Want a leaf, have some questions?

[bigbearballs]

a - don't charge to 100% if you don't need it.

Charging to 100% actually seems to be fine. Just don't leave it sit with a 100% charged battery for multiple days. I charge to 100% daily.

b - don't discharge it all the way down.

Likewise, discharging all the way doesn't seem to affect battery life much. Just don't leave it sit with a low battery for multiple days. I hit Very Low Battery Warning almost every day on my drive in to work, but I plug it in upon arrival.

c - don't live in a very hot or cold climate.

Hot climate is bad for battery life. Cold climate is very good for battery life. But range is temporarily decreased in cold weather. The range returns when the weather warms back up.

I live in central Texas, so my battery is going to feel the heat unfortunately. Thank you for your help!

 

[juice13]

I'm also in the hunt for a 2013 and found this handy chart for options on the MY2013:
http://insideevs.com/2013-nissan-leaf-overview-and-specifications/

QC was standard on the SL along with the LED headlights.

Nice, do you know of a similar chart for a 2012 Leaf? I tried searching the site you linked for '12 but found nothing like the nice chart they had for the '13's.
I have a '13 S w/QC and 6'6Kw charger and have been enticed by the low prices of the '12's SL trim level and was wondering what I'd lose. I really like my SOC display(use it all the time) and believe I'd lose than on a '12 and also regularly use my 6.6Kw charger and think I'll also lose that. All the SLs I've seen come with a QC which I've never used even once on my '13 S but not sure if thats tied into the 6.6Kw charger on the '12's. Also kind of wonder how the heating system will differ. My '13 lacks the heat pump(kind of a bummer) but it's a air system which I prefer, I believe the '12's have to heat a liquid for heat? not sure I'd like that.

http://insideevs.com/used-nissan-leaf-buying-guide/


After reading this it sounds like the MY2013 was a complete redesign under the hood. The used car lot I've been in negotiations with that moves LOTS of Leafs doesn't even buy anything older than 2013.

I'm likely going to get an SV with quick charge and LED lights (a must in our area with the deer) and the premium package (360 camera for daycare/preschool safety and Bose for my enjoyment).

I've found one that is higher mileage, earlier production build 2013, but still with 12 bars. It was registered and maintained in northern VA so not too bad for the heat.

Even if it's 85.01% battery health and about to be 11 bars, I'm still going to be happy (I think).

Although now I'm tempted for only $6k more (after Fed credit) to get a brand new 2015 SV with QC/LED (no premium). There are some great deals out there for the 2015s still sitting on the lots.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I've found one that is higher mileage, earlier production build 2013, but still with 12 bars. It was registered and maintained in northern VA so not too bad for the heat.

There is some evidence that 2013 leafs built before April of 2013 suffer much more battery degradation than those made in April or later. They may have used up some leftover pre'13 packs in the early 2013s, or possibly there was some change made in the chemistry that wasn't implemented until then.

 

[jjeff]

I'm also in the hunt for a 2013 and found this handy chart for options on the MY2013:
http://insideevs.com/2013-nissan-leaf-overview-and-specifications/

QC was standard on the SL along with the LED headlights.

Nice, do you know of a similar chart for a 2012 Leaf? I tried searching the site you linked for '12 but found nothing like the nice chart they had for the '13's.
I have a '13 S w/QC and 6'6Kw charger and have been enticed by the low prices of the '12's SL trim level and was wondering what I'd lose. I really like my SOC display(use it all the time) and believe I'd lose than on a '12 and also regularly use my 6.6Kw charger and think I'll also lose that. All the SLs I've seen come with a QC which I've never used even once on my '13 S but not sure if thats tied into the 6.6Kw charger on the '12's. Also kind of wonder how the heating system will differ. My '13 lacks the heat pump(kind of a bummer) but it's a air system which I prefer, I believe the '12's have to heat a liquid for heat? not sure I'd like that.

http://insideevs.com/used-nissan-leaf-buying-guide/


After reading this it sounds like the MY2013 was a complete redesign under the hood. The used car lot I've been in negotiations with that moves LOTS of Leafs doesn't even buy anything older than 2013.

