Purchased a 2022 LEAF 40 kWh back in April, now with 3,600 miles. Nissan gifted me a $250 gift card for EVGO & ChargePoint recharging networks. Plus, I had a Level Two charger installed in my house.
@@beepthesheep867 Extremely helpful comment! Might get a leaf myself soon for my daily commute. Interesting how you put the longevity into perspective like that.
@@beepthesheep867 That's pretty assuring to read, this car purchase (once I've saved up for it) would technically be my first car. Seeing that it's served well under heavy loads/driving and frequent rapid charging for you is all the more reason for me to buy it. I live in a city, and we already have another gas car incase we need it, so seeing that it's an extremely reliable car given its short range is great. I was going to buy a corolla (2003-2008 NA), but the Leaf seems simpler with less points of failure, cheaper to refuel, safer, and just right for my city commuting. Plus, it may also only cost me $2,000-$6,000 to buy after the US's Federal Used EV rebate, opposed to a corolla with a lot of *potential* problems and higher sale price. My only goal is to save as much money as I can while affording a commuter car, this fits the bill. Btw, what year of Nissan Leaf do you have?
@@beepthesheep867 Hahaha yeah, I've read that the Leaf is the best practical and cheap EV to buy right now too. I've heard people say it's the EV you buy when you don't care about flexing that you have one lol
THis video was necessary for someone that had never driven an EV to watch. Otherwise they may buy the Leaf thinking they had a bargain. But the air cooled battery is a major flaw. You are absolutely right. Around town only. Even the big battery, has the same issue. But I love my Leaf.
@@theshipmasterbanished3902 I am sorry if your Leaf did not live up to your needs. I have always had two cars, so the limited range has never been a problem for me. I hope you can grow to love driving your car. But, if not. You should be able to sell it now for a profit in today's market.
Wow! Thanks for this. Here in Hong Kong, we won't be exposed to long road trips, so the Nissan Leaf and other EVs with small battery packs are very useful here. My friend will be purchasing 4 Leafs this year for his company, which will use them as general runarounds to replace the ICE fleet. In the summer, it can get as hot as Florida but I shouldn't expect there will be too much difficulty with charging at work.
I feel your pain. The Leaf is a great around town car. No doubt about it. I used mine for commuting for years. 2011 SL. The 300th made. My range was only 80 miles, but I was on the cutting edge. After 11 years, my SOH of the battery was 46%. I could only get about 39 miles on the GOM. So I traded it in. Went with a Ford Fusion Energi PHEV. I can still buzz around town on the electric, my range is about 27 or so, but then, I can go to hybrid mode and drive another 585 miles on the road to visit my Dad. Thank you for posting your adventure…it was fun to go with you.
We have a 2014 24kWh Leaf. Short range, but no rapidgateing, the hotter it gets the faster it charges. When in the red it charges at 45-50 kW all the way to 80%. Great car, but still best for around town driveing.
Hey, thanks a lot for this video, it was very informative. I have the same exact leaf in black too and has experience similar issues. Luckily I live in Jamaica which is an island so I don't travel those lengths. I've done 2 rapid charges in a day n that was the most ever 😅. Getting ready to go to the north coast, and that's about 170km/ 111.22 miles round trip. That's not even half your trip. You're definitely right though round town trips, island nations perfect!
It's pretty well known that this particular car is not a road-trip car. The small battery and thermal management prevent this. I own the S Plus with the bigger battery and did a trip from Portland to Victoria Canada with no trouble. Basically on a road trip, plan to not do more than one fast charge per day. My car can do about 245 miles in ideal conditions (better than EPA estimate). On a multi-day trip, a good plan would be: start at 100%, drive down to 10-15%, fast charge to 85%, drive down to 10-15% again, overnight charge on a level 2 to 100% and then repeat. In this scenario you should be able to easily go about 420 miles per day. Not amazing but makes a longer trip doable. Many hotels now have Level 2 charging available so the overnight charge is a better option and the battery is full by morning.
Great video and excellent advice. However as an experienced Nissan Leaf driver, I say 'Horses for courses'. You wouldn't run the Kentucky Derby on a mule, but this is the motoring equivalent of what you have done in your 40kWh Leaf. The selling dealership really should have educated you with this information prior to your purchase. I run a 62kWh Leaf and have not ever experienced Rapidgate. But then I live in a cooler climate than you do. I rarely have to public charge. 90% of my journeys are less than 200 miles, so I can complete them without a top-up charge. In 2021 I had a 1,700 mile road trip planned. The horse I chose for that course was a diesel van, so I left the Leaf at home 👍
Great video, we had a 2018 40 leaf for 3 years(UK) and went through this pain many times. Like you say, wife loved the car generally but hated me and it for the long trips!
i do have exactly same car and same point with you. i live in vancouver BC, in Dec 2020, we drive road trip to kelowna, we almost stuck -40 at the top of the mountain with the power drain out. luckly we have hot water bottle to warm up the chademo charger, then we back the road. but still taking way long time back home.
40Kw is fine in the UK for long journeys as long as you dont intend to come back same day and can fully recharge at your destination. Mine was rapid charged 3 times one day, and it slowed to a crawl 5 miles from home after motorway running!
Great video, thanks for taking one for the team. Sounds like if you need to fast charge more than twice to reach your destination and back it's definitely not for the Leaf. Still, two fast charges is the whole state and maybe the next one over for the plus models.
So, manufacturers recommend only charging to 80% and not letting the battery fall bellow 20%. All this stopping to charge every 60 miles, the fun checking the gauges, all that fun and novelty will wear out pretty rapidly. Forget that, what a PIA. It must have felt like an early pioneer on the Oregon Trail. Thanks though for a nicely made report. The extreme heat problem was unexpected, I wondered if you had to forego the use of the air-con. I’d like to see the similar journey made in mid winter.
Great question. As a matter of fact, yes. I turned off the AC for part of the trip to try to reduce battery drain. I would cycle it on and off to keep from roasting. Also, after the battery started getting hot I tried to drive 65 or less which is dangerous on I95 as most people are going 80 or better.
Yes, the 62kwh would be better for trips. I like the 40 for what it is. I know many people are starting to look for used electric cars. This is actually the second one I have had. Thanks for commenting.
There's a company in Portland Oregon that is putting new batteries in the older models but by the time you factor in the price you might as well just buy a 2018 and or above.
In one sense he's right in another he's wrong. When I purchased my 2014 Leaf I did my due diligence. I was told I couldn't do any long distance driving. One of the things I learned was it takes 1 to 4 hours to charge. Ok. Got it. Then the adventure started. I carefully planned my my excursion. In 2016 I got charging apps for stations along I-5. I got a plug in home charging station, so I could carry it with me. I discovered that in some areas I would have to charge at RV parks. Then I set about what I was told I couldn't do. Yes, there were some close calls and long charges, but I made it all the way from Portland Oregon to Hanford California and back again. It was a real challenge. For those who prefer convenience and have time constraints I don't recommend electric. For those who like to take their time, smell the roses and have an adventure you might try it. If you charge at home and just drive around town, an inexpensive used Leaf may be good. If you're not up for the adventure don't.
