KBB drops resale forecast for 2013 Nissan Leaf

The industry's general shift toward discounting new electric vehicle models is driving down prices of EVs on the used market, a new report finds.

Kelley Blue Book, an industry leader in the valuation of used cars, announced this week that it expects the 2013 Nissan leaf to retain just 35 percent of its sticker price after 36-months. That's a full 5 percentage points less than KBB predicted for the value of the 2012 Leaf after three-years of use.

A major factor in the Leaf's lower predicted resale value has to do with the car's cheaper MSRP for 2013. The 2012 version of the Leaf carried a base price of $36,050, but Nissan reduced the price of the 2013 model – which shifted production from Japan to the United States – to $29,650, which has hurt the car's value on the used market.

KBB also discovered that used car buyers aren't quite ready to embrace cutting-edge technology.

"Demand for a new Leaf is driven by vehicle enthusiasts, early adopters, people who are concerned about the environment," Eric Ibara, Kelley's director of residual value consulting, said. "But when it comes to a 2-year-old used electric vehicle, practical considerations greatly outweigh the novelty of new technology."

The Leaf's resale value has also been dinged by nearly new models crossing the auction block. An unidentified rental company purchased a number of Leafs to add to its fleet, but ultimate sent the lot to auction after most customers opted for conventionally powered vehicles.

"There were some Leafs purchased by a rental car company that didn't get a high amount of usage," Ricky Beggs, managing editor of Black Book, told Automotive News. "The rental company had committed to buying, so almost immediately after the rental company took delivery they got remarketed."

According to Black Book data, the average price of a Leaf at auction was just $13,700 in May.