spacers, new rear springs and the e+ undertray.

Do I need to reprogram the car's ECU?

The CAN bridge sits between the battery and the car and translates the newer battery's messages into the format the older car understands. The wiki calls it mandatory for safe operation and charging.

What if the dash shows dashes after install?

That means no CAN data is getting through the bridge. Check that the bridge flashed with 'Programming Complete!', that CAN-H and CAN-L are wired the right way round, and that the bridge has constant 12V.

Will this work on a 2011 LEAF?

A 2011-2012 ZE0 LEAF needs a B24 22-to-36 pin adapter in addition to the CAN bridge, because Nissan changed the battery connector in 2013. The wiki also notes the newer packs' heater port goes unused on the ZE0.

Can I use this on an e-NV200?

The 2-port bridge can be flashed with separate e-NV200 software, but the wiki says the e-NV200 can only go from 24 to 40 kWh using another e-NV200 pack. 30 and 62 kWh LEAF packs do not fit it.

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

Would you take on the 62 kWh job with its rails, springs and paperwork, or go for the much simpler 40 kWh swap?

CompareeTEAM1d ago

The biggest trap is not the electronics, it is assuming the 62 kWh battery bolts in. It does not: you need spacer rails and longer rear mounts. The wiki shows the spacer design and says you can fabricate your own or buy premade, and Dala mentions the rear mounts are also available as a spare part. The second trap is legality: the pack lowers ground clearance by about 40 mm and adds 116 kg, and the wiki warns this is not legal in some countries (it names Norway as strict). If the 62 kWh job is too much, the 40 kWh pack is a much simpler swap.

Dala's EV Repair

Dala's EV Repair works on Nissan LEAFs and publishes the CAN bridge firmware and battery upgrade guides as open source on GitHub. In this video he fits a 62 kWh pack into a customer's 2016 LEAF in a single day.

GitHub Web

Star the project on GitHub

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