Repost from me on another forum:
I'm encouraged at the buy backs and early lease returns (one was declined so far). However, we all must recognize that none of this was possible without the persistence and strength of folks like Andrea, Mason, Scott Y, and a whole lot more. The folks who attacked and ridiculed those suffering from compromised LEAFs not only did nothing to help, some actually worked to interfere with these positive outcomes... let's just say that each of you know who you are, and so do we.
I hope that some day very soon, this issue will be wrapped to all our mutual satisfactions, and the sooner the better. Obviously, the folks at Nissan would like to launch the new 2013 USA manufactured LEAF with minimal scrapes and bruises from this first round of LEAF production.
Information is oozing out of Nissan as to how they could claim that the batteries are normal, when only the most obtuse would otherwise agree. Whether this information release was intentional or by accident, it's a positive step. Future owners should be alerted to exactly how a LEAF should react to Phoenix, Texas, Nevada or desert California heat based on data that Nissan had in its possession since day 1. And the same is true in cold climates. This data shouldn't be buried in pages of legal documents, but plainly presented on the car to help with a purchase decision. Certainly, the 100 miles range, and other references to fantastic capabilities should be eliminated in favor of simple, honest EPA range, just as Volt is advertised.
It's fraud by omission to suggest that the LEAF would get exactly the same 80% in 5 years battery capacity when in fact they knew that wasn't true for EVERY single LEAF sold in Arizona. The omission is that they decided that you only drive 7500 miles. They didn't tell you that until the last few days. So, every driver who drives a quite normal 12,000 - 15,000 miles (according to easy to find government records, and the reason WHY they offer those to mileages for leases) is indeed driving at double their flawed, and not disclosed 7500 miles.
I call those 7500 miles the "Nissan-LEAF-Years(TM)". For Scott Y. who traveled almost 30,000 miles in his car in about 18 months, had NO IDEA that he actually traveled about 4 NLYs, and with their recently re-indexed degradation from 80% to 76% in 5 of the NLYs, they can easily call even Scott's car as "normal" with 30% range reduction in 4 NLYs. Heck, it's only a few percent below the "norm".
Several lawsuits are in the works, and while I can't guess at the outcome, I can absolutely guarantee it will cost Nissan money, just as this whole endeavor has cost a little shine off the LEAF brand. In the future, there is much work to do, but the Nissan LEAF is critical to EV acceptance in the short term.
I believe the recently announced independent panel headed by Chelsea Sexton will be a key conduit to head off these kinds of huge blow ups in the future, and provide input to improve future versions of the LEAF. I have spoke with her recently and left encouraged to the possibilities.
I believe that Nissan now somewhat understands the gravity of this situation, and the ship is indeed turning away from the rocks.
