Included Maintenance
Scheduled maintenance covered for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first, performed by Nissan-trained technicians, plus tire hazard protection over the same period.
Electric Vehicles · Skokie, IL
EV Ownership Experience
What ownership actually looks like after you drive off the lot — coverage, maintenance, and getting the most from your LEAF or ARIYA.
The other EV pages on this site cover whether to go electric and how the technology works. This one is about what actually happens after you drive off the lot at 5240 Golf Road — what’s covered, what maintenance really looks like, and how to get the most range and value out of your Nissan LEAF or ARIYA day to day.
What’s Included: EV Carefree+
EV Carefree+ is Nissan’s ownership support program for its EVs, built around four pillars:
EV Battery Health Assurance
An 8-year/100,000-mile battery limited warranty, which covers capacity loss below nine of the twelve segments on the gauge, not just outright failure, backed by battery health inspections at EV-certified dealerships like ours.
24/7 Roadside Assistance
For 3 years or 36,000 miles, including towing if you run out of charge, not just a breakdown.
Charging Assistance
A public-charging benefit plus home charging support. This is the pillar Nissan changes most often, and it has already changed more than once, so ask us what’s actually included for your model year rather than trusting anything you read about it online, here included.
These terms come from Nissan’s national EV Carefree+ program, not something Old Orchard Nissan sets independently — and eligibility depends on your model and model year. If you aren’t sure what’s still active on your vehicle, ask your service advisor and we’ll look it up rather than guess.
Do EVs Really Need Less Maintenance?
Yes, meaningfully. There’s no internal combustion engine, fuel pump, starter, or exhaust system — which means fewer parts that wear out and less routine maintenance to keep up with over the life of the vehicle. That’s on top of the included maintenance above, not instead of it.
Tips for Getting the Most From Your EV
A few habits that make a real difference in range, battery life, and how smoothly your ownership experience goes:
- Let regenerative braking work for you — every time you brake, the energy that would normally become heat gets captured and sent back to the battery instead, extending your range.
- Do most of your charging at home, not at fast chargers — Nissan’s own guidance is to use normal or trickle charging for everyday charging and keep public DC fast charging for when you actually need it. Your car also lets you set a charge limit, if you’d rather stop at 80 or 90% day to day.
- Don’t leave it sitting near empty — Nissan specifically advises against leaving the vehicle for more than 14 days with the charge gauge at or near zero.
- Get your battery inspected periodically — our EV service specialists can check your battery’s health at no charge; it’s worth doing rather than waiting for a problem.
- Keep an eye on new incentives — available rebates and tax benefits change over time, even after you own the vehicle. Worth a quick check-in with us periodically.
- Take advantage of over-the-air updates — if your vehicle supports them, software updates can improve performance and features without a trip to the dealership.
Go Deeper
This page covers ownership specifically. If you’re still deciding whether an EV makes sense at all, start with Going Electric with Nissan EVs. Curious about the apps, driver-assist features, and interior tech? See EV Technology. And for charging times, home setup, and real-world range, see Charging and Range.
Have an EV, or Ready to Get One?
Current owners: schedule service online for anything covered under EV Carefree+ or otherwise. Considering a LEAF, or a certified pre-owned ARIYA? Get pre-qualified online in about a minute, or check current EV incentives. You can also head back to our homepage to explore everything else Old Orchard Nissan has to offer.