Information

General information on wheels and tires (independent of make/model).

Specifications, dimensions

• OEM wheel size is 16″x6.5″ with a 40mm positive offset Nissan Leaf Owner’s Manual, page 9-5.
• Hub has 5 bolts, 114.3mm (4.5″) bolt pattern.
• Hub bore size is 66.1mm.
• The wheel stud thread size is 12mm x 1.25, just like every other Nissan since 1984.
• The wheel nuts are 1″ long, closed-end acorn seat. They require a 21 mm (or 13/16″) socket. They are torqued to 80 ft-lbs (108 N-m, 11 kg-m) Nissan LEAF Service Manual, “E: Suspension”, “WR – Road Wheels & Tires”, page WT-45.
  Wheel lug nut and MacGard wheel lock:
  
• The wheels weigh about 21 lbs. each.
• Tires are Bridgestone Ecopia all-season EP422 tires (all-season).
  Bridgestone Ecopia 422 eco product spec sheet PDF
• Tire size: 205/55R16 (the “R” is for “radial”)
• Load rating: 89 (up to 1279 lbs (580 kgs)) per tire
• Speed rating: H (up to 130 mph (210 kph))
• Tire inflation pressure: 36 psi (Nissan Leaf Owner’s Manual, page 8.28).
• The LEAF OEM tire pressure sensors are mounted on the inboard side of the valve stem and will fit into new wheels w/o problems. The sensors “report PSI for each tire (along with serial number)” and the LEAF “just turns it into an idiot light”.
• A simplistic model shows small differences in range between widely differing rolling resistant coefficients, from 0.0025 to 0.02: at 50 mph, range differs by about 5%.

Alignment

• See “Alignment” in “Suspension“.

Spare tire

U.S. market

U.S. market LEAFs do not come with a spare tire. The driver is expected to use a (provided) air compressor with sealant to temporarily inflate a flat tire. In case of a more severe deflation, the driver is expected to tow the car (on a flat-bed, if it’s one of the rear tires), or provide their own spare tire.

Non-U.S. Market

• The official Nissan spare tire for the LEAF is a T125/90D16 98M.
• The spare tire’s wheel’s part number is 403001ya7a.
• The jack’s part number is 99550-3ND0B.

Spare tire & jack options

• The jack for a Toyota Camry or a Nissan Altima will work with the LEAF. the Altima’s jack’s part number is 99550-L31001. The jack from an U.S. market mid-90s – ’05 Chevrolet Cavalier will also fit.
• The LEAF’s tire pump can be used without the can of sealant. Interwiki: mnl++
• Here is an extensive “Wheel Bolt Pattern Cross Reference Database and Conversion Guide”. For example, you can search for vehicles sharing the LEAF’s lug pattern: look for wheels with offset H (high) offset: 35, 40, or 45mm.
• The spare tire from 2006-2008 Nissan Altimas fits correctly; its part number is 40300-L31010. (08 A spare tire from a 2008 Nissan Altima has been found to fit correctly.) The rim is 16X4 and the tire is 135×90. This spare tire is larger than the stock LEAF wheel/tire by about a 0.70″ in diameter and about 3% more in circumference. The wheel fits, with no caliper clearance issues. (Note that only Nissan Altimas from 2002 on have five-bolt wheels; prior to 2002 Altimas have four-bolt wheels.) There seems to be no problems when mounted on the rear and driven several miles up to 50mph.
  Here are pics of the Altima spare tire on a LEAF’s rear passenger side, side and rear views, as well as a pic of the spare in the LEAF’s hatch.
• The Nissan Quest’s spare tire may fit as well, having the same bolt pattern, though it is not know whether it quite clears the front calipers.
• The spare from a 94-95 Mazda Miata may also fit.
• The 2011 Nissan Rogue has one wheel option that is identical in dimensions to the LEAF’s wheel (diameter, width, offset and bolt configuration).
• Wheels from a late 90s Nissan Maxima does not fit.
• Pics of Euro LEAF’s jack
  

Snow Tires

• Snow tire fitments:
• Blizzak 205/60R16.

Miscellaneous

• What are the colored dots on the OEM tires?
• An account of how higher tire pressures resulted in better fuel economy in a Prius Interwiki: mnl++: 32psi = 43.6mpg, 40psi = 47.5mpg, 42psi = 49.4mpg, observed over 10k miles intervals.
• General information on wheels (independent of make and model), on the MkV GTI wiki.
• Wheel/tire size calculator.

How-Tos

• How to carry spare tire under hatch floor, inside aero panel, with lots of pics: cut and hinge a section of the aero panel; spare tire is bolted to under hatch floor with bolts through floor
  
• Changing wheels/tires:
• You can jack the LEAF up high enough (at the front jack point) to get both front and rear wheels off the ground at the same time, allowing rotating tires without needing a spare wheel.
• The wheel nuts require a 21 mm socket. The LEAF’s wheel nuts are recessed into the wheel, so a short extension (maybe 3″) will keep the socket handle/ratchet from being too close to the wheel. A 13/16″ spark plug socket also fits and works well since it’s a deep socket.
• The nuts are torqued to 80 ft-lbs (108 N-m, 11 kg-m) Nissan LEAF Service Manual, “E: Suspension”, “WR – Road Wheels & Tires”, page WT-45.

