2015 LEAF specs - no range increase

[dgpcolorado]

...LEAF

Practical usable range with 2-3 year old battery charging to 80%: 50 miles...

Not in a place with a cold winter climate. Of course the electric range of the Volt is also reduced under such conditions (as well as all other EVs: even TMS can't alter reduced range due to drag, heater use, driving on snow, and the like).

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Good point, I keep hoping for some competition to push Nissan even faster.

The VW will be compared by buyers

Some buyers won't know a car with ccs quick charge is almost useless feature at this point

Nissan could replay crush with: a mild refresh for 2015 , headlights more recessed new bumper covers
New colors etc maybe slight new interior

Then in 2016 longer range , but that won't happen till the total redesign
Figure 2017 model year

Nissan's biggest hurdle is not the competition and it never was. EVNow illustrated perfectly that they have no valid challengers. Why is that? well, maybe Nissan is not as inept as many of us think they are.

Expectation is what Nissan needs to worry about. too many people are holding back thinking the range increase is just around the corner (it is) and the sooner Nissan brings it, the better. Bumping the range 20 miles is better than nothing. I'd rather see 20 miles a year instead of 80 miles in 4...or 5 or 6...

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

The careful balance Nissan needs to maintain is upping range, without completely devaluing the existing leafs overnight. I think this is were a 2 or 3 tier battery size approach would help.

Also, Nissan globally is selling almost as many leafs as it makes, so there is not an immediate need for them to up range. Business probably sees better return in lowering the cost of existing batteries year after year to increase margins. Adding a new larger pack for another 5K would compete with those efforts, and not neccisarily add any additional profitability in the near term.

 

[ydnas7]

Bumping the range 20 miles is better than nothing. I'd rather see 20 miles a year instead of 80 miles in 4...or 5 or 6...

Batterywise - Tesla doesn't do that, Mitsui did the opposite of that

I expect the validation requirements for annual battery capacity increases are excessivley expensive. So other cost/efficiency improvements are priortised.

ie cold weather, aero, regenerative braking

Likewise, improving the robustness of the battery can be actioned more expeditouslyie, initial -> global spec electrolyte -> USA spec electrolyte -> hot battery, but thats a private improvement.

Yes, annual range increases are great from a selling perspective, but not cheap to do.

 

[aarond12]

LEAF
Practical usable range with 2-3 year old battery charging to 80%: 50 miles

You've got to be exaggerating. My 1.5 year old i-MiEV is still getting around 80 miles of range in the city, using the strong regenerative braking mode. (I'm on this message board to investigate my next EV.) If the LEAF's battery is THAT bad (which I don't believe it is), then the LEAF is out of the running for my next EV.

 

[evnow]

LEAF
Practical usable range with 2-3 year old battery charging to 80%: 50 miles

You've got to be exaggerating. My 1.5 year old i-MiEV is still getting around 80 miles of range in the city, using the strong regenerative braking mode. (I'm on this message board to investigate my next EV.) If the LEAF's battery is THAT bad (which I don't believe it is), then the LEAF is out of the running for my next EV.

You are attributing that quote to the wrong person.

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

Driving style can impact range even more then a zero degree day.

 

[derkraut]

LEAF
Practical usable range with 2-3 year old battery charging to 80%: 50 miles

You've got to be exaggerating. My 1.5 year old i-MiEV is still getting around 80 miles of range in the city, using the strong regenerative braking mode. (I'm on this message board to investigate my next EV.) If the LEAF's battery is THAT bad (which I don't believe it is), then the LEAF is out of the running for my next EV.

Please note that the quoted range above (50mi) reflects charging to only 80%. I drove my 3yr old Leaf 62 miles today after 100% charge, 90% was on freeways @ 60+mph. When i got home, I showed 44 Gids on the LeafScan.

 

[walterbays]

Please note that the quoted range above (50mi) reflects charging to only 80%. I drove my 3yr old Leaf 62 miles today after 100% charge, 90% was on freeways @ 60+mph. When i got home, I showed 44 Gids on the LeafScan.

Right. (I am the one being quoted.) And it's 50 miles constantly up and down hills, half on city streets and half on freeways. Maybe 50 is an exaggeration. It could be 60 miles at 80%. I haven't tested to find out. The times I drive longer distances I tend to have more people in the car, which reduces my bravery, and one of them tends to be my wife which reduces my bravery even more. By myself I might well see whether it's 48 or 52 or 63, and a failure wouldn't be so bad. With others I keep more margin than I really need. You never know when traffic or road construction will force a detour of a few miles, nor when there will be just one more store just a few miles out of the way that we really need to stop at.

With a Volt I wouldn't care about using up all the battery capacity, with no margin, which is why I think 50 comfortable miles in a Leaf is an appropriate comparison to 40 comfortable miles in a Volt. If/when QC stations become more widespread and more reliable then I wouldn't feel like keeping quite as much margin. Need to detour 10 miles with 15 miles showing on the GOM? No problem; the detour goes right past a QC. Make a 15 minute stop, get a snack, and continue on your way.

 

[DaveEV]

Please note that the quoted range above (50mi) reflects charging to only 80%. I drove my 3yr old Leaf 62 miles today after 100% charge, 90% was on freeways @ 60+mph. When i got home, I showed 44 Gids on the LeafScan.

