Sunroof?

[rcyoder]

Has anybody put a sunroof on a Leaf yet?

Where in Southern California might you recommend?

 

[Skywagon]

I am considering one and will pick from a Webasto model. I have ran them in the past with great success.

 

[LakeLeaf]

I understand they are installing one in the LEAF that Southwest bought.

 

[derkraut]

I understand they are installing one in the LEAF that Southwest bought.

Good one, lakeleaf!!! :lol:

 

[DaveEV]

I understand they are installing one in the LEAF that Southwest bought.

Hah - if Nissan used aluminum for the roof of the car, that'd probably cut a decent amount of weight, though! Typically 25-50 lbs for a body panel that big...

 

[TomT]

I can count on one hand all the times I have ever used the sunroof on all my cars that have had it.
I, for one, am happy to save the weight and cost.

Has anybody put a sunroof on a Leaf yet?

 

[rcyoder]

I had a convertible and rarely drove it with the top up, so I'm sure I'd use the sunroof.

I am still debating between a manual pop-up (it would be lighter, use no power to open / close, and would take no headroom) and a power sunroof (it would look better and fit the whole 'luxury car' ethos.)

 

[garygid]

Caution:
Where are the antenna cables, and PV power wires routed?

 

[LKK]

I notice that the Volt doesn't offer a sun roof either. It seems to me a sunroof would work particularly well in an EV as it lessens the amount of time you have to run the A/C and thus reduces the battery consumption. But neither offer it, I wonder if the sunroof's weight or drag offsets this advantage.

 

[TomT]

Weight is the primary consideration. Plus, the roof has to be made stronger with a sunroof to meet rollover standard. Cost is another.

I'm not sure why a sunroof would be any more efficient at cooling that just cracking open a window or two, however... More often than not around here, it is hotter outside than in though, so you'd want to keep everything closed up under those circumstances regardless.

I notice that the Volt doesn't offer a sun roof either. It seems to me a sunroof would work particularly well in an EV as it lessens the amount of time you have to run the A/C and thus reduces the battery consumption. But neither offer it, I wonder if the sunroof's weight or drag offsets this advantage.

 

[GaslessInSeattle]

I was thinking the opposite, that it would increase solar retention and make it require more juice to keep cool. probably was left out for cost/weight.

g

I notice that the Volt doesn't offer a sun roof either. It seems to me a sunroof would work particularly well in an EV as it lessens the amount of time you have to run the A/C and thus reduces the battery consumption. But neither offer it, I wonder if the sunroof's weight or drag offsets this advantage.

 

[rcyoder]

Typically they claim that rolling down the windows increases drag more than you gain from the air flow, so I assume that they use the same argument for a sunroof. As is always the case in matters like this, the *real* answer is 'it depends'.

From How Stuff Works.Com, I found the following article:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/hybrid-technology/driving-with-windows-down1.htm

Some interesting facts in the article, but the bottom line seems to be if you're driving at < 40 mph, windows are probably your best bet and > 50 mph that the A/C is better.

I wish that the Leaf made it easier to say 'just blow outside air into the cabin and don't attempt to heat or cool it'. I want the fan, but I don't want to guess if it's trying to use the resistance heater (at least the A/C is a single button to turn off!)

 

[DaveEV]

Some interesting facts in the article, but the bottom line seems to be if you're driving at < 40 mph, windows are probably your best bet and > 50 mph that the A/C is better.

Those tests typically compare running the windows fully down - when you usually just want them open enough for sufficient airflow - so it's not quite as cut and dry as it seems.

 

[PatricioEV]

So.... no one yet? I really want a sunroof. I don't know any reason it would be difficult to do. It is just a car after all.

 

[aqn]

Hah - if Nissan used aluminum for the roof of the car, that'd probably cut a decent amount of weight, though! Typically 25-50 lbs for a body panel that big...

Don't forget the glass in the sunroof; that can't be light. Replacing a plain piece of steel (the front part of the roof) plus any OEM internal ribbings, with the sunroof's frame, cable and crank assembly, maybe a motor, and a sheet of glass maybe 3/16" thick... not sure if that's gonna be weight gained or lost. It'd be interesting to know for sure; I'm kinda thinking a sunroof adds weight...

 

[TomT]

That would likely make meeting roll over standards more difficult...

Hah - if Nissan used aluminum for the roof of the car, that'd probably cut a decent amount of weight, though! Typically 25-50 lbs for a body panel that big...

 

[Brightonuk]

sheet of glass maybe 3/16" thick

Are there not acrylic roofs?
As for the roll over I think that when you mod a car from the original specs eg. Tein Coilovers you are voiding any gov test results anyway.

And although impressed by that roll over numbers once the roof goes I do not hold out much confidence in that paper headliner doing much to cushion my head :lol:

 

[TomT]

You can do almost anything you want. The manufacturer can not.

As for the roll over I think that when you mod a car from the original specs eg. Tein Coilovers you are voiding any gov test results anyway.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Haven't looked at this year's model but in the past the hybrid version of the civic sacrificed the sunroof, with weight cited as the reason. Seems that a sunroof is a "deoptimization".

 

[Brightonuk]

TomT
Is is not 5am where you are