Recent content by etrans

Phil: I like the way you think! And I agree that this would be a good idea in theory but will never happen due to cost and general infrastructure deterioration. So the fall back position (battery electric cars and scooters loaded on railcars and sent to their destination on electric trains)...

Good points, it would have to be a dual contact and maintaining enough pressure for good conduction is also important. The design of the skate could incorporate dual contacts and lock on electromagnetically but would have to accomodate a horizontal movement of perhaps 12" before breaking...

Maybe a sign saying "Free charging with purchase" would help fend off the know nothings, grinches and grouches? Kind of like "restrooms for customers only". (Are you using that restroom for free?).

My concern with orphans and demos, aside from the unknown charge history, is the aging of the battery. There is another thread that says that the clock starts ticking when the battery is manufactured, does this mean that a 2011 has used 1/8th its battery life independent from mileage or number...

True, but the critical spots would be the high current demand areas. Another place it would be handy is on the freeway entry ramps to get you up to speed, catapult style.

I've been advocating this idea for use in the PNW for some time. The Columbia River has a series of existing hydroelectric dams and the river flows thru the best solar and wind territory in WA State (cheap land, too). Just use these intermittant sources to pump tail water back into the...

I plan to carry an Ebike on the back of the Leaf, put it on charge at the Nissan dealership on the edge of town and do my local chores on the bike. For longer trips I will rent or borrow an oldfashioned ICV or take the train. BTW, trading cars with a neighbor might be an effective way to...

Consider the fact that all vehicles use far more energy to climb a steep incline than flat running - something like 3 - 4x more. A sustained climb quickly becomes a battery killer in an EV, but with the advantage that (if it makes it to the top) there is a large amount of potential energy now...

Has anyone put a Leaf on Amtrak's car carrier doen to Florida? That seems pretty civilized and convenient.

The Nissan NV200 cargo van brochure shows an electric version in development. The ICE passenger version is going to be the new NYC taxi. I think there is huge potential for using BEVs for local delivery and service vehicles.

A 15A/120VAC inverter powered outlet inside the Leaf would have been a good value added feature for convenience and emergencies but I'm sure the liability issue killed that idea.

As I posted previously in the new member thread, I was dismayed by the lack of knowledge displayed by their sales people, both regular and "Leaf specialist". Couldn't answer detailed questions about L2 EVSE at homes (and called them chargers) or about the Federal Tax credit or State incentive...

Apart from the miles and unknown charge history on the 2011's, what about the battery life from the point of view of the clock ticking since the battery was manufactured? This was stated as a factor in another thread but not sure what the degradation rate is. If it is one year since DOM is that...

This is an important question. Aside from normal wear items (shocks, etc.) I would expect the far simpler drivetrain to hold up very well. Most new ICE cars are capable of 200K+ miles, the Leaf would probably need a new battery pack at 100,000. We are hoping that by then it will be cheaper and...

For any Nissan dealership to object to use of their charging station is .... insane. Nissan is currently the leader in this new and radically different technology. Given the state of the infrastructure they should be totally open to use by any Leaf owner, no matter where they purchased it...