Nissan Leaf

[surfingslovak]

Yes, they hear "8 year warranty" as in the 8 year battery defect warranty all EVs have and assume it covers capacity (when it clearly doesn't if you look into the details).

True enough, and I passed this question along. As it is, there would be a 3-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, a 5-year battery capacity warranty, and an 8-year battery power output warranty. That's enough to make someone's head spin.

But now Nissan is offering a separate shorter 5 year/60k mile capacity warranty (to 66.24% capacity). My question is if people will assume that's the average case degradation of battery capacity (certainly the anti-EV people will try to make that point). If they came out with a capacity warranty that was the same length as the defect warranty (8 years/100k miles) I would have no question it won't be bad/detrimental in a PR sense, but of course they can't practically do that.

I understand this concern, but to be fair, not even some of the very public complaints from LEAF owners in Phoenix have really entered public consciousness. I doubt anyone will take note of these discrepancies and make a big deal out of it. I would have to agree that it's difficult for Nissan to offer a higher warranty threshold. They are likely bound by the cars they sold into hot climates. I think the Phoenix owners might ask a question or two about that at the town hall meeting next week.

As I mentioned, Nissan's case is special in that they had lots of bad press from the hot weather degradation issue, so any sort of capacity guarantee is likely better than nothing. But for other companies who have not had any sort of battery degradation issue (Tesla is an example, the Roadster has been out longer than the Leaf and there haven't been any sort of degradation issue), I question if announcing a separate shorter capacity warranty will do any good. It may be better to let people assume that the typical 8 year/100k mile warranty already covers it.

Yes, Nissan stands to benefit from a change of public perception. But other manufacturers will too. Battery degradation is something that will concern every new EV owner. Having some assurances, and minimum range expectations to go by, will help to decide which battery pack size to get, and what use cases to consider. For example, a Model S owner, who has purchased the vehicle to take advantage of the super charging network for long-distance travel will benefit from the assurance that he or she can rely on this use case to work, when the battery has aged a bit and lost some capacity. Given the competitive nature of the industry, we can expect this type of coverage to proliferate. I think that it will be important until the technology has improved to a point, where range loss over time will become immaterial.

 

[strider]

Yes, Nissan stands to benefit from a change of public perception. But other manufacturers will too. Battery degradation is something that will concern every new EV owner. Having some assurances, and minimum range expectations to go by, will help to decide which battery pack size to get, and what use cases to consider. For example, a Model S owner, who has purchased the vehicle to take advantage of the super charging network for long-distance travel will benefit from the assurance that he or she can rely on this use case to work, when the battery has aged a bit and lost some capacity. Given the competitive nature of the industry, we can expect this type of coverage to proliferate. I think that it will be important until the technology has improved to a point, where range loss over time will become immaterial.

But the legal and cost implications of doing this for a company like Tesla could easily bankrupt the company. They would have to hold funds back to settle any warranty claims at a time when they need all of the cash they can generate to build the company. The bottom line is that as long as orders keep flowing in then it would be foolish for Tesla to do this. If orders drop and potential customers site this as a problem then they can look into it. Otherwise they'll have a small bunch of Roadster owners and a growing bunch of Model S owners reporting their degradation rates as the cars age and customers can vote with their wallet.

Obviously the other option is to lease like BMW and some others have chosen.

 

[montgom626]

Fuse diagram for LEAF

Does anyone have a graphic indicating what fuses in the Leaf do what? What fuse controls the A/C, which fuse odes radio, etc. I looked in the online owners manual, and found no such diagram.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TEG]

(The fuse #s are on that diagram.
you may have to right click on the image to view/ zoom in.)

You could ask other specific questions here:
Nissan repair questions? Ask a mechanic for answers ASAP

 

[montgom626]

View attachment 13896
(The fuse #s are on that diagram.
you may have to right click on the image to view/ zoom in.)

You could ask other specific questions here:
Nissan repair questions? Ask a mechanic for answers ASAP

Where did you get this great diagram???

 

[TEG]

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/wiki/images/e/e3/Nissan_LEAF_Power_Supply_Routing_Circuit.gif

 

[domenick]

Details about the 2013 LEAF are now public. Less expensive S model in addition to SV and SL (no pricing yet). Aerodynamic tweaks and stronger regen option gives increases range (by unspecified amount), optional 6.6 kW charger, leather seats, more space in rear cargo area (charger is now under the hood). And more...