I loved driving my 2018 40kw Leaf, but yeah long trips are not pleasant. The winter temps can make the range scary too. I have a 100 to 110 round trip commute to work depending on the route and sometimes need to charge before getting home.
I have French relative of this car - 2019 41kWh Renault Zoe. It does not have any DC fast charge, but it can charge up to 22kW AC (230V 32A 3 phase type 2). Full charge in about 2.5h It has an air cooled battery, but from air chilled by AC, and it will actively cool the battery when it hits the thermal limit. It can do 200km at 110km/h without a problem, 300km when I do not go over 80km/h. My daily commute is 120km and it is perfect for that route. I charge it at home at modest 11kW and it will recharge my commute in 2 hours.
I have a 62Kw leaf. The thing I’ve found in the UK is that not all type 2 connectors are the same. Some have a max of 7.8kw others can have max rate of 43kw.
The LEAF can only charge at 6.6 kw, it is limited by the onboard charger when plugged into level 2 AC charger. It might be different in Europe but in North America that is it. I also have a 40 kWh LEAF and I find you get to your destination faster when you drive slower, if it is safe to do I try to limit my speed to 90 km/h. The other thing I found helpful on multiple charge days is to try to charge when it drops to around 20% and charge to 70% or so. Fast charging at high speed chargers above 70% just seems to accelerate the temperature rise. No matter what I do it is not going to be a convenient long range trip car.
I don't think a new leaf is worth buying anymore, you can get a bolt for $7000 less that the leaf with the bigger battery and the bolt has more range. I may get a cheap used leaf if you wanted an in town run around car that uses no gas and can charge at home. Maybe when someone has a good 2nd car for weekends and long trips, or it's just a big truck or suv you don't need often. But buying new get the bolt.
A guy in the uk did similar. He discovered if you switch off for 5 mins before charging,charge,unplug,wait 5 again before driving solves all this trouble not ideal i know but better than killing off your car. Cant remember video title sorry.
Not even that hot outside compared to the summer here in Central Texas. I didn't know it was this bad. We have a Mach-E so I thought a newer Leaf might not be too bad as a 2nd car but maybe it would be not good after all.
@@JimBronson Yes, it could have been much hotter. I dive a Leaf at work now and it is a good little commuter. More than a couple fast charges and it’s almost useless. Also, Chademo is on its way out which could present an issue.
the bolt is also bad at fast charging but has cooling and it only costs 26k. the kona and niro cost more but both have actual 77kw fast charging. thats 10-80% in 40 minutes on a 100kw fast charger. i wouldnt want any slower charging. kind of insane the battery pack cant stay cool with air cooling at highway speeds. its not like you're in the Sahara.
You are really slow most electric car owners are charging at home not eating outside waiting like how you wait at a pissy gas station those people are the ones that are flexing their EV stop hating you should hope more and more people drive EV cars then your gas will possibly become cheaper??? Ever consider that probably not critical thinking 🤔 or common sense has almost disappeared nowadays
There's a lot i don't like about the Leaf. I was really excited about the Leaf when GM lost the tax credit, but when I started digging into the specifications and comparing it to the Bolt, I realized the Bolt may actually be worth the extra money... and then GM slashed the price on the 2023 Bolt... and then they brought back the tax credit on the Bolt too. The Leaf just doesn't compete with the Bolt at current prices.
Also, no judgement, but I laughed out loud when you mentioned you're taking off from West Virginia. WV is the one state in the US where gasoline may actually be cleaner than electric right now. Not criticizing you for choosing EV necessarily, as the convenience of charging at home matters, and the EV is really only VERY slightly dirtier than coal-fired electricity. Maybe WV's non-coal energy production will mature and change the math. Edit: And, for all i know, you may have solar panels on the roof to help with charging.
It is true with the 62Kwh but also no cooling so, will face the same problem than George. I love my Nissan Leaf, it is so plaisant to drive but with its limits.
just the video I have been looking for living in FL around the Tampa area was always wondering how the air cooled batteries would work. After owning your leaf would have have purchased the car again knowing what you know now ?
As long as I was not using this car for 1. Long trips over 300 miles and 2. I had a regular gas car available sure, I would purchase one again if it was inexpensive enough. ... If Nissan would have marketed the Leaf as a great little commuter vehicle they would have been right on the money. Due to WV having 0 level 3 chargers and need to go long distances frequently I have now sold the car and went back to gas. A new video on that coming soon! Thanks for the question!
I was seriously considering leasing one of these but there’s such a large barrier to entry. Purchasing and installing a level 2 charger by an electrician costs a lot of money, you have to have full-coverage insurance, and the range is pathetic on the base S model. I’ll wait for tax returns and purchase a cheap used Toyota instead and save the money and headache. Although I’m sure there will be some headache maintaining any used gas vehicle.
The advice I would give him is to wait until it gets dark out and cools off a bit to start the trip and then only cruise at 55 which that might have been what he was doing in the first place. Cruising at 55 would help to reduce heat buildup on the battery and not make it build up heat so quickly and would hopefully help to improve charging but then again down in that area. Who knows if it would cool off enough to really help cool off the battery when driving along at slow highway speeds. I would figure a temperature of 70° f would be something preferable but even Tesla Bjorn in a newer Nissan leaf. I forget if it was the big battery or the 40 KW somehow managed to cause the car to rapid gate when doing his 1000 km or 630 mile challenge over in Norway. So even in winter driving the car will still get hot if you do. Too much rapid charging. Although I do believe he managed to successfully pull some temperature off of the battery by slowing down and only cruising at 55 mph instead of doing 65 or 70 or even 75 mph. So the slower cruising speed helps to in warm weather, reduce the buildup of heat and the battery will cruising down the road. Maybe even pull some heat out of the battery if the outside temperature is cool enough also The first gen Nissan leafs the 24 kW Nissan leafs did not seem to do this. I don't know if they just had enough air flow over the battery to keep them from getting too hot or if they did, just not software protect themselves when the batteries would get up to the higher temperatures and they would continue to let the batteries charge at the higher speeds. Realistically, a 24 KW hour Nissan leaf could do this trip faster, assuming that you had enough chargers close enough to each other to be able to get from one charger to the other, but the 24 KWs never rapidgated. I don't think rapagating was really a thing for the 30 kW batteries or maybe it was.
I am sure he also bought a filter coffee machine and complained that the espresso it makes is rubbish. Everyone should know that you can't fast charge a Leaf, it is just not designed for road trips.
My point exactly. Many people are just getting into electric vehicles and know nothing about them and have no way of knowing they don’t fast charge well or that it’s not designed for road trips…..BTW, thanks for the coffee making tips. I knew my expresso tasted weird….. lol
Does it have the new software update which lets you charge faster even if the battery is hotter? They somwhow mad it better und you have less rapidgaing.