Nice! thanks. I searched that site and found some other interesting things but not that one, it's it's very helpful.
In my area anyway I see a LOT more '12 Leafs(almost all SL) vs '13 and newer. Also the '12's are much cheaper, I'd say around $5k less vs an '13 :shock: I'm kind of figuring(and maybe this is flawed) that living in a very cold climate, hopefully the batteries may have not degraded nearly as much as say Texas, AZ or even CA, I guess what is unknown is if they imported the car from a southern climate...Also this Leaf will probably only be subjected to short trips(<20 miles) so battery condition isn't on critical as my other Leaf('13) where I regularly need to go 60+ miles, even in the cold winters. I'm very tempted indeed.
What I'd really really like is a larger vehicle like a NV-200 or possibly a plug in hybrid van with a minimum of 30-40 miles of pure EV. If I could purchase that I'd give my '13 S to the person I'm thinking about getting the '12 for. If I purchase the '12 now and then something like the NV-200 comes out shortly and I purchase that, well then I'll have to think of what to do with my '13 S, I don't really need a spare vehicle sitting around.....

Oh lastly, that chart talked about the hybrid heat pump heater and lack of it on the '12's and older(which I don't have on my '13 S anyway) but do you(or anyone else) know when Nissan switched from a liquid based heater to air? It's my understanding the older Leafs used glycol or something else that needed to be heated up to distribute the heat, causing a much longer warm up time. I guess I'd rather stick to the air system like I have in my '13 but I can see how if you used morning warmup that a liquid based heater would tend to hold the heat longer it's just I'd rather have the quicker heat. I also would really miss the SOC gauge, which I use all the time, does LeafSpy have a SOC and does it work even on the older pre SOC Leafs?

 

[juice13]

I've found one that is higher mileage, earlier production build 2013, but still with 12 bars. It was registered and maintained in northern VA so not too bad for the heat.

There is some evidence that 2013 leafs built before April of 2013 suffer much more battery degradation than those made in April or later. They may have used up some leftover pre'13 packs in the early 2013s, or possibly there was some change made in the chemistry that wasn't implemented until then.

Was this ever confirmed? This car has 25k miles and has 12 bars (OBD2 scanner is in the mail and ready for leaf spy when I go back tomorrow) I imagine the MY2013 changes to everything but the battery are still an improvement including charge and discharge controls to lessen degradation. Okay, I'm really just hoping.

At the same dealership there is a later in the year model 2013 but was used in south Georgia, so there goes that advantage.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I've found one that is higher mileage, earlier production build 2013, but still with 12 bars. It was registered and maintained in northern VA so not too bad for the heat.

There is some evidence that 2013 leafs built before April of 2013 suffer much more battery degradation than those made in April or later. They may have used up some leftover pre'13 packs in the early 2013s, or possibly there was some change made in the chemistry that wasn't implemented until then.

Was this ever confirmed? This car has 25k miles and has 12 bars (OBD2 scanner is in the mail and ready for leaf spy when I go back tomorrow) I imagine the MY2013 changes to everything but the battery are still an improvement including charge and discharge controls to lessen degradation. Okay, I'm really just hoping.

At the same dealership there is a later in the year model 2013 but was used in south Georgia, so there goes that advantage.

No, this came from me looking at a list of cars from auctions that was posted here. The build dates were listed, and those built 1/13 through 3/13 were all missing bars, IIRC - some two bars - while most of the cars built from April on were showing 12 bars.

 

[Evoforce]

All anyone has been able to do is speculate if there were changes that made ANY measurable improvement. The battery (lizard) that Nissan did say was changed to be more heat tolerant for the 2015 battery pack has NOT been more durable than any of the previous batteries in Arizona. Also, in Austin, and other hotter climates, don't count on staying under 6 battery heat bars especially when using QC when your average temperatures are over 90+ degrees in the summer. Someone else also suggested that an enclosed garage is good for hot climates but it is not, unless you provide climate control in that garage.

 

[LeftieBiker]

All anyone has been able to do is speculate if there were changes that made ANY measurable improvement. The battery (lizard) that Nissan did say was changed to be more heat tolerant for the 2015 battery pack has NOT been more durable than any of the previous batteries in Arizona.

The anecdotal evidence is mounting that the April 2013+ packs better resist degradation over time, at least. They may also better resist transient heat loads, as in charging in short-lived hot spells. It does appear that they fail to be substantially better at resisting degradation in hot climates.