Nissan Leaf

[TEG]

Yep
http://avt.inel.gov/pdf/fsev/eva/toyrav96.pdf

Standard Features:
Air Conditioning (Heat Pump)
Heating (Heat Pump)
...

The RangerEV uses resistive heating.
(Perhaps that is partly why they cost 1/2 the price of the RAV4EV on the used market! )
Being in California, I basically never use the heater in mine, so it is somewhat of a moot point in warm climates.

 

[EVNow]

Should've used a heat pump.

Yes - one of the compromises to ship, I guess. It will take time to develop a supplier for the heat pump.

 

[Young]

One more nice item to have is the heated windshield (HWS). The windshield in RAV4-EV has resistive heating film on it.
Very fast and effective during damp season. I rarely use the heat pump. I usually use the HWS and heater in my seat in winter.

Young

 

[PaulM]

The EV1 also had a heat-pump. The leaf uses a coolant loop with a small tank, similar to a residential hot water heater. Perhaps they plan on eventually offering a fuel fires water heater such as: http://www.espar.com/html/products/technology_coolant.html

The Volvo C30 electric has one. (ethanol)

 

[dpeilow]

Good review in the NY Times:

Feeling Empowered for One Oil-Free Weekend

 

[EVNow]

The EV1 also had a heat-pump. The leaf uses a coolant loop with a small tank, similar to a residential hot water heater. Perhaps they plan on eventually offering a fuel fires water heater such as: http://www.espar.com/html/products/technology_coolant.html

The Volvo C30 electric has one. (ethanol)

The problem with fossil fuel powered heater is that then Leaf would lose the "zero emission" tag. I doubt they will ever do that.

 

[PaulM]

The problem with fossil fuel powered heater is that then Leaf would lose the "zero emission" tag. I doubt they will ever do that.

I agree, just wondering about the reasoning behind using coolant instead of an electric ceramic heater which would have been simpler to implement and would heat-up quicker.

 

[AndrewBissell]

Maybe so it's easy to upgrade to a heat pump later.

 

[donauker]

I agree, just wondering about the reasoning behind using coolant instead of an electric ceramic heater which would have been simpler to implement and would heat-up quicker.

Depending on capacity, preheat from grid power would give you a bit of stored heat.

 

[JRP3]

It also allows you to use existing dash and heater core structure and just plumb into that without a redesign. That's what I used in my car so I didn't have to tear into the dash.

 

[Kipernicus]

From the NYTimes slide show, it is interesting that it sort of looks like an engine block. Contrast with Tesla's approach which doesn't look at all like a conventional engine.

Leaf slide show

The People’s Electric, Ready to Claim Power

I was able to take short trips and confidently return home. A 40-mile trip to the airport, however, used up more than 50 miles of battery capacity — leaving too little predicted range to chance driving back home. The car had to be left for a delivery service to pick up, and I found another way home. A lesson learned.

Nissan’s determination to keep the price within reach — the lithium-ion battery pack is a major part of the car’s cost — was one factor in the Leaf’s modest range. Building in a battery pack big enough to drive 245 miles on a charge helps push the price of the two-seat Tesla Roadster past $100,000.

 

[Iz]

it is interesting that it sort of looks like an engine block.

It is possible the Leaf was not designed as an EV from the ground up. Looking at that photo and not knowing, one would think there are valves under that cover.

 

[TEG]

That "fake valve cover" did slightly raise some eyebrows when first unveiled.
Whatever the motivation, Nissan responded that they wanted to make the car look "familiar" under the hood.

Basically the Leaf set out to be something that offers as few surprises as possible (other than the fact that it doesn't burn any fuel) for people "transitioning" from "legacy vehicles".

 

[dpeilow]

Also the mechanics like it - I was told by the techs at the dealer I went to on Friday that they were really looking forward to working on the new car.

 

[JRP3]

Hopefully they'll have a long wait, there should be nothing to do.

 

[JRP3]

It is possible the Leaf was not designed as an EV from the ground up. Looking at that photo and not knowing, one would think there are valves under that cover.

It definitely was not a ground up EV, it's basically a converted Versa I think. I wonder if they used stock valve cover stampings to house EV components to keep costs down?

 

[qwk]

I wonder if they used stock valve cover stampings to house EV components to keep costs down?

It sure looks that way.

 

[EVNow]

That "fake valve cover" did slightly raise some eyebrows when first unveiled.
Whatever the motivation, Nissan responded that they wanted to make the car look "familiar" under the hood.

Basically the Leaf set out to be something that offers as few surprises as possible (other than the fact that it doesn't burn any fuel) for people "transitioning" from "legacy vehicles".

Yes - everyone from Nissan repeats that. I thought that was lame.

I think they got instructions from the Boss to make it as easy to transition from ICE as possible - afterall they want to seel 500K of them per year. The designers took that directive to heart ...

They have spent 5 Billion Euros. I don't think they spent that to "convert" Versa. Versa is a sub-compact. Leaf is mid-size. But they have designed it so that Leaf can be manufactured on the same assembly line as their smaller ICE vehicles (Juke and such).

 

[TEG]

Also the mechanics like it - I was told by the techs at the dealer I went to on Friday that they were really looking forward to working on the new car.

Or, like the bored US "Maytag repairman" commercials, they may find there is nothing to work on.

 

[JRP3]

They have spent 5 Billion Euros. I don't think they spent that to "convert" Versa. Versa is a sub-compact. Leaf is mid-size. But they have designed it so that Leaf can be manufactured on the same assembly line as their smaller ICE vehicles (Juke and such).

They didn't come up with a very efficient platform for all the cash they spent.