I don’t think that the leaf has ever been intended for traveling. It is a run about car. Errands around town, commute… say 30 miles per day (American average) or more if you can charge at work . I colleague sold his when one day he was called back home for an emergency and realized he could not make it: he had to leave the car and take a Uber. His commute was just a bit too long that he HAD to recharge at work. Another leaf user was super happy because he was able to ONLY recharge at work, for free.
Yes that is what I do with my 24 kwh leaf. I have taken it 100 miles. No problem with temp as much as the 40kwh. I got it for 12998 at car max in 2015. It is good he did it before wytheville chargers were removed.
Hey how are you doing? I was watching your video and I see you are from my area. I grew up in Tazewell Co VA. I have a question. I currently own a Tesla model S and my wife has a gas SUV. We'll I want to have an extra vehicle at the house. I have been looking at a used Leaf 2013 the range is 60 to 65 miles. What is the head room in the vehicle. You look like you had plenty of room. I am about you size but I am 6'5.
Hyundai Ioniq 28 kWh is lower priced than the Leaf, but is more efficient. The consumption would have been around 7 mi/kWh. The car charges faster, up to 60 kW, or 2C, that means full battery in 30 min. The battery is air-cooled and can resist overheating better. I assume that this journey would have gone better with an Ioniq.
I am thinking about a 2016/17 leaf with 27 or 30KWh for short trips to school and back, I guess it will have the same issue with overheating if long trip done
If you are looking for a short trip car these do very well. I have never owned or driven the 16/17 model so I can’t say first hand how you would do on a long get trip. The 30 kWh would require more charging on a longer trip due to the battery size.
@@Reviewsdiversified yeah, I myself hate driving so for me it wont be an issue to avoid long trips and the school is a 18 mile round trip, so if it can do 3mile/KW and a used have around 20KW left it can come in around 60 mile per full charge. At least that is my estimate. Althoguh cause in Scotland it rains a lot cars rust a lot it might be better idea to buy a younger model then the absolute oldest/cheapest 2011/12, that is why considering 15 and up
Unless the car wash directs water to underside then no. Even then, the splash guards minimise most of the water contact with battery case. I wish someone would test it tho. Just to disprove
Leaf is cheap city commuter car it is not designed for long distances or motorways. I use Leaf to get kids to/from school, for longer trips i have diesel. The longest trip i did with my 2022 Leaf 40kwh was a 100km one way :). For 600miles i would not by 60kwh Leaf, I would buy something with else like Ioniq, Kia EV6, Kona, Tesla which can charge fast and has battery cooling. The best thing about Leaf is its price, nothing else.
Yes Sir. It has the software update. The update helps on minimal fast charges but on a longer ride it heats up and slows way down as the battery heats.
Indeed, this is the big defect of the 40kwh the leaf e+ (62) is less impacted by this problem, especially by its distance longer than the 40 and therefore less recharging to be carried out
Just curious how would you go about hotwiring one these puppies? I saw this bad boy in my university parking lot and I'm thinkin about swappin in a 450 HP inline 4 cylinder v8 engine and pullin some chicks at the drag strip. If you could hook a brotha up with that tutorial that would be swell.
@george Whittaker II I am sorry for the personal question, but I remember faces very well. I watched the video because of the Leaf info, but I kept on thinking I know your face from somewhere. Have you by chance been at Concord University around 2002 -2006? Thanks
I’m torn on the leaf. Can buy and install a 62kw.hr battery for under $AU$10k. Newer battery chemistry from CATL factory. Still has the issue of heat and power in-out restrictions I’m curious if anyone has tried modifying the air ducting to blow air conditioned air through the battery case. The specific heat capacity of air is much less than liquid. It would require large air volumes just to achieve some cooling
@@mikes2797 I saw on video blowing air over the disconnect port from the cabin, not through the battery case. Haven’t found one blowing air through the case.
Am i doing the math right? Are you getting about 50 miles for $4-5? If thats right I dont think I want to go electric. My 97 honda civic still gets 35-40mpg. So $3-4 in gas.
Public chargers are expensive. Normally ev chargers charge at home. Often using free excess solar or the very cheap post midnight rates. Agree tho. Until ev’s are economically an obvious win, ppl won’t buy them. For some use cases it’s an easy choice to go ev
Damn I live in Las Vegas, and was thinking of getting a used 2018 Leaf to make delivery's and do Lyft or Uber driving at night, but in the summertime it can run over 76 degress for 10 hours at night from late June until late August,
40kWh, not 40kW. I have 62kWh SL plus. Long trip is okay, not great, but okay if you know what you are doing. The key is not to let the battery heat up too much.
Interesting story. So how do you go I wonder if you drive to 'chilly New York', or drive at night. Basically wondering the extent to which this is a tropics problem, or retained heat not being released from a hot running battery. The irony is that these batteries can't get too cool either.
Hi George i noticed on your second charge in the place with the McDonald's nextdoor you temp said about 75deg F and your charge speed has almost halved is this down to outside temp only or because your battery was so low
I returned my 2022 leaf within the 3 day period and 100 miles the dealership offered. The Phoenix heat gave me 50m with conservative driving and the charging was so slow. Phoenix is huge and I had to drive a total of 90m that day. I ended up picking up a used BMW i3 REX and it is excellent for range in comparison even with the smaller battery. Active cooling does wonders.
@ George, Pascal from France. Like you I'm the owner of a nissan leaf 40Kw. So, what you said and experienced is true life with this car. On my side, in spite off it is a great confortable car, I only use it for shopping, errands, commuting, or small trips 110 kms (68 miles) one way, sometimes father when I'm sure to have a charger (yep in France we are not so well served with fast chargers and often down). Anyway, fast charging is OK one time or two, after it becomes very bad for the battery pack. It is the batterry pack under rear seats that overheat. It is a pitty they didn't implant a cooling for that new generation. The new modele Ariya is equippied with the battery cooling. Also, I have solar panels (5.5kwp) on the roofs and inverter plus battery packs, so I can slow charge (3.6Kwh) my car with. Most interest is the overall cost with the mix PVs and Grid after 20,000 kms (12,500miles) and two years long is only ONE buck per 100kms(62.5miles). It would be 3.50 bucks if only grid. So very interesting to go around even for small trips (I live in small hamlets, so the driving, is around 15/25 miles, to get in small towns). Also the cost for annual maintenance is around 100 bucks except tires, wipers. I've never drove the car for very long journey because this overheating problem you've well exposed and chargers not available or in maintenance in my poor country. For longer trips, I drive an Diesel ICE. Now, I don't know if my next EV will be a Nissan because chineese ones are cheaper for better results. Thanks a lot for your test and painfull trip, you did good. At least people won't be mislead by adds but as I said it is a great well constructed car but do with what it can do.
I agree totally. It is a well constructed car but you have to know what it is built for…. In my state we have 0 level three chargers. Looks like I will be switching back to gas in the short term. Thanks for the comments. Great to hear from France! Have a good evening.
@@Reviewsdiversified My pleasure to explain the limits of EV, matching what you experienced. Maybe in the future it will be better with battery technology improving. Understand why you're thinking about going back to ICE , as I said I've one on the side for long journey or cold weather. Have good day.
