Services
Insurance
Loans
Repairs
Advice
About

Has a Nissan LEAF electric car ever caught on fire?

I’ve been looking into buying an electric car, and I’m definitely interested in getting an affordable model like the Nissan LEAF, but I’m concerned about the possibility of an electrical fire. Has a Nissan LEAF ever caught on fire?

avatar
Allison Stone · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
While
electric and hybrid cars
like the Nissan LEAF are generally very safe to operate, there have been a few instances in which a Nissan LEAF has caught fire.
In 2017, the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began a study to investigate whether the lithium-ion batteries in electric cars pose a notable fire-hazard risk, and the research is ongoing today.
The reason why high voltage lithium-ion batteries may pose a greater fire risk than combustion-engine cars is that the battery can short and spontaneously combust. Battery fires are also more difficult to extinguish and produce hazardous toxic smoke.
Incidents where a Nissan LEAF has been documented to catch on fire have occurred in 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2021. The cause of many of these incidents is unknown or unconfirmed.
In a worst-case scenario like a car fire, you’re going to need a good
car insurance
plan. Find out if you’re getting the best deal on yours with the
Jerry
app.
A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy.
Jerry will even send you new quotes every time your policy comes up for renewal, so you’re always getting the coverage you want at the best price.
MORE: How eco-friendly are electric vehicles?
View full answer 
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings