Questions about initial battery capacity in a new Leaf

[yh52]

Happy New Year to everyone!

This is my first post on this forum. This forum is a great resource for owners and potential owners alike. Thanks to everyone who participates here.

I am in the process of looking at a 2015 Leaf SV. The dealer lent it to me for a 24 hr test drive.
My question is about the initial battery capacity of a 2015 Leaf.

I have only charged it once, from a nearly depleted state [with 19 miles of range left], starting on a Level II charger for 3 hours, then finishing with a 120VAC charge. The car that I am testing seems to only charge to a top range of 91 miles. The temperature outside was 26 F, if ambient temperature during charge is a factor.

At another dealership I saw a 2015 Leaf S on a level II charger reach a nearly full capacity of 106 miles. However that was the day before when the ambient temperature was in the 40's [Fahrenheit].

So the question arises about whether it is possible that 2 different new 2015 Leaf models could be sold with differing battery capacities. Or is there another factor in play here that I am not familiar with?

I would not want to buy a Leaf if it will not charge to the highest possible battery capacity. That feels like buying an Internal combustion engine car with a gas tank that will only fill to 7/8.

If anyone can shed light on this, it would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[mwalsh]

"Guess-O-Meter". The display you reference cannot be counted on as an inference of available range or capacity. It's only an estimate of available range based on a number of factors, including previous driving style.

 

[dgpcolorado]

...So the question arises about whether it is possible that 2 different new 2015 Leaf models could be sold with differing battery capacities. Or is there another factor in play here that I am not familiar with?

I would not want to buy a Leaf if it will not charge to the highest possible battery capacity. That feels like buying an Internal combustion engine car with a gas tank that will only fill to 7/8.

If anyone can shed light on this, it would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Eric

The answer is simple but takes some explaining. It appears that you are judging range by the estimated miles remaining display. Around here it is known as the "Guess-o-Meter" (GOM) because it is a very crude estimate of the range remaining of the car. Why? The GOM bases the estimate on how efficiently the car has been driven in the recent past. If you have been driving efficiently it will estimate more miles and if you have been driving inefficiently it will estimate fewer miles. The GOM is NOT a battery capacity or fuel gauge. It also is very unreliable because it can't know how fast you are going to be driving in the future, whether you are going uphill or downhill, whether you are dealing with wind, rain, or snow, cold/warm temperatures, and so on. The GOM is best ignored; it is wildly misleading to LEAF newcomers. [If you think about it, how can the GOM possibly know how far the car can go? Do you always get exactly the same gas mileage in your ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car regardless of how or where you drive it?]

The best fuel gauge on the LEAF is the % State of Charge (%SOC) on the dash, accessed by the dash buttons. It will give you an idea of how much charge you have left. But it also isn't a battery capacity gauge because it will always show ~100% for a full charge even as the battery degrades gradually over the years.

The only simple way to measure battery capacity is to get an aftermarket meter of some sort, such as "LEAF Spy". You can also estimate battery capacity by doing a range test: driving the car from full charge to empty at a constant speed and recording how many miles/kWh you were using and how many miles you traveled. But that takes a lot of work.

In general, new 2015 LEAFs should have about the same battery capacity and early evidence suggests that the batteries are holding capacity quite well. For a new car buyer it isn't something to worry about. It is, or should be, of concern to used LEAF buyers.

 

[yh52]

Thank you.
This is very helpful.

The 2015 SV that I've been test driving had 39 miles on it when I took it out from the dealer.
The 2015 Leaf S that charged to a Guess-o-Meter range of 106 miles only had 7 miles on it.

The Leaf Spy seems like a great tool, but is not something I have yet.

Eric

 

[mark133]

It depends on the speed you are driving just before you charge ..... Both batteries should be the same ..

Happy New Year to everyone!

This is my first post on this forum. This forum is a great resource for owners and potential owners alike. Thanks to everyone who participates here.

I am in the process of looking at a 2015 Leaf SV. The dealer lent it to me for a 24 hr test drive.
My question is about the initial battery capacity of a 2015 Leaf.

I have only charged it once, from a nearly depleted state [with 19 miles of range left], starting on a Level II charger for 3 hours, then finishing with a 120VAC charge. The car that I am testing seems to only charge to a top range of 91 miles. The temperature outside was 26 F, if ambient temperature during charge is a factor.

At another dealership I saw a 2015 Leaf S on a level II charger reach a nearly full capacity of 106 miles. However that was the day before when the ambient temperature was in the 40's [Fahrenheit].

So the question arises about whether it is possible that 2 different new 2015 Leaf models could be sold with differing battery capacities. Or is there another factor in play here that I am not familiar with?

I would not want to buy a Leaf if it will not charge to the highest possible battery capacity. That feels like buying an Internal combustion engine car with a gas tank that will only fill to 7/8.

If anyone can shed light on this, it would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[cwerdna]

The question has already been well-addressed. Ignore it.

For kicks, look at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16253" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, for instance.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

You live somewhere where it gets cold. Recommend you go for the SV or SL over the S, to get the more efficient heater and so, better range. As others said above, the battery capacity is the same. Also, the QC/6.6 kW charge package will get you refueled faster than the base 3.3 kW.

 

[Roadburner440]

I will say that if you are a calm, predictable driver I have found the GOM to be in the near ball park give or take 2-3 miles. Granted I do not drive the car down do the bottom anymore, but it can be a good tool. Conversely my wife drives like a maniac and yes, the car will say 60 something miles when she gets in, and it winds up going like 30. :lol: Until you get used to it I used this chart in the beginning, and still keep a copy in the car to this day: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=101293" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . I also have a LeafDD in the car, so I have a battery capacity percentage shown. That is standard in the new cars though, so not a problem for you. The LeafDD is still good for battery health (capacity) and such however. I also recommend at least getting the SV model. I would LOVE to have the 6kwh charger. That is honestly the only thing I don't like about my car.