@@littlefishy6316 I agree with you, it is not fair from car makers. The main problem is the WLTP Regulations (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure) which is not adapted to EV neither ICE by the way. They use rules which are not applicable in the real life. But with all information we can gather from everywhere, we know that the EV real range is 20% less and far less in winter. The same with ICE, it depends how, when, where, what season your drive. Adds are done to sell, not to say the truth.
Connect up a OBD2 dongle to the Leaf and use Car Scanner or Leaf Spy Pro to see the 'real' usable battery capacity when buying one of these. New, the capacity should be 36kWh. Used, expect about 2% degradation per year. A 2018 Leaf in 2023 will probably have a capacity of around 32kWh. That gives you a range of between 97 (winter) - 130 (summer) miles. Do not buy a Leaf if you live somewhere with extreme high / low temperatures as the battery will degrade faster.
I had a Nissan LEAF 2017 30kWh car for about two years. Great in-town car, and agree for longer road trips it would be a pain... it has about a 100-mile range... Then I upgraded to a 200+ mile range EV that does have liquid-cooled battery. much less range anxiety now...
Interesting little car I guess I'll probably have to do at least one road trip with this car so the battery that doesn't cool very well it certainly an issue at least it's not something that I'll have to deal with often and with the gas that I'll save on the long road trip I guess I can pay for a one-night stay at a hotel
The 40kWh is a great car for local commuting. Journeys longer than 350 miles will be a challenge. On longer journeys the best strategy is to level 2 charge to 100% before commencing the journey. Drive no faster than 65mph and don't go below 40% SoC. Charge to 90% and stick to D, don't use B mode.
Britain is about 600 miles in distance from one end to the other, so this is the most extreme test you could possibly imagine in the UK. That's why the Leaf is so popular in the UK, along with the temperate (i.e. miserable, cold, wet) climate which helps to preserve battery life. :)
i have a 30kWh Leaf and driving it at 90kmh, the frist stop will either be a bit too cold or optimal, second will be optimal, third will be slightly reduced but ok. i actually did a drive with 5 stops and it was still charging at 28kW at the last one. so the 40kWh Leaf is effectively worse at long trips than the 30kWh Leaf. but it really takes a car with robust cooling to do regular long trips. 50kW charging wouldn't be all that bad if the car actually averaged around 45kW and didn't drop the speed.
They should've called the Leaf 'Nissan CityEV' and it would shed a lot of the negativity around the car. I've had one since 2018, put 40k miles on it, used a fast charger maybe 4 or 5 times. Have a gas SUV our family uses for road trips.
I like Nissan LEAF 2nd generation but only in plus versions with 62 kW batteries. However, living in Pacific North West, we bought a PHEV for long trips and in-town pure EV trips. Except Pacific, Atlantic coasts, Southern belt from Florida to California I would not trust even Teslas for long trips.
That's where Nissan went incredibly cheap...thermal management for the high voltage battery. While most manufacturers have a separate cooling system or at least draw in cabin air to the cool the battery, Nissan opted to cool it by having outside air pass over the exterior battery casing. The problem is magnified by increasing the battery's capacity...it generates more heat. That was a full stop for me as I live in Florida and heat will seriously degrade the life of the battery.
L1 EVSE charger using the unit that came in the bag on the trunk from a normal power outlet lets me charge even from my apartment parking lot using a 12-3 outdoor extension cord 50ft into the EVSE so I can reach many different parking space from my ground level unit // its 2-5 mi of charge per hour for slow trickle overnight charging after I get home from work // no need for L2 or L3 charging when its parked from 6pm till 5am the next day // like you said, ideal for commuting locally or short trips where a gasoline vehicle never even warms up all the way & gets worst case in city fuel economy //
I was thinking about purchasing a used 2019 Nissan Leaf with the 40 kWh battery. I plan using it for commuting to work which is approximately 70 miles round trip. Is the 140 miles range accurate? Or will I be cutting it close?
Another question. I’m shopping around for a Leaf SV and one is a 2019 with 30k miles. The other is a 2020 with 18k miles. The 2020 is about $2k more. Do you think the 2019 is just as good as the 2020?
I never road-trip my Leaf. Level 2 charger in the garage.... no worries. Love it.
Ya idk who would drive an ev on a road trip, get a rental that 1 week a year. Or use your old gas powered vehicle.
@@damintten I regularly Drive my BEV und Long Distance trips. Non-issue. #tesla #supercharger
Purchased a 2022 LEAF 40 kWh back in April, now with 3,600 miles. Nissan gifted me a $250 gift card for EVGO & ChargePoint recharging networks. Plus, I had a Level Two charger installed in my house.
I have a 2018 LEAF, just hit 96,000 miles.....great car!
How's the battery degeneration? I'm looking at getting one with 93k miles on the clock
@@beepthesheep867 Extremely helpful comment! Might get a leaf myself soon for my daily commute. Interesting how you put the longevity into perspective like that.
@@beepthesheep867 That's pretty assuring to read, this car purchase (once I've saved up for it) would technically be my first car. Seeing that it's served well under heavy loads/driving and frequent rapid charging for you is all the more reason for me to buy it. I live in a city, and we already have another gas car incase we need it, so seeing that it's an extremely reliable car given its short range is great. I was going to buy a corolla (2003-2008 NA), but the Leaf seems simpler with less points of failure, cheaper to refuel, safer, and just right for my city commuting. Plus, it may also only cost me $2,000-$6,000 to buy after the US's Federal Used EV rebate, opposed to a corolla with a lot of *potential* problems and higher sale price. My only goal is to save as much money as I can while affording a commuter car, this fits the bill. Btw, what year of Nissan Leaf do you have?
@@beepthesheep867 Hahaha yeah, I've read that the Leaf is the best practical and cheap EV to buy right now too. I've heard people say it's the EV you buy when you don't care about flexing that you have one lol
THis video was necessary for someone that had never driven an EV to watch. Otherwise they may buy the Leaf thinking they had a bargain. But the air cooled battery is a major flaw. You are absolutely right. Around town only. Even the big battery, has the same issue. But I love my Leaf.
😔 unfortunately I'm one of those victims.
@@theshipmasterbanished3902 I am sorry if your Leaf did not live up to your needs. I have always had two cars, so the limited range has never been a problem for me. I hope you can grow to love driving your car. But, if not. You should be able to sell it now for a profit in today's market.
@@usaverageguy yeah that what im going to try to do.
It's not even air cooled like some cars. Some call it passive cooled because it cools as much as the heat can "escape" through battery box.
Just run it through a car was using cold water it will b fine . I have a 2012 n 2018!
Very good insight into old EVs! Appreciate your time invested in this video. UK
@@glengosling5636 Thank you! Have a great day!
Wow! Thanks for this. Here in Hong Kong, we won't be exposed to long road trips, so the Nissan Leaf and other EVs with small battery packs are very useful here. My friend will be purchasing 4 Leafs this year for his company, which will use them as general runarounds to replace the ICE fleet. In the summer, it can get as hot as Florida but I shouldn't expect there will be too much difficulty with charging at work.
