2011 Nissan Leaf: MPG and fuel economy
The 2011 Nissan Leaf is a fully electric vehicle rated at 99 MPGe combined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It has an EPA-rated driving range of 73 miles on a full charge.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2011 Nissan Leaf. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- Returns 313% better combined MPG than the average car in the Midsize Cars class for the 2011 model year (24 MPG class average).
- The 2011 Nissan Leaf is the most efficient car in the Midsize Cars class for the 2011 model year, with its 99 MPG rating leading the segment.
- The Nissan Leaf has gained 12 MPG since its first rated model year, the 2011 Nissan Leaf at 99 MPG.
- EPA estimates this car saves around $7,000 in fuel over five years compared with an average new vehicle of the same model year.
- Has an EPA-rated electric driving range of only 73 miles, which limits its usefulness for longer trips.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2011 Nissan Leaf. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 99 MPG |
| City MPG | 106 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 92 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $750 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | — |
| Fuel type | Electricity |
How the 2011 Nissan Leaf compares
The 2011 Nissan Leaf returns 99 combined MPG. Cars in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year average 24 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 313%.
Within the Midsize Cars class for the 2011 model year, the Nissan Leaf is the leader. No other car in the same class beat its 99 MPG rating. The bar chart below shows it alongside the class average and the average new car for some additional context.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2011 model year (across all classes) returns 20.8 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2011 model year is on its own page.
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for electricity, which is $0.15/kilowatt-hour. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPGe and the reference electricity price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. Charging at home rather than at a public DC fast charger usually lowers the real cost below the EPA's published figure.
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $375 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $750 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $1,250 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Nissan Leaf
The EPA has rated the Nissan Leaf across 10 model years, from 2011 Nissan Leaf through 2025 Nissan Leaf. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
The 2011 Nissan Leaf returned 99 MPG. The most recent 2025 Nissan Leaf returns 111 MPG. That is an improvement of 12 MPG over 14 model years, the kind of gain that usually comes from smaller engines, hybrid systems, or aerodynamic redesigns.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 111 MPG | 2025 Nissan Leaf |
| 2024 | 111 MPG | 2024 Nissan Leaf |
| 2023 | 111 MPG | 2023 Nissan Leaf |
| 2018 | 112 MPG | 2018 Nissan Leaf |
| 2017 | 112 MPG | 2017 Nissan Leaf |
| 2015 | 114 MPG | 2015 Nissan Leaf |
| 2014 | 114 MPG | 2014 Nissan Leaf |
| 2013 | 115 MPG | 2013 Nissan Leaf |
| 2012 | 99 MPG | 2012 Nissan Leaf |
| 2011 | 99 MPG | this page |
Compare against other Midsize Cars for 2011
If you are cross-shopping the 2011 Nissan Leaf, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
Specifications
The 2011 Nissan Leaf is a fully electric vehicle. It is powered by 80 kw dcpm. The EPA rates its driving range at 73 miles.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Midsize Cars
- Transmission
- Automatic (A1)
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Electricity
- Electric motor
- 80 kW DCPM
- EV range
- 73 miles
- Annual petroleum use
- 0.1 barrels per year
Common questions about the 2011 Nissan Leaf
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2011 Nissan Leaf.
-
Is the 2011 Nissan Leaf fuel efficient?
Yes. The 2011 Nissan Leaf returns 99 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year by about 313%. -
What MPG does the 2011 Nissan Leaf get?
The EPA rates the 2011 Nissan Leaf at 99 combined MPG, 106 MPG in city driving, and 92 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2011 Nissan Leaf per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $750 for the 2011 Nissan Leaf. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
Does the 2011 Nissan Leaf use gasoline?
No. The 2011 Nissan Leaf is fully electric and runs on grid electricity. The MPGe figure on this page converts electricity use into a gasoline-equivalent so you can compare it directly to a regular car. -
Has the Nissan Leaf become more fuel efficient over time?
Yes. The first EPA-rated Nissan Leaf, the 2011 Nissan Leaf, returned 99 combined MPG. The most recent 2025 Nissan Leaf returns 111 MPG, an improvement of 12 MPG over the run. -
How much CO₂ does the 2011 Nissan Leaf emit?
The 2011 Nissan Leaf produces zero tailpipe emissions because it runs entirely on electricity. The full carbon footprint of charging it depends on how the electricity on your local grid is generated, which varies a lot from one state to another. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2011 Nissan Leaf?
City driving returns 106 MPG and highway driving returns 92 MPG. A flat (or city-better) split is the signature of a hybrid or electric drivetrain, where regenerative braking recovers energy that would otherwise be lost in stop-start city traffic. -
What motor does the 2011 Nissan Leaf use?
The 2011 Nissan Leaf uses 80 kW DCPM. Electric motors do not have a displacement or cylinder count the way a combustion engine does, so EPA reporting focuses on the motor type and battery system instead. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2011 Nissan Leaf have?
The 2011 Nissan Leaf comes with a automatic (a1) transmission and front-wheel drive. -
Is the 2011 Nissan Leaf the most efficient car in its class?
Yes. Among cars in the Midsize Cars class for the 2011 model year, the Nissan Leaf returns the highest combined MPG at 99 MPG. No other car in the same class beats that figure.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.