Is it time for a Nissan Leaf Thread ?

reboot

Is it time we had a specific Leaf thread as the assumption appears to be that most discussion topic relate to this EV which for a variety of reasons seems to be the ubiquitous EV in the South of Ireland ,particularly as the Lad recently got one?
Not a thing wrong with this, but I wonder if, as more types of EV appear on our streets will there soon be a requirement for an EV specific thread?, which may avoid the confusion and well meaning information which may not always be correct when not Leaf specific, Just a thought.

pwurple

Sure, why not.

So, Leafies... what is your energy economy figure looking like?

We've put 3000k on it since we got it, 15.8 is our number. Is that low, or high? I feel like it's high, I like being nippy.

reboot

pwurple wrote: »

Sure, why not.

So, Leafies... what is your energy economy figure looking like?

We've put 3000k on it since we got it, 15.8 is our number. Is that low, or high? I feel like it's high, I like being nippy.

Well done, the longest journey, and all that. Otherwise its like two bald men arguing over a comb.

pwurple

reboot wrote: »

Well done, the longest journey, and all that. Otherwise its like two bald men arguing over a comb.

I've no idea what that means! :pac:

Agreed, only it took a few years to get the leccy/hybrid section.

I think we should have a Nissan Leaf thread, BMW I3, Renault Zoe, Tesla Model S sub sections. And more as mmore electrics become available though it would be nice to have the "power" to be able to do this any chance of this mods ?

12,500 Kms on mine since about Mid January !

peposhi

pwurple wrote: »

Sure, why not.

So, Leafies... what is your energy economy figure looking like?

We've put 3000k on it since we got it, 15.8 is our number. Is that low, or high? I feel like it's high, I like being nippy.

There are Leaf-ers out there that could do less than 13... The lowest I ever managed was 15.2

15.2 ? granny driver, mine is more like 16.2 and 18 in Winter.

peposhi

Deleted User wrote: »

15.2 ? granny driver, mine is more like 16.2 and 18 in Winter.

Hahahaha, and I thought I was a mad driver. :D

hahahaha

Don't drive mad really, to the limit most of the time and a bit more.

Made it to work this morning , used 9.7 kwh for about 40 miles, says I have 11.2 remaining, I wonder would I make it ? I would love to try it. If only there were a fast charger on the new M9 at Kilcullen !

pwurple

Has anyone added a tow hitch to a leaf? Seem like loads of torque. I've got a wee motorbike as well, wouldn't mind being able to hitch my motorbike trailer up and bring it somewhere (it's not taxed at the moment, so should not be driven on the road).

Afaik a hitch will void the Leaf warranty and that of pretty much any EV.

Loads of torque but you don't want to put much stress on the battery. I'm sure a motorbike would pose no trouble but a caravan ? up a hill would probably pull huge amounts of current for a much longer time and it has no form of cooling even worse !

pwurple

Ah yes, the warranty. That's scuppered that so.

reboot

reboot wrote: »

Well done, the longest journey, and all that. Otherwise its like two bald men arguing over a comb.

The journey thing is a quote from Mao,means you have made a start.
The men arguing started off with ICE versus EV,then we got pure EV owners thread ,but some posts related to Leaf,but without being specific ,so it seemed to me that we were comparing apples and pears, and the thing was all over the place. I guess I am asking for the chat to be filtered to suit folk with that particular EV, or none.
If any of that makes sense, maybe someone will explain it to me.

njburke

How do,
Well, as of today, I'm in. There are only two cars that interest me one is the leaf the other is a rover 75.

Oddly enough, the leaf has a lot of similaritys with the rover 75 I have, power delivery, torque, creature comforts , pre heat in winter etc.

I assume the towbar voiding the warranty is a motor loading or the car was never designed to tow.


Niall

njburke

njburke wrote: »

How do,
Well, as of today, I'm in. There are only two cars that interest me one is the leaf the other is a rover 75.

Oddly enough, the leaf has a lot of similaritys with the rover 75 I have, power delivery, torque, creature comforts , pre heat in winter etc.