I feel your pain. The Leaf is a great around town car. No doubt about it. I used mine for commuting for years. 2011 SL. The 300th made. My range was only 80 miles, but I was on the cutting edge. After 11 years, my SOH of the battery was 46%. I could only get about 39 miles on the GOM. So I traded it in. Went with a Ford Fusion Energi PHEV. I can still buzz around town on the electric, my range is about 27 or so, but then, I can go to hybrid mode and drive another 585 miles on the road to visit my Dad. Thank you for posting your adventure…it was fun to go with you.
why not a bmw i3s then battery death is no big deal as the battery just lasts
Agree, but the car is not designed for this. However I have made 330 miles from UK top France in mine, very happy.
We have a 2014 24kWh Leaf. Short range, but no rapidgateing, the hotter it gets the faster it charges. When in the red it charges at 45-50 kW all the way to 80%. Great car, but still best for around town driveing.
I know you were under pressure but you missed a golden opportunity to say “I’m gonna make like a tree and leaf” while at the park 😂
We need more of this :)
Hey, thanks a lot for this video, it was very informative. I have the same exact leaf in black too and has experience similar issues. Luckily I live in Jamaica which is an island so I don't travel those lengths. I've done 2 rapid charges in a day n that was the most ever 😅. Getting ready to go to the north coast, and that's about 170km/ 111.22 miles round trip. That's not even half your trip. You're definitely right though round town trips, island nations perfect!
It's pretty well known that this particular car is not a road-trip car. The small battery and thermal management prevent this. I own the S Plus with the bigger battery and did a trip from Portland to Victoria Canada with no trouble. Basically on a road trip, plan to not do more than one fast charge per day. My car can do about 245 miles in ideal conditions (better than EPA estimate). On a multi-day trip, a good plan would be: start at 100%, drive down to 10-15%, fast charge to 85%, drive down to 10-15% again, overnight charge on a level 2 to 100% and then repeat. In this scenario you should be able to easily go about 420 miles per day. Not amazing but makes a longer trip doable. Many hotels now have Level 2 charging available so the overnight charge is a better option and the battery is full by morning.
Great video and excellent advice. However as an experienced Nissan Leaf driver, I say 'Horses for courses'. You wouldn't run the Kentucky Derby on a mule, but this is the motoring equivalent of what you have done in your 40kWh Leaf. The selling dealership really should have educated you with this information prior to your purchase.
I run a 62kWh Leaf and have not ever experienced Rapidgate. But then I live in a cooler climate than you do. I rarely have to public charge. 90% of my journeys are less than 200 miles, so I can complete them without a top-up charge.
In 2021 I had a 1,700 mile road trip planned. The horse I chose for that course was a diesel van, so I left the Leaf at home 👍
Went from socal to Seattle. No problems. Yea it took longer than a gas car but barely paid any money for that trip.
Great video, we had a 2018 40 leaf for 3 years(UK) and went through this pain many times. Like you say, wife loved the car generally but hated me and it for the long trips!
You stayed positive throughout and love your sense of humour. Thanks for sharing Will you share experiences of other EVs or just the Leaf?
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video. I will be doing more videos on the leaf as well as other EVs and ICE vehicles. Have a great evening.
@@Reviewsdiversified That's what I wanted to hear! Subbed 👍
Great video. Convinced me to keep my Hyundai Accent which gets over 50mpg when on road trips.
Thank you for a great video, live within that car limitation. I'm thinking of getting a used one.
Thanks, I found this looking for info on the Leaf. BTW, I used to repair machine tools in your area and you look really familiar.
i do have exactly same car and same point with you. i live in vancouver BC, in Dec 2020, we drive road trip to kelowna, we almost stuck -40 at the top of the mountain with the power drain out. luckly we have hot water bottle to warm up the chademo charger, then we back the road. but still taking way long time back home.
I just bought a 2024 leaf with 62 KW pack and I understand what you’re coming from and I’m going to a 100 kw battery replacement done today .
Fast charging kills the battery sooner. I just use the standard lvl 1 charger at home. Let it charge overnight for the low useage rate.
You’ve made me a believer GW. Painful for sure. Local commuter for the Leaf only. Great video!
Thank you much! Glad you enjoyed the video.
40Kw is fine in the UK for long journeys as long as you dont intend to come back same day and can fully recharge at your destination. Mine was rapid charged 3 times one day, and it slowed to a crawl 5 miles from home after motorway running!
Great video, thanks for taking one for the team. Sounds like if you need to fast charge more than twice to reach your destination and back it's definitely not for the Leaf. Still, two fast charges is the whole state and maybe the next one over for the plus models.
So, manufacturers recommend only charging to 80% and not letting the battery fall bellow 20%. All this stopping to charge every 60 miles, the fun checking the gauges, all that fun and novelty will wear out pretty rapidly. Forget that, what a PIA. It must have felt like an early pioneer on the Oregon Trail. Thanks though for a nicely made report. The extreme heat problem was unexpected, I wondered if you had to forego the use of the air-con. I’d like to see the similar journey made in mid winter.
Great question. As a matter of fact, yes. I turned off the AC for part of the trip to try to reduce battery drain. I would cycle it on and off to keep from roasting. Also, after the battery started getting hot I tried to drive 65 or less which is dangerous on I95 as most people are going 80 or better.
ICE - just get in and drive all the way.
EV - get in and get out, it will take all day.
Is hydrogen with EV the future?
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing Leaf test-drive trip with us! It was so informative and much appreciated! 🌹
Yes, the 62kwh would be better for trips. I like the 40 for what it is. I know many people are starting to look for used electric cars. This is actually the second one I have had. Thanks for commenting.
The higher battery capacity, while increasing the range, magnifies Nissan's horrible thermal management system.
Where I live a dead Nissan Leaf ZE0 is advertised for sale for more than a brand new MG3 including all onroad costs. Who buys this stuff?
There's a company in Portland Oregon that is putting new batteries in the older models but by the time you factor in the price you might as well just buy a 2018 and or above.
@@urntwrthyZ It isn't horrible, they simply don't have one!
you are determined and very patient.
In one sense he's right in another he's wrong.
When I purchased my 2014 Leaf I did my due diligence. I was told I couldn't do any long distance driving. One of the things I learned was it takes 1 to 4 hours to charge. Ok. Got it. Then the adventure started. I carefully planned my my excursion. In 2016 I got charging apps for stations along I-5. I got a plug in home charging station, so I could carry it with me. I discovered that in some areas I would have to charge at RV parks. Then I set about what I was told I couldn't do. Yes, there were some close calls and long charges, but I made it all the way from Portland Oregon to Hanford California and back again. It was a real challenge.
For those who prefer convenience and have time constraints I don't recommend electric. For those who like to take their time, smell the roses and have an adventure you might try it.
If you charge at home and just drive around town, an inexpensive used Leaf may be good.
If you're not up for the adventure don't.