 

[TEG]

2013 Nissan LEAF Model Overview - SF BayLEAFs

- - - Updated - - -

http://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/...-leaf/presskits/us-2013-nissan-leaf-press-kit

 

[FalconNinetyD]

Nissan’s In Hot Water With Leaf Owners In Hot-Ass Arizona

 

[TEG]

I heard that there will be a pricing anouncement on Monday with details for the 2013 model.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I heard that there will be a pricing anouncement on Monday with details for the 2013 model.

$28,800 for the stripped down "S" LEAF for 2013.

 

[TEG]

2013 Nissan LEAF Press Kit - LEAF - Nissan Online Newsroom

NISSAN BRINGS NEW, U.S.-ASSEMBLED 2013 LEAF TO MARKET WITH MAJOR PRICE REDUCTION

-Addition of a new LEAF S trim level lowers entry price by more than $6,000, or 18 percent
-Available federal and state incentives can bring price down to less than $19,000
-Improved energy efficiency, faster charging times and greater customer choice headline 2013 model year improvements

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (Jan. 14, 2013) – Nissan has announced that U.S. pricing for the new 2013 Nissan LEAF will start at an MSRP of $28,800 for the newly-added S grade, making it the lowest priced five-passenger electric vehicle sold in the United States. Depending on location, some consumers may purchase the vehicle for as low as $18,800 with qualifying federal and state tax credits, putting the LEAF on par with gas-powered vehicles of its size.

Nissan’s objective for the LEAF has always been to produce an affordable zero-emission vehicle for the mass market, and the 2013 LEAF is a prime example of that commitment with increased value at every trim level, making it more accessible for more people.

“With nearly 50,000 LEAFs on the road globally, we are the leaders in zero emissions vehicles and our class-leading product just got better,” said Billy Hayes, Global vice president of LEAF sales for Nissan. “From the very outset, Nissan has continuously advanced and refined the affordable zero emissions vehicle ownership experience. Now customers won't have to pay a premium for owning a green car that's really fun to drive, and that's exciting.”

Nissan recently began U.S. assembly of the 2013 Nissan LEAF at its manufacturing plant in Smyrna, Tenn., a localization initiative that further drives efficiencies by leveraging already-existing equipment and processes while also reducing exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency. The battery packs that power LEAF are built in an adjacent facility in Smyrna while the vehicle’s electric motor comes from Nissan’s powertrain plant in Decherd, Tenn., further supporting efficient manufacturing.

Eligible consumers can take advantage of a $7,500 federal tax credit, and some states and municipalities offer additional incentives. For example, California residents can get a 2013 Nissan LEAF for as low as $18,800 after the federal tax credit and state rebate of $2,500.

Nissan will also continue its lease offer for the 2013 LEAF, allowing consumers to lease the electric vehicle for as low as $199 per month for 36 months, which includes tax credits and destination charges.

Additions to the 2013 LEAF include: 17-inch alloy wheels and leather appointed interior on SL models, available Around View® Monitor and 7-speaker Bose® energy efficient audio system and a 6.6 kW onboard charger that significantly reduces 220V charging times and is standard on SV and SL models.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices* (MSRP) for the 2013 Nissan LEAF:
Model - MSRP*
LEAF S - $28,800 USD
LEAF SV - $31,820 USD
LEAF SL - $34,840 USD

 

[JRP3]

That's a nice price drop, but I would have preferred something like a $4,000 price drop and $2,000 worth of additional batteries. Interested to see what range increase the various "tweaks" delivered.

 

[TEG]

Apparently the range improvement is very modest unless you are in an area with somewhat cold weather which had you using the heater frequently.

Also, it seems that answer to the "range problem" will be more CHAdeMO. They have promised this repeatedly, but I think they may finally be getting serious about getting them to dealerships.

One nice thing about getting more QCs (instead of more battery) is that it helps the existing 2011/2012 customers too, not just new customers.

 

[JRP3]

LEAF town hall meeting

 

[TEG]

 

[JRP3]

Great piece.

 

[montgom626]

Nice post!

 

[fengshui]

Anyone heard about changes to the existing very-inexpensive lease program for the 2013 model?

 

[dpeilow]

Jonathan Ross the chat show host has been a well known EV advocate for a number of years. Now I see he's infected his brother

Someone at the BBC gets it...


If you liked that.