I assume the towbar voiding the warranty is a motor loading or the car was never designed to tow.


Niall

Looking forward to a review Niall, create a thread and keep it updated ! Congrats !

The leaf electronics, motor and battery were designed to pull only the weight of the Leaf and if you add the weight of a trailer, caravan etc then this will require more current from the battery and electronics causing heat to build up and adding stresses on the electronics.

The battery would also heat up more, it's not like an engine where the engine can tolerate quiet a bit more heat by their nature. I wouldn't be worried too much if the heat can be kept down but the battery may not like it, it's designed for a maximum amount of current to be pulled continuously and so too is the electronics , then add long steep hills.

I would imagine the Model S P85D with 750 HP and 860 Lbs of torque would have no problem !!!

The model S has so much power available that puling a caravan for instance might not heat things up much at all, they could even limit it to 300 Hp and it would keep things a lot cooler, in theory anyway.

This will change as EV's advance.

njburke

Deleted User wrote: »

Looking forward to a review Niall, create a thread and keep it updated ! Congrats !
.

The battery would also heat up more, it's not like an engine where the engine can tolerate quiet a bit more heat by their nature. I wouldn't be worried too much if the heat can be kept down but the battery may not like it, it's designed for a maximum amount of current to be pulled continuously and so too is the electronics , then add long steep hills.

I've done a fair bit of design work on portable lithium ion powered devices, off gassing and sudden rapid disassembly was to be avoided at all cost, a CPU and a good algorithm was needed.

don't know if I'll have time to review.
There is something peculiar going on with the leaf, kind of intrigues me a little and not just the engineering.

reboot

Deleted User wrote: »

Agreed, only it took a few years to get the leccy/hybrid section.

I think we should have a Nissan Leaf thread, BMW I3, Renault Zoe, Tesla Model S sub sections. And more as mmore electrics become available though it would be nice to have the "power" to be able to do this any chance of this mods ?

Agreed,would stop people wandering all over the place, and if you bought a pear ,you don't always want to wade through apples.

Dexter1979

reboot wrote: »

Agreed,would stop people wandering all over the place, and if you bought a pear ,you don't always want to wade through apples.

http://www.irishevowners.ie/forum/viewforum.php?f=15&sid=9042c23dd4d708ec47077e7144c16479

If you need more I can add them.. I have the power

pwurple

Anyone remember the brand of spare wheel which fits the leaf?

Dexter1979

Dexter1979 wrote: »

http://www.irishevowners.ie/forum/viewforum.php?f=15&sid=9042c23dd4d708ec47077e7144c16479

If you need more I can add them.. I have the power

Shame I don't really have the time for posting on both forums !

lampylady

Would people buy it again or would you go for something else?

pwurple

lampylady wrote: »

Would people buy it again or would you go for something else?

The leaf? I'd buy it again in a heartbeat. Best thing since sliced bread. Lovely to drive, very comfortable, lots of luxury features.

We are now considering switching our van to an electric one when we change it in a few years, was looking at the e-nv200.

But the best bit is that I just bloody love sailing past all those petrol stations. Mwahahaha.

Absolutely love the Leaf, but do give serious consideration to the Renault Zoe, its's got a terrific on board charger and can charge from all non fast chargers in 1 hr from empty to 80% or 1hr 30 for 100% compared to 4-8 hrs for most other electrics. What does all this mean ? it means if you go on a long drive then any half decent town in Ireland will have a standard street charge point meaning you can plug in, go about your business and it's charged and it means you should not have to look for a fast charger, just get in and drive.

The 6.6 Kw optional charger in the leaf is also very useful compared to the 3.3 Kw.

I would hold on for the updated battery in the Leaf for 2016, more range extra cost ? don't know yet.

peposhi

lampylady wrote: »

Would people buy it again or would you go for something else?

I would, definitely! So would my wife. She want now one for herself... Big trouble hahaha...

cros13

Deleted User wrote: »

Absolutely love the Leaf, but do give serious consideration to the Renault Zoe

The problem with the Zoe has always been that they want to rent you the battery on an indefinite contract. It kills the resale value especially because there's no buyout. By the end of three years the average owner has paid for the battery twice over (based on the value Renault is insuring it for in the paperwork) and they are still tied into the contract.