Very good video, had been considering a second hand leaf as being forced to do a 90 mile round trip commute to the city
I loved driving my 2018 40kw Leaf, but yeah long trips are not pleasant. The winter temps can make the range scary too. I have a 100 to 110 round trip commute to work depending on the route and sometimes need to charge before getting home.
I have French relative of this car - 2019 41kWh Renault Zoe.
It does not have any DC fast charge, but it can charge up to 22kW AC (230V 32A 3 phase type 2).
Full charge in about 2.5h
It has an air cooled battery, but from air chilled by AC, and it will actively cool the battery when it hits the thermal limit.
It can do 200km at 110km/h without a problem, 300km when I do not go over 80km/h. My daily commute is 120km and it is perfect for that route.
I charge it at home at modest 11kW and it will recharge my commute in 2 hours.
I have a 62Kw leaf. The thing I’ve found in the UK is that not all type 2 connectors are the same. Some have a max of 7.8kw others can have max rate of 43kw.
The LEAF can only charge at 6.6 kw, it is limited by the onboard charger when plugged into level 2 AC charger. It might be different in Europe but in North America that is it.
I also have a 40 kWh LEAF and I find you get to your destination faster when you drive slower, if it is safe to do I try to limit my speed to 90 km/h. The other thing I found helpful on multiple charge days is to try to charge when it drops to around 20% and charge to 70% or so. Fast charging at high speed chargers above 70% just seems to accelerate the temperature rise. No matter what I do it is not going to be a convenient long range trip car.
Very well put together video, got out the biscuits and coffee and watched to the end
Very interesting thanks. I'm considering getting a leaf, but keeping the diesel car for journeys like this!
Plenty of walk and no river! Thanks for the video, very interesting.
I don't think a new leaf is worth buying anymore, you can get a bolt for $7000 less that the leaf with the bigger battery and the bolt has more range. I may get a cheap used leaf if you wanted an in town run around car that uses no gas and can charge at home. Maybe when someone has a good 2nd car for weekends and long trips, or it's just a big truck or suv you don't need often. But buying new get the bolt.
Absolutely. A cheap used leaf is great for the small trips. You are right. I think the Bolt is a better choice currently.
A guy in the uk did similar. He discovered if you switch off for 5 mins before charging,charge,unplug,wait 5 again before driving solves all this trouble not ideal i know but better than killing off your car. Cant remember video title sorry.
Not even that hot outside compared to the summer here in Central Texas. I didn't know it was this bad. We have a Mach-E so I thought a newer Leaf might not be too bad as a 2nd car but maybe it would be not good after all.
@@JimBronson Yes, it could have been much hotter. I dive a Leaf at work now and it is a good little commuter. More than a couple fast charges and it’s almost useless. Also, Chademo is on its way out which could present an issue.
The Bolt can't charge faster than 50-55kW either, but that cooled batter will let you go all day long.
the bolt is also bad at fast charging but has cooling and it only costs 26k. the kona and niro cost more but both have actual 77kw fast charging. thats 10-80% in 40 minutes on a 100kw fast charger. i wouldnt want any slower charging. kind of insane the battery pack cant stay cool with air cooling at highway speeds. its not like you're in the Sahara.
Hi from Portugal ...you must charge more often but with less %of charge
... i have one 62kw and i make 350km...only thing is don't pass 100km/h...
Yes, I think 100kmh is the magic spot for the Leaf. Over that and you're going to lose the battery quickly.
I wonder how much money people are spending eating outside while waiting for their car to recharge.
Lol, I spent a bunch. I would eat every time I stopped.
I wonder how fat electric car owners are going to become, eating 6 times per day.
You are really slow most electric car owners are charging at home not eating outside waiting like how you wait at a pissy gas station those people are the ones that are flexing their EV stop hating you should hope more and more people drive EV cars then your gas will possibly become cheaper??? Ever consider that probably not critical thinking 🤔 or common sense has almost disappeared nowadays
Yes. This is a sales point for every shopping Center to consider
Bless ya mate. Move to UK everywhere is close lol. Great video
There's a lot i don't like about the Leaf. I was really excited about the Leaf when GM lost the tax credit, but when I started digging into the specifications and comparing it to the Bolt, I realized the Bolt may actually be worth the extra money... and then GM slashed the price on the 2023 Bolt... and then they brought back the tax credit on the Bolt too. The Leaf just doesn't compete with the Bolt at current prices.
Also, no judgement, but I laughed out loud when you mentioned you're taking off from West Virginia. WV is the one state in the US where gasoline may actually be cleaner than electric right now. Not criticizing you for choosing EV necessarily, as the convenience of charging at home matters, and the EV is really only VERY slightly dirtier than coal-fired electricity. Maybe WV's non-coal energy production will mature and change the math.
Edit: And, for all i know, you may have solar panels on the roof to help with charging.
Act fast if you havent yet; they go out of production in October.
For longer trips, there is the leaf with bigger battery. Agree that this version is good around town.
It is true with the 62Kwh but also no cooling so, will face the same problem than George. I love my Nissan Leaf, it is so plaisant to drive but with its limits.
For longer trips there are many gas car
The trick is to charge for 10 to 15 minutes at the fast charger. That way heat doesn't build up in the battery.
I have the 2019 Leaf and use the car wash to cool the battery, wash the bottom of the car and wait 5 min then charge.
just the video I have been looking for living in FL around the Tampa area was always wondering how the air cooled batteries would work. After owning your leaf would have have purchased the car again knowing what you know now ?
As long as I was not using this car for 1. Long trips over 300 miles and 2. I had a regular gas car available sure, I would purchase one again if it was inexpensive enough. ... If Nissan would have marketed the Leaf as a great little commuter vehicle they would have been right on the money. Due to WV having 0 level 3 chargers and need to go long distances frequently I have now sold the car and went back to gas. A new video on that coming soon! Thanks for the question!
I was seriously considering leasing one of these but there’s such a large barrier to entry. Purchasing and installing a level 2 charger by an electrician costs a lot of money, you have to have full-coverage insurance, and the range is pathetic on the base S model. I’ll wait for tax returns and purchase a cheap used Toyota instead and save the money and headache. Although I’m sure there will be some headache maintaining any used gas vehicle.
The advice I would give him is to wait until it gets dark out and cools off a bit to start the trip and then only cruise at 55 which that might have been what he was doing in the first place. Cruising at 55 would help to reduce heat buildup on the battery and not make it build up heat so quickly and would hopefully help to improve charging but then again down in that area. Who knows if it would cool off enough to really help cool off the battery when driving along at slow highway speeds. I would figure a temperature of 70° f would be something preferable but even Tesla Bjorn in a newer Nissan leaf. I forget if it was the big battery or the 40 KW somehow managed to cause the car to rapid gate when doing his 1000 km or 630 mile challenge over in Norway. So even in winter driving the car will still get hot if you do. Too much rapid charging. Although I do believe he managed to successfully pull some temperature off of the battery by slowing down and only cruising at 55 mph instead of doing 65 or 70 or even 75 mph. So the slower cruising speed helps to in warm weather, reduce the buildup of heat and the battery will cruising down the road. Maybe even pull some heat out of the battery if the outside temperature is cool enough also The first gen Nissan leafs the 24 kW Nissan leafs did not seem to do this. I don't know if they just had enough air flow over the battery to keep them from getting too hot or if they did, just not software protect themselves when the batteries would get up to the higher temperatures and they would continue to let the batteries charge at the higher speeds. Realistically, a 24 KW hour Nissan leaf could do this trip faster, assuming that you had enough chargers close enough to each other to be able to get from one charger to the other, but the 24 KWs never rapidgated. I don't think rapagating was really a thing for the 30 kW batteries or maybe it was.
