Nissan Leaf Fast Facts

Here's a fabulously friggin' fast fact for folks:

Programer Oliver Chalouhi is receiving the first Leaf, today, Nov 11, 2010. Up in the CA bay area of Redwood City.

Redwood City man to get first Nissan Leaf

The media and many Leaf enthusiasts are making the trek up there for the event.

 

"3-year service and maintenance cost savings versus a Prius: $1360."

Is that really msrp for Toyota recommended, dealer provided service ? Sheesh.
I keep up pretty well with the recommendations, and doubt I have spent much more than $300 in 6 years and almost 118k miles.

Lets see (over 6 years)
Synthetic engine oil changes and filter twice a year: $180
Air filters ------------------------------------------------$90 ish
ATF (twice) ----------------------------------------------$60
Belt ------------------------------------------------------$12
Inverter coolant -----------------------------------------$20
Inverter pump -------------------------------------------$88
Spark plugs ----------------------------------------------$35 ish

Total:$485. So much for my estimating ability, but still a far cry from what OP posted.

 

its great to see someone changing their oil for that price. i am at $75 PER change. but the process is much different on a 2010 verses gen 2's. but i would have to say that realistically, the only maintenance cost that i have seen is oil changes and air filter changes. i think the belts, spark plugs, etc. are not the norm

the FB event will be streamed live starting at 1:30 Pm pacific.

 

But I can't wait to see the first one on the road myself. It isn't real until you've seen it with your own eyes! Though we've got to wait until March . A friend of mine has his £250 deposit paid and is on the UK waiting list so I should be one of the first to see one over this side of the pond.

 

here's a fact for you: the Nissan Leaf is one UGLY MO FO!!

 

Here's some more fast facts I recently learned on the Nissan site:


Excessive capacity reduction could be attributed to:

* Driving or storing your LEAF in extreme temperatures
* Repeatedly charging your LEAF by quick charge several times a day
* Driving aggressively (up hill driving for a long period of time at a steep incline or grade, high speed constant driving)

The rate of reduction cannot be assured however, the battery is expected to maintain approximately 80% of its initial capacity after 5 years of normal operation and recommended care, but this is not guaranteed.


Cross-town commute on a hot day: 68 miles
Speed: Average 49 mph
Temperature: 110 degrees
Climate control: On

Winter, urban stop-and-go, traffic jam: 62 miles
Speed: Average 15 mph
Temperature: 14 degrees
Climate control: On


I don't see how these will sell in Texas. These are "normal" temps throughout the year that commuters in Austin and especially DFW can encounter. What about the folks in SF and driving up hills? Will it be explain up front that a possible 50% or more degradation in range over the next few years will be considered "normal" and thus won't qualify for warranty repair?

 

RIGHT!!!
And . . . . if THAT's not great news enough there are "OTHERS" will be picking up THEIR Leaf(s) tomorrow ... Monday ... the 13th of December in San Diego. I'm betting Nissan will be dragging the media to as many of these first dozen (or so) events as possible. Good P.R. ... and another fabulous fun filled fact.

 

My next door neighbor had an '02 Prius. I remember that, "I don't see how these will sell ..." is what they said about the Prius back in 2002. Heck, that's what many in Texas (and many areas) said about the Ford Model 'T" back around 1910. But eventually, infrastructure (gas) developed ... mechanics developed ... roads developed. Now look how things are. The same will be with EV's. Ignorant people can be taught. It's only stupid people that can't be taught. The very nature of things technological, is to change. It's just another change. For those who find their selves scared ... wringing their hands because change is scary to some, remember ... batteries continue to get better and better ... and charging (yes folks ... even QUICK chargers) infrastructure continues to get closer and closer to each station.
(EV fear reminds me of my daughter when she was 4yrs old ... giving her courage to jump off a diving board for the first time ... first there's fear ... then it's over come ... then? ... it's FUN )
So, don't worry about, "... how they'll sell ..." - because the wait list is now so long, you won't be able to get on the WAIT list, for about a year. Yep ... they'll sell. First, sales will be to the "glass is half full" crowd. Eventually, even sales to the "glass is half empty" crowd.

 

hill,

Condescending tone aside, you're talking about the EV market in general and I agree but I'm talking about the Leaf and Nissan in particular. Doesn't really matter if there is a charger on every corner if, according to Nissan, numerous quick charges (topping off) kill the batterys' life span.

I'm more concern for owners 4-5 years down the road who are experiencing major range reduction due to circumstances they can not change (climate, hills) but Nissan says that's expected and not covered by warranty.

 

You're entitled to your opinion; Having driven a Leaf, and inspecting it thoroughly from up close, I'm entitled to disagree with you.

 

But isn't this the same with 'normal' cars? Some are going to have been looked after and would be running nice in 5 years time with a long life ahead of them. Others, like mine, will have had a hard life in 5 years with lots of hard city and start stop driving. Surely that is as damaging to a petrol car as numerous quick topping off charges would be to an EV?

 

Grumpie, I thought the caveat Nissan warned against as a possible cause of early battery aging was related to high voltage quick charging, not multiple uses of 120 or 240 mains.

 

Funny thing with Lithium battery chemistries (and there are a BUNCH of 'em), some of the characteristics are in part, still unknown. One recent report, for instance is that quick charging to only 80% ... and then immediately using the (partial) charge, will actually EXTEND the battery life, rather than (very minimally) shorten life. As for condescending tone? Isn't it funny? "I don't see how these will sell in Texas" ... or "quick charges kill the battery's life span" phraseology is no less or more condescending than anything I responded with ... it's simply a matter of understanding and point of reference. Bottom line is, not only is the glass half full ... it getting fuller.

 

posts by the first Leaf owner states charge level is settable to either 80% or 100% so the option to manage battery longevity is there. rumor has it that the settings are adjustable.

i would like L3 (fast DC) charging to do 80%
L2 (240 VAC) to set at 90%
and L3 (110 VAC trickle) to set at 95%.

also battery warranty details (may be adjusted as the guy went thru a media circus) 8 years, 100,000 miles with 60% capacity at that time. so am guessing a prorated exchange policy like 10% over 25,000 miles, etc. Nissan has monitoring system in place to track battery performance (also to detect abuse as well i am guessing)

so it will be like any other thing. YMMV

 

I think the Leaf will do just fine in Texas...at least here in the greater Houston area where plenty of garage parking is available and (I would speculate) most owners aren't going to be keeping them outside in the elements most of the time anyway. Sure, the commutes can sometimes be hot and brutal, but the distances under such conditions aren't typically that far for that long. Add to this the network going in for charging stations and rapid chargers and things just keep looking better.

 

I know this is controversial, but the Prius, with its peculiar engine, does quite well with dino oil. You don't really have to use synthetic, and mine (2004) did not come with a manufacturer's recommendation to use synthetic. Just a recommendation to not switch back to dino IF you once used synthetic.

Why not compromise with an intermediate ratio? And of course the Leaf is not supposed to be a race car. So it does not require the extremes of speed or acceleration.

The trade-off is reliability: A transmission is one more thing to break down. The decision to include a transmission in the Tesla Roadster delayed its production for a year. And even without a transmission, it still has BOTH a top speed, and a zero to 60 time that would more than satisfy anybody but a speed maniac.