Leaf Comes Home

Yep, funny how a certain "EREV" has a CVT instead of a single speed gearbox. Almost as though it were a hybrid....

 

Is the manual separately purchased ?

 

Indeed, the Prius configuration multiplies rpm's from the traction motor to the motor/generator while in the Volt they are decoupled. Of course, in EV's there's only one which simplifies the drivetrain.

Tesla also uses a 1 speed.

 

You probably can but http://priuschat.com/forums/nissan-hybrids-evs/87871-2011-nissan-leaf-manuals-line.html and a few other threads have a link to the PDF of it.

 

That's because it's an EV. The Volt isn't, nor is the prius. They are hybrids.

Can the Volt's traction control be switched off?

 

We had discussed this in a different thread. When you look at mg2 driving the wheels, the configuration is quite like the leaf with a single gear ratio. This is unlikely the cause of failure. Although MG1 is a more likely culprit, it too is unlikely to be the failure point. The HSD gearing or electronics seem the most likely points of failure. Making the HSD beefier might have added weight and costs. Making the electronics more tolerant might have added costs. No one seemed to have the specs of the mechanical or electrical limits of these components.

The leaf has a fixed gear ratio which seems like the best choice for an EV, but the motor must be specified with enough power at higher speeds. GM decided that the volt's traction motor did not have enough power at high speeds so implemented a blending of generator power through a universal gear set. This does not seem like a bad trade off and the volt only has an eCVT at higher speeds (>70 mph in ev mode). The tesla had a similar problem and originally had a 2 speed transmission. They improved the power of the Tesla motor and were able to simplify to a fixed gear ratio.

 

The manual did not contain a single warning on drivetrain damage if certain maneuvers are attempted.
Nissan must have a lot of confidence in the design of the EE.