I am sure he also bought a filter coffee machine and complained that the espresso it makes is rubbish. Everyone should know that you can't fast charge a Leaf, it is just not designed for road trips.
My point exactly. Many people are just getting into electric vehicles and know nothing about them and have no way of knowing they don’t fast charge well or that it’s not designed for road trips…..BTW, thanks for the coffee making tips. I knew my expresso tasted weird….. lol
I have a 2022 Leaf SV plus and wouldn’t take it either on a long trip. For that we have a Subaru Legacy.
Does it have the new software update which lets you charge faster even if the battery is hotter? They somwhow mad it better und you have less rapidgaing.
@@hofertypYes. I went to the shop and Nissan added that software a few days before the trip.
@Neverendingadventure holt it's really not a car for Trips that requires more then 2 fast charges.
I don’t think that the leaf has ever been intended for traveling.
It is a run about car. Errands around town, commute… say 30 miles per day (American average) or more if you can charge at work .
I colleague sold his when one day he was called back home for an emergency and realized he could not make it: he had to leave the car and take a Uber. His commute was just a bit too long that he HAD to recharge at work.
Another leaf user was super happy because he was able to ONLY recharge at work, for free.
Yes that is what I do with my 24 kwh leaf. I have taken it 100 miles. No problem with temp as much as the 40kwh. I got it for 12998 at car max in 2015. It is good he did it before wytheville chargers were removed.
Hey how are you doing? I was watching your video and I see you are from my area. I grew up in Tazewell Co VA. I have a question. I currently own a Tesla model S and my wife has a gas SUV. We'll I want to have an extra vehicle at the house. I have been looking at a used Leaf 2013 the range is 60 to 65 miles. What is the head room in the vehicle. You look like you had plenty of room. I am about you size but I am 6'5.
@@robertviney8253 I had a 2013 Leaf and there was plenty of head room. I am 6’ 2”. Great little around town car.
@Reviewsdiversified Thank you
How is it for local trips in a warmer place like florida using only level 2 chargers?
The Leaf is very good for local trips. Level 2 is ideal for charging at home.
Why do you not use the e-pedal?
Hyundai Ioniq 28 kWh is lower priced than the Leaf, but is more efficient. The consumption would have been around 7 mi/kWh. The car charges faster, up to 60 kW, or 2C, that means full battery in 30 min. The battery is air-cooled and can resist overheating better. I assume that this journey would have gone better with an Ioniq.
Here a second hand Model 3 long range costs less than a second hand Leaf 62kw.
I am thinking about a 2016/17 leaf with 27 or 30KWh for short trips to school and back, I guess it will have the same issue with overheating if long trip done
If you are looking for a short trip car these do very well. I have never owned or driven the 16/17 model so I can’t say first hand how you would do on a long get trip. The 30 kWh would require more charging on a longer trip due to the battery size.
@@Reviewsdiversified yeah, I myself hate driving so for me it wont be an issue to avoid long trips and the school is a 18 mile round trip, so if it can do 3mile/KW and a used have around 20KW left it can come in around 60 mile per full charge. At least that is my estimate. Althoguh cause in Scotland it rains a lot cars rust a lot it might be better idea to buy a younger model then the absolute oldest/cheapest 2011/12, that is why considering 15 and up
Wondering if the batteries can cooled by running the car thru a car wash
Unless the car wash directs water to underside then no. Even then, the splash guards minimise most of the water contact with battery case.
I wish someone would test it tho. Just to disprove
ผมใช้รถรุ่นนี้ในประเทศไทย มีปัญหาเรื่องความร้อนของแบตเตอรี่ ใช้เวลานาน ระยะทางวิ่งได้ประมาณ 280 กิโลเมตร ถ้าเดินทางไกล ชาร์จได้ไม่เกิน 3 ครั้ง ความร้อนจะขึ้นและต้องขับรถด้วยความเร็วต่ำกว่า 60 กิโลเมตร มันไม่เหมาะกับการเดินทางไกล เหมาะกับการใช้ในเมืองมากกว่า Nissan ต้องเปลี่ยนแปลงเรื่องระบายความร้อนด้วยน้ำจะดีกว่า ชอบคลิปคุณน่ะ
Leaf is cheap city commuter car it is not designed for long distances or motorways. I use Leaf to get kids to/from school, for longer trips i have diesel. The longest trip i did with my 2022 Leaf 40kwh was a 100km one way :). For 600miles i would not by 60kwh Leaf, I would buy something with else like Ioniq, Kia EV6, Kona, Tesla which can charge fast and has battery cooling. The best thing about Leaf is its price, nothing else.
I totally agree.
Wondering if your car has the revised software update? Our 2020 still charges at 30kw when it's near the red zone.
Yes Sir. It has the software update. The update helps on minimal fast charges but on a longer ride it heats up and slows way down as the battery heats.
Indeed, this is the big defect of the 40kwh the leaf e+ (62) is less impacted by this problem, especially by its distance longer than the 40 and therefore less recharging to be carried out
Just curious how would you go about hotwiring one these puppies? I saw this bad boy in my university parking lot and I'm thinkin about swappin in a 450 HP inline 4 cylinder v8 engine and pullin some chicks at the drag strip. If you could hook a brotha up with that tutorial that would be swell.
@@EpicDrew15 my comment wasn't meant to be taken seriously. I tried hinting at that when I said "inline 4 cylinder v8".
Can you drive it to the river to cool down the battery?
Only if you splash water on the high voltage battery!
Oh wait, that is not a good way to cool the battery.
@george Whittaker II I am sorry for the personal question, but I remember faces very well. I watched the video because of the Leaf info, but I kept on thinking I know your face from somewhere. Have you by chance been at Concord University around 2002 -2006? Thanks
No Sir. I have never been to Concord.
I’m torn on the leaf. Can buy and install a 62kw.hr battery for under $AU$10k. Newer battery chemistry from CATL factory. Still has the issue of heat and power in-out restrictions
I’m curious if anyone has tried modifying the air ducting to blow air conditioned air through the battery case. The specific heat capacity of air is much less than liquid. It would require large air volumes just to achieve some cooling
It’s been tried in different videos with no success
@@mikes2797 I saw on video blowing air over the disconnect port from the cabin, not through the battery case.
Haven’t found one blowing air through the case.
Am i doing the math right? Are you getting about 50 miles for $4-5? If thats right I dont think I want to go electric. My 97 honda civic still gets 35-40mpg. So $3-4 in gas.
