AndyH
Well-known member
The short answer is that there's really not much 'excess' heat.
The motor and controller and absolutely water cooled - we have enough under hood pictures showing cooling hoses, and cut-away pictures of the motor at Nissan, to verify that without a verbal comment or video from a review.
When it comes down to heat transfer, the difference in temperature is critical. Even if we add a heater core and fan, how much heat will we get in a 50° cabin when the coolant in the heater core is only 60°? And how far and how fast will we have to drive to get the motor and controller up to 60°?
The only time the Leaf's cooling system will be capable of providing enough heat to make a dent in a cold cabin is on a hot summer day. Anyone expecting a hot motor/controller and a cold cabin is still thinking ICE.
Earlier EVs - like the EV1-era S10 - use a diesel fired cabin heater to supplement the heat pump because the motor doesn't provide enough heat, neither does the heat pump when it's really cold.
The motor and controller and absolutely water cooled - we have enough under hood pictures showing cooling hoses, and cut-away pictures of the motor at Nissan, to verify that without a verbal comment or video from a review.
When it comes down to heat transfer, the difference in temperature is critical. Even if we add a heater core and fan, how much heat will we get in a 50° cabin when the coolant in the heater core is only 60°? And how far and how fast will we have to drive to get the motor and controller up to 60°?
The only time the Leaf's cooling system will be capable of providing enough heat to make a dent in a cold cabin is on a hot summer day. Anyone expecting a hot motor/controller and a cold cabin is still thinking ICE.
Earlier EVs - like the EV1-era S10 - use a diesel fired cabin heater to supplement the heat pump because the motor doesn't provide enough heat, neither does the heat pump when it's really cold.