My dad's getting fairly good hypermiling in his Leaf:

LOL I do the opposite of hypermiling !

In the Prius I was always trying to eak out more miles per tank but in the Leaf all I care about is range, if I've enough range I drive it on.

Having the work charger will mean I can drive much harder if I want because currently the harder I drive the longer needed on the fast charger but if I've a charge point in work I won't care.

I don't drive too easy as it is but winter driving does have a noticeable impact, I won't care about this now And can have it pre warmed and all when I get in at 8pm or 8am where I didn't do this previously to save juice.

RedorDead

Automotive News Europe
July 3, 2015 06:01 CET

YOKOHAMA, Japan -- Nissan Motor Co. plans a midcycle update as early as August that aims to deliver a big increase in the Leaf's driving range, a person familiar with the project said.

The improvements will come from squeezing more energy into the Leaf's lithium ion battery. The new battery will be the same size as the current 24-kilowatt-hour power pack but deliver 30 kwh, the source said.

CEO Carlos Ghosn outlined future EV steps at the company's annual shareholders meeting Tuesday, June 23. Nissan is developing a lighter, thinner, cheaper battery to enable driving ranges comparable with gasoline vehicles in the "near future," he said.

Nissan needs a battery breakthrough to help jump-start sluggish sales and ease range anxiety -- the fear that a drained battery will leave EV drivers stranded.

Nissan launched the Leaf in 2010 and has made zero-emission technology and autonomous driving two pillars of its future product plans.

But Leaf sales in the U.S. tumbled 25 percent to 7,742 vehicles through the first five months of the year. Demand is undermined partly by the expiration of various EV tax credits and by a wave of Leafs about to come off lease at diminished value.

Meanwhile, Leaf sales in Europe were up 21 percent to 7,201 through May. The Leaf is the top-selling electric vehicle in Europe.

Ghosn sought to reassure shareholders that the company aims to stay at the forefront of EV technology.


Hiroto Saikawa, Nissan: "We are definitely making progress. We will see a full swing of mass-produced, mass-marketed EVs worldwide."

Next to him on stage, Nissan displayed a Leaf equipped with a prototype next-generation electric drivetrain. That technology, which is under development and being tested, achieves a range of more than 500km (310 miles), the source said.

Ghosn said the goal of the next-generation battery is to eliminate range anxiety by providing enough cushion for people to complete their daily drive and "return home with ample charge."

A video simulation showed the car charging up to a range of more than 500km and ending the day with a drivable range of about 260km still in reserve.

Yet even before that next-generation battery hits the market, Nissan plans an interim upgrade for its flagship green car. "We will not wait for its completion to move forward," Ghosn said.


August?

Nissan Chief Competitive Officer Hiroto Saikawa conceded that Leaf sales have been slower than originally forecast. But he said EV demand should surge in the next five years.

When the Leaf entered the market in 2010, there were just two EVs available worldwide: the Leaf and the much smaller Mitsubishi i-MiEV.

Now, Saikawa noted, there are 12 electric nameplates offered by 11 automakers. And the number of EV models on sale worldwide is expected to double by 2020, he added. Nissan has 41 percent of the global EV market and aims to keep it, Saikawa said.

"We are definitely making progress," Saikawa said. "We will see a full swing of mass-produced, mass-marketed EVs worldwide. And at that time, our intention is to keep the leadership in EVs."

You can reach Hans Greimel at hgreimel@crain.com.

New battery tech coming for Leaf?

RedorDead

RedorDead wrote: »

New battery tech coming for Leaf?

The battery will be updated for 2016 model year with about 40-50 Kms more range.

The big change will be late 2017 when the MK II comes out. Different tech not so sure what the change is for the 2016 update.

Roen

Anyone had a puncture so far? I believe the goo replacement kit is on the spendy side. Does it actually work too for that matter?

Roen

And yet another question; What's the second SD card slot for behind the Sat Nav screen? Pity you can't bang in a blank one and record the camera output.