Home › Integrations › Nissan Leaf + SOFAR
Pairing a used Nissan Leaf HV whole pack with the SOFAR HYD 5-20KTL-3PH three-phase hybrid inverter. Only the whole-pack HV wiring is supported by SOFAR HYD — modular 48 V configurations require a different inverter class.
Direct answer. A complete Nissan Leaf 40 or 62 kWh HV whole pack (~360 V nominal, 280–403 V range) is compatible with the SOFAR HYD 5-20KTL-3PH three-phase hybrid inverter (180–800 V DC battery input). The BMS-EV controller emulates BYD Battery-Box HV frames on the SOFAR CAN port. Warning: the 24 kWh Leaf pack (280–390 V, ~24 kWh nominal, typically 15–18 kWh usable after aging) is rarely economical for a HYD-3PH installation — inverter cost dominates too heavily. Modular (48 V per 2 modules) reuse of the Leaf pack is not supported by SOFAR HYD-3PH; use a low-voltage inverter class instead.
| Component | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nissan Leaf 24 kWh whole pack | Marginal | 360 V nominal; usable 15–18 kWh — economics rarely favourable |
| Nissan Leaf 30 kWh whole pack | Yes | 360 V nominal; usable ~24 kWh |
| Nissan Leaf 40 kWh (ZE1) whole pack | Yes | 360 V nominal; usable ~34 kWh; most popular |
| Nissan Leaf 62 kWh (e+) whole pack | Yes | 350 V nominal; usable ~52 kWh |
| Nissan Leaf modular (48 V per 2 modules) | No | Requires LV inverter; incompatible with SOFAR HYD-3PH |
| SOFAR HYD 5-20KTL-3PH | Yes | 180–800 V DC battery input |
| SOFAR HYD 3-6K-EP (single-phase LV) | No | Only LV batteries (~48 V) |
| Model | AC power | Phase | DC battery range | MPPT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HYD 5KTL-3PH | 5.0 kW | 3-phase | 180–800 V | 2 |
| HYD 6KTL-3PH | 6.0 kW | 3-phase | 180–800 V | 2 |
| HYD 8KTL-3PH | 8.0 kW | 3-phase | 180–800 V | 2 |
| HYD 10KTL-3PH | 10.0 kW | 3-phase | 180–800 V | 2 |
| HYD 15KTL-3PH | 15.0 kW | 3-phase | 180–800 V | 2 |
| HYD 20KTL-3PH | 20.0 kW | 3-phase | 180–800 V | 2 |
The Nissan Leaf pack (24/30/40 kWh generation, 96 series cell groups) sits at 280–403 V (0–100 % SoC), nominal ~360 V. The Leaf e+ 62 kWh (also 96 series) sits at 275–398 V. The SOFAR HYD-3PH battery window starts at 350 V — the Leaf pack minimum is well below that, so the BMS-EV controller must apply an aggressive software cutoff.
Practical cutoff: BMS-EV limits discharge when pack voltage drops below 340 V (approximately 20 % SoC on a 40 kWh pack). This preserves battery health and keeps SOFAR operating inside its window. Usable capacity is therefore ~75–80 % of nameplate — less generous than a Tesla or BMW i3 pack on the same inverter.
SOFAR HYD-3PH firmware supports the BYD Battery-Box HV protocol. The BMS-EV controller emulates a BYD HVS stack:
| Data | Source (Leaf BMS) | Target (BYD HV frame) |
|---|---|---|
| Pack voltage | 0x1DB byte 2–3 | 0x110 byte 0–1 |
| Pack current | 0x1DB byte 0–1 | 0x110 byte 2–3 |
| SoC | 0x55B byte 0–1 | 0x150 byte 0 |
| Max cell voltage | 0x7BB response (LBC) | 0x210 byte 0–1 |
| Min cell voltage | 0x7BB response (LBC) | 0x210 byte 2–3 |
| Max temperature | 0x5C0 byte 2 | 0x220 byte 0 |
| Charge current limit | Computed by BMS-EV | 0x130 byte 4–5 |
| Discharge current limit | Computed by BMS-EV | 0x130 byte 6–7 |
| Alarm/warning flags | 0x5BC bit-mapped | 0x360 byte 0–3 |
Engineering values below are examples. Final conductor cross-section and protective-device sizing must be calculated for the actual pack, maximum current, cable length, installation method, ambient temperature and applicable local standards (IEC 60364-7-712, VDE-AR-N 4105, NEC 690).
The inverter cost (about €1 800–€2 800 for HYD 5–10KTL-3PH) plus BMS-EV controller plus installation typically exceeds the pack's value contribution. A 15 kWh usable pack at €500–€900 gives about €200/kWh installed — three times the €/kWh of a 40 kWh Leaf on the same inverter.
No. The SOFAR HYD-3PH requires a battery voltage of 350 V or higher; individual Leaf modules are 8 V nominal each. If you split the pack, you must use a low-voltage inverter class (SPH, SOFAR HYD-EP, SolaX X1). See the inverters overview for LV options.
Similar architecture, different BMS firmware. The BMS-EV controller has a Leaf-e+ specific firmware build that handles the slightly different CAN IDs and temperature reporting. Physically the pack is heavier (~410 kg) and needs a floor-mounted rack.
Cold Leaf packs have voltage sag under load, which can dip below SOFAR's 350 V cutoff earlier than SoC would suggest. Raise the SOFAR "Battery Cutoff SoC" to 25–30 % during winter months, or add pack heating (Leaf 40/62 packs run acceptably down to –10 °C but discharge power derates significantly below 0 °C).
Yes — many installers use the pack in its factory tray, standing on end against a wall. This preserves the crash structure and simplifies the HV harness. Weight is ~305 kg for 40 kWh, ~410 kg for 62 kWh.
Yes. The 30 kWh (2016–2017) pack uses the same LBC BMS architecture as 24 kWh and communicates identically. Only the cell chemistry differs.
Expected life depends on cycling depth and temperature. At 0.3 C average power and 20–90 % SoC window, a 40 kWh Leaf with 85 % starting SoH typically retains 70 % SoH after 8–10 years of daily cycling.