Aftermarket Wheel Fitments

Nissan Leaf 1st Generation 2010-2017

• White LEAF with white Konig Forward 17×7 wheels w/ pink accent (18 lbs), hub centric rings (73.1mm OD to 66.1mm ID), Continental ContiProContact 215/45R17 (21 lbs), NRG M12x1.25 Extended Lug Nuts (Aluminum 400 Series Pink – Part # LN-471PK), 315MHz Tire Pressure Sensors, Mr Gasket #2370 7/32 Wheel Spacers
  
• White LEAF with wheels from a Mazdaspeed3: 18×7.5 52ET
  
• White 2011 LEAF with MB Viper 16×7 5×114.3 ET40 wheels (18 lbs.) and Michelin Primacy MXM4 205/55R-16 91H (21.7 lbs)
  
• White LEAF w/ KW prototype suspension, 18×9 Enkei RPF1 35ET (3mm spacer in front to clear caliper), 225/40-18 Falken Azenis RT615:
  
• Gray LEAF w/ tint, TEIN Street Basis coilovers, Enkei RP03, 225/45-18 ET48 (1″ spacer in rear), shark fin antena
  
• Black LEAF with TEIN H-Tech springs, 18×7.5 Kia Optima wheels (ET46, 5mm spacer), 215/45R18 Continental ExtremeContact DWS:
  
• 5Zigen GN+, 18×7.5 43mm ET, Falken 225/40/18 (also 30mm spacer in the rear, to-be-installed 20mm spacer front).
  
  (This combination results in a 20-25% reduction in range.)
• 2011 LEAF with Voxx Legra wheels, 16×7 ET38, 5×100/114.3, 16.75 lbs. Interwiki: mnl++
  
• Black LEAF w/ 18×8 wheels Interwiki: mnl++: black Advanti Denaro B2 18×8 wheels and Kumho Ecsta SPT 215/40-18 tires:
  
• LEAF with Volk Racing TE37 16×7 ET33 wheels Interwiki: mnl++:
  
  …and tire pressure sensor mounted on wheel:
  
• 2011 LEAF with 16×7 ET25 Enkei RPF1 Interwiki: mnl++:
  
• 2011 LEAF with 16×7 ET20 10.5 lbs. Rays wheels, stock tires, stock suspension, which improves range by 4-6% Interwiki: mnl++:
  
• 2011 LEAF with König – Z-IN wheels (16×7) (König website):
  
• 2012 LEAF with Nissan Juke wheels (17×7, 47mm offset, 22.6lbs) & Continental Extreme Contact DWS 215/45R17 tires:
  
• http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=14239 New Wheels – 2011 Leaf SL with Weds Sport TC-005:
  

Nissan Leaf 2nd Generation 2018 –

17 inch wheels

Aftermarket rims and tires on 2018 Nissan Leaf S. 17 x 7.5 inch aluminum rims that save 2.5 pounds for each wheel. Tires are 225/45r17s that maintain same diameter for speedometer, but provide more contact area for increased traction. Owner says he sees a gain in range of 10 miles on his dash GOM.

Source: My Nissan Leaf Forum

2018 Nissan Leaf – upgraded from stock 16 inch steel rims with hub caps to a 17 inch wheel. Dimensions are 17×9 +42 with a 235/45 r17 tire. Since the wheels only came in a minimum 9 inch width, the tire width needed to be upgraded to 235 – and the increase in contact patch will likely increase rolling resistance and decrease range. The wheel and tire combo weighs 1.5 pounds more than the stock combination. Source

18 inch wheels

The problem with an 18 on this car is that your cant get it on there without major repercussions, they dont make an r18 tire that is thin enough to stay close to the same size as oem so it will throw off your speedo, also even the lightest 18’s will be heavier than stock. A nice lightweight 17 however will give you the best of both worlds. Wont throw off your gauges. Can be lighter than oem still which improves range. And you can still get a bit more meat under there to improve performance without worrys of rubbing while turning in up hill or speedbumps potholes whatever.

Replacement Tires

Original tires on the Nissan LEAF are the  Bridgestone Ecopia tires. Nissan chose the Ecopia ‘eco’ tires to get the maximum range as possible from the LEAF’s battery pack.

Michelin Premier A/S Reviews

• Almost same efficiency as bald ecopias on warmer days, ride it a little better, and vastly improved traction on corners with wet road conditions src

Michelin Defenders Reviews

Discussion thread “Replaced Ecopia’s with Michelin Defenders” on MyNissanLeaf forum

• Seeing about 10% worse efficiency over the stock Ecopias, but wanted tires that would last longer than 20K miles src
• Range will drop more during break-in, after 5000 miles you should see an increase in range and efficiency src

Michelin X-Tour A/S HT

• Costco recommended these over the Ecopia, but large drop in efficiency experienced. From 4.7M/kWh to around 3.8 to 4.1 after 250 miles. Michelin specified a break-in period of 200-500 miles on the X-tour src

Bridgeston Ecopia Replacement Tires

There seems to be consensus that replacement Ecopia tires will last longer than the OEM Ecopia tires src

• “If I could go back to the Ecopias, I would” They are a “crappy” tire but unbeatable for efficiency src
• Replaced Michelin X-Tou with Ecopia Plus and range jumped from 3.8-4.1 miles/kWh to 4.4 miles/kWh with no break-in period src

Nokian WR-G3 Low Rolling Resistance Tire

• “These are true LRR tires and I’ve not noticed any range loss.” src
• Stronger sidewalls and all weather tires, so they function as a real snow tire, not like an all season src

Continental Purecontact LRR tires

• With tires and alignment, car handles beautifully and getting 4.0 miles/kWh src