That's better than me and my 3 yo LEAF. Here's my last trips down below LBW in the last month or so:

55.8 mi 4.2 mi/kWh 36 GID 18.9% 5 mi GOM (100%)
40.4 mi 4.0 mi/kWh 43 GID 24.8% 6 mi GOM (80%)
51.6 mi 3.5 mi/kWh 5 GID 3% Turtle (80%)
58.9 mi 4.3 mi/kWh 34 GID 18.8% 4 mi GOM (100%)

On the Turtle run I ran the battery down with the heater after pulling into the garage around 15 GID at 3.6 mi/kWh and drove ~70 mph on the freeway, very rarely see efficiency that low. So I'd say that I should be able to count on 50 miles on 80% and 65 miles on 100%, but I have to drive below VLBW to get that kind of range. LBW typically comes on in the low 40 mile range on 80% charge and low 50 mile range on 100% charge and that's driving 65 mph on the freeway. If I were to drive "normally" and drive ~70 mph, that lops off another 5-10% range.

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

The leaf does not favor those with heavy foot.

 

[TomT]

And due to its relatively high total drag, higher speeds...

The leaf does not favor those with heavy foot.

 

[KJD]

Right. (I am the one being quoted.) And it's 50 miles constantly up and down hills, half on city streets and half on freeways. Maybe 50 is an exaggeration. It could be 60 miles at 80%. I haven't tested to find out. The times I drive longer distances I tend to have more people in the car, which reduces my bravery, and one of them tends to be my wife which reduces my bravery even more. By myself I might well see whether it's 48 or 52 or 63, and a failure wouldn't be so bad. With others I keep more margin than I really need. You never know when traffic or road construction will force a detour of a few miles, nor when there will be just one more store just a few miles out of the way that we really need to stop at.

With a Volt I wouldn't care about using up all the battery capacity, with no margin, which is why I think 50 comfortable miles in a Leaf is an appropriate comparison to 40 comfortable miles in a Volt. If/when QC stations become more widespread and more reliable then I wouldn't feel like keeping quite as much margin. Need to detour 10 miles with 15 miles showing on the GOM? No problem; the detour goes right past a QC. Make a 15 minute stop, get a snack, and continue on your way.

You know it really bugs me when people only charge to 80% and then bitch about the range. Set the end only timer to finish just before you leave and charge to 100%

It will NOT hurt the battery. From what I have read here on this forum the 2014 does not even offer 80% charge option.

 

[walterbays]

You know it really bugs me when people only charge to 80% and then bitch about the range. Set the end only timer to finish just before you leave and charge to 100%

It will NOT hurt the battery. From what I have read here on this forum the 2014 does not even offer 80% charge option.

I charge to 80% because even that degraded range is ample for my normal daily needs, so there's no reason to risk possible battery damage and no reason to lose all my regeneration as I coast downhill each morning riding the friction brakes. If I need to go farther occasionally there's a QC station for that. So I think I can hold out until Nissan finally honors their long ago promise to sell replacement batteries.

The reason Nissan removed the 80% charge option in 2014 was to cheat the admittedly stupid EPA range test.

But although a wilted Leaf works fine for me, when I talk to someone about EV's I must honestly say that a Leaf surely and comfortably gives me 50 miles while a Volt would surely and comfortably give 40 miles.

 

[aarond12]

But although a wilted Leaf works fine for me, when I talk to someone about EV's I must honestly say that a Leaf surely and comfortably gives me 50 miles while a Volt would surely and comfortably give 40 miles.

The terrain is flat here in Texas. Very few hills. With my daily commute, I feel secure doing 70 or even 80 miles in my i-MiEV in the city. Yes, I get nearly 5 miles per kWh driving in "B" mode, no ECO mode, no A/C or heater.

Anyone have a similar situation? All city driving (35-45 MPH) with flat terrain?

 

[hill]

According to Andy Palmer - the 2016 Leaf actually WILL get ~ 120miles-150miles in this vid:
(at the 25second - 45 second mark)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUPLAYER_greencarreports&feature=player_detailpage&v=bXqgksi0lt0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's about as close as I've heard to saying it'll happen as I've heard so far.
.

 

[DaveEV]

2015 LEAF efficiency information has made it to the fueleconomy.gov site:
http://insideevs.com/2015-nissan-leaf-soldiers-without-increase-range/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[edatoakrun]

Listen again.

Anonymous narrator paraphrasing AP, says:

"...can envision...possibly...maybe..."

="hill"According to Andy Palmer - the 2016 Leaf actually WILL get ~ 120miles-150miles in this vid:
(at the 25second - 45 second mark)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUPLAYER_greencarreports&feature=player_detailpage&v=bXqgksi0lt0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's about as close as I've heard to saying it'll happen as I've heard so far.

 

[aarond12]

Listen again.
Anonymous narrator paraphrasing AP, says:
"...can envision...possibly...maybe..."

Agreed. I don't trust GCR and don't visit their site anymore.

Since I am WAY over the EPA MPGe on my i-MiEV, I'll probably be way over the LEAF's rating too. The i-MiEV is rated at 112 MPGe in the city. I regularly see around 145 MPGe.

 

[TomT]

You mean like the 2011 will get 100 miles in normal driving? And battery degradation from heat is not an issue? Etc., etc.! :lol:

Sorry, but Nissan has lied to us too often for me to place any merit in this pronouncement!

According to Andy Palmer - the 2016 Leaf actually WILL get ~ 120miles-150miles in this vid:
(at the 25second - 45 second mark)