Here's how much a 2020 Nissan Leaf has depreciated after 5 years

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The Nissan Leaf is the elder statesman of the modern EV era. It walked so Tesla could run. It normalized the idea of plugging your car into the wall. But by 2020, the second-generation Leaf was in a weird spot. It looked sharper and drove better, but it was clinging to older tech in a rapidly evolving world.

Specifically, November 2020 was a pivotal moment for the Leaf. Nissan had finally rolled out the Leaf Plus, a version with a 62 kWh battery that finally pushed the range over the magic 200-mile mark, theoretically silencing the “range anxiety” critics.

Now, in late 2025, we have to ask: If you bet on the pioneer five years ago, did your investment hold a charge? Or has the Leaf wilted?

Let’s crunch the numbers.

The question

We need to look at this in two parts, because the 2020 Leaf came in two distinct flavors: the standard range (perfect for groceries) and the “Plus” (the one you actually wanted).

In November 2020, a Nissan Leaf S Plus (the base trim with the big battery) had a starting MSRP of $38,200. If you went for the fully loaded SL Plus, you were staring at a sticker price near $43,900.

That is serious money. For context, that is near what a Model 3 Long Range cost at various points in history. So, what is that $38,000 hatchback worth today?

The numbers

According to current market listings in late 2025:

2020 Nissan Leaf S Plus (New): $38,200
2020 Nissan Leaf S Plus (Used, 2025): ~$11,500
Depreciation: ~$26,700
Value Retained: ~30%
Percent Lost: ~70%

If you bought the standard range (40 kWh) model, it’s even grimmer. Those started around $31,600 and are now struggling to fetch $8,500 on the private market.

A 70% drop is brutal. While the Chevy Bolt took a hit because Chevy lowered the price of new ones, the Leaf took a hit because the world simply moved on without it.

How it compares

The Leaf’s depreciation makes even the Chevy Bolt look like a savings bond.

Chevy Bolt EV: As we discussed, the Bolt retained about 39% of its value. It benefits from liquid battery cooling and the CCS charging port (which, while dying, is still more alive than CHAdeMO).
Tesla Model 3: A 2020 Standard Range Plus is still worth roughly 45% of its original sticker, largely because the software still feels current and the Supercharger network is undefeated.
Toyota Prius Prime (PHEV): The slow-and-steady hybrid has retained nearly 60% of its value, proving that sometimes boring gas-saving tech beats aging EV tech.

The Leaf sits at the absolute bottom of the retention barrel, joining early BMW i3s and Fiat 500es in the bargain bin.

The “CHAdeMO” wildcard

Why is the Leaf so cheap? It’s not just the badge; it’s the plug.

The 2020 Leaf relies on the CHAdeMO fast-charging standard. In 2020, this was annoying. In 2025, it is a fatal flaw. Most modern charging networks have stopped installing CHAdeMO plugs, and many existing ones are broken or being ripped out to make room for NACS (Tesla) connectors.

This effectively turns the Leaf into a “city car” regardless of its battery size. Even if your Leaf Plus can go 215 miles, you probably don’t want to risk a road trip where the only compatible charger is a single, broken unit behind a dark shopping mall.

Add to this the Leaf’s lack of active liquid thermal management (air-cooled batteries degrade faster in hot climates), and the used market treats these cars with extreme caution.

The verdict

If you bought a 2020 Leaf Plus new, you have my sympathy. You paid near-luxury prices for a car that the infrastructure abandoned. The depreciation curve here is a vertical line.

But for the teenager looking for their first car? Or the suburban commuter looking for a second vehicle? This is a steal.

For $11,500, you get a modern, comfortable hatchback with Apple CarPlay, ProPILOT Assist safety tech, and 200+ miles of range (assuming you charge at home). As long as you never plan to drive it across the country, the 2020 Leaf Plus offers arguably the best “range-per-dollar” ratio on the entire used car market.

Depreciation Grade: F (Financial ruin)
Used Value Grade: A (The perfect grocery getter)