Public chargers are expensive. Normally ev chargers charge at home. Often using free excess solar or the very cheap post midnight rates.
Agree tho. Until ev’s are economically an obvious win, ppl won’t buy them.
For some use cases it’s an easy choice to go ev
Damn I live in Las Vegas, and was thinking of getting a used 2018 Leaf to make delivery's and do Lyft or Uber driving at night, but in the summertime it can run over 76 degress for 10 hours at night from late June until late August,
You might be okay if you are not driving highway speeds and only one or two hundreds miles a night. You will have some down time charging.
I didn’t see any battery heat up yet. They added hydrogen thingy to cool it on new ones. Probably that’s why
40kWh, not 40kW. I have 62kWh SL plus. Long trip is okay, not great, but okay if you know what you are doing. The key is not to let the battery heat up too much.
Interesting story. So how do you go I wonder if you drive to 'chilly New York', or drive at night. Basically wondering the extent to which this is a tropics problem, or retained heat not being released from a hot running battery. The irony is that these batteries can't get too cool either.
@@AndrewSheldon That is a good point. It would be interesting to try the same thing in 40 degree weather.
Hi George i noticed on your second charge in the place with the McDonald's nextdoor you temp said about 75deg F and your charge speed has almost halved is this down to outside temp only or because your battery was so low
Good afternoon. Most likely due to internal temp of the battery. With no active cooling the charge speed throttles down to avoid damage.
Great review, real life scenario.. and i could feel the pain.
Thank you!
I returned my 2022 leaf within the 3 day period and 100 miles the dealership offered. The Phoenix heat gave me 50m with conservative driving and the charging was so slow. Phoenix is huge and I had to drive a total of 90m that day. I ended up picking up a used BMW i3 REX and it is excellent for range in comparison even with the smaller battery. Active cooling does wonders.
This kind of sounds like BS. From EPA 150 mile range to 50 miles? I'm not buying that.
@ George, Pascal from France. Like you I'm the owner of a nissan leaf 40Kw. So, what you said and experienced is true life with this car. On my side, in spite off it is a great confortable car, I only use it for shopping, errands, commuting, or small trips 110 kms (68 miles) one way, sometimes father when I'm sure to have a charger (yep in France we are not so well served with fast chargers and often down). Anyway, fast charging is OK one time or two, after it becomes very bad for the battery pack. It is the batterry pack under rear seats that overheat. It is a pitty they didn't implant a cooling for that new generation. The new modele Ariya is equippied with the battery cooling. Also, I have solar panels (5.5kwp) on the roofs and inverter plus battery packs, so I can slow charge (3.6Kwh) my car with. Most interest is the overall cost with the mix PVs and Grid after 20,000 kms (12,500miles) and two years long is only ONE buck per 100kms(62.5miles). It would be 3.50 bucks if only grid. So very interesting to go around even for small trips (I live in small hamlets, so the driving, is around 15/25 miles, to get in small towns). Also the cost for annual maintenance is around 100 bucks except tires, wipers. I've never drove the car for very long journey because this overheating problem you've well exposed and chargers not available or in maintenance in my poor country. For longer trips, I drive an Diesel ICE.
Now, I don't know if my next EV will be a Nissan because chineese ones are cheaper for better results. Thanks a lot for your test and painfull trip, you did good.
At least people won't be mislead by adds but as I said it is a great well constructed car but do with what it can do.
I agree totally. It is a well constructed car but you have to know what it is built for…. In my state we have 0 level three chargers. Looks like I will be switching back to gas in the short term. Thanks for the comments. Great to hear from France! Have a good evening.
@@Reviewsdiversified My pleasure to explain the limits of EV, matching what you experienced. Maybe in the future it will be better with battery technology improving. Understand why you're thinking about going back to ICE , as I said I've one on the side for long journey or cold weather. Have good day.
I hate the adverts that give the maximum theoretical range not the real world range after three years usage
@@littlefishy6316 I agree with you, it is not fair from car makers. The main problem is the WLTP Regulations (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure) which is not adapted to EV neither ICE by the way. They use rules which are not applicable in the real life. But with all information we can gather from everywhere, we know that the EV real range is 20% less and far less in winter. The same with ICE, it depends how, when, where, what season your drive. Adds are done to sell, not to say the truth.
Hi, can you describe how you wired your solar panels to charge your batteries on your Leaf Leaf?
Having a 62KWh leaf below me rn : love it ❤
Connect up a OBD2 dongle to the Leaf and use Car Scanner or Leaf Spy Pro to see the 'real' usable battery capacity when buying one of these. New, the capacity should be 36kWh. Used, expect about 2% degradation per year. A 2018 Leaf in 2023 will probably have a capacity of around 32kWh. That gives you a range of between 97 (winter) - 130 (summer) miles. Do not buy a Leaf if you live somewhere with extreme high / low temperatures as the battery will degrade faster.
I had a Nissan LEAF 2017 30kWh car for about two years. Great in-town car, and agree for longer road trips it would be a pain... it has about a 100-mile range... Then I upgraded to a 200+ mile range EV that does have liquid-cooled battery. much less range anxiety now...
Interesting little car I guess I'll probably have to do at least one road trip with this car so the battery that doesn't cool very well it certainly an issue at least it's not something that I'll have to deal with often and with the gas that I'll save on the long road trip I guess I can pay for a one-night stay at a hotel
I make every day 26km+26km=53km per day to go to my work and i want to buy a 40kw 2019 leaf. What to do? Thank you
You would have no problem with the 40kw Leaf.
i find this strange, because I've never had any sort of heating of the battery in my 2012 leaf charging at any DC fast charger, not even on a hot day.
I had a 2013 before I had this 2018 and I had no problem with it either. I never tried to drive it 600 miles at one time though either. Lol
The 40kWh is a great car for local commuting. Journeys longer than 350 miles will be a challenge.
On longer journeys the best strategy is to level 2 charge to 100% before commencing the journey. Drive no faster than 65mph and don't go below 40% SoC. Charge to 90% and stick to D, don't use B mode.
Great video, thanks for making it. Very helpful.👍
Nice video. But I noticed you’re not using the e pedal. That would have probably saved you a couple hours if you did.
Britain is about 600 miles in distance from one end to the other, so this is the most extreme test you could possibly imagine in the UK. That's why the Leaf is so popular in the UK, along with the temperate (i.e. miserable, cold, wet) climate which helps to preserve battery life. :)
i have a 30kWh Leaf and driving it at 90kmh, the frist stop will either be a bit too cold or optimal, second will be optimal, third will be slightly reduced but ok. i actually did a drive with 5 stops and it was still charging at 28kW at the last one. so the 40kWh Leaf is effectively worse at long trips than the 30kWh Leaf. but it really takes a car with robust cooling to do regular long trips. 50kW charging wouldn't be all that bad if the car actually averaged around 45kW and didn't drop the speed.
They should've called the Leaf 'Nissan CityEV' and it would shed a lot of the negativity around the car. I've had one since 2018, put 40k miles on it, used a fast charger maybe 4 or 5 times. Have a gas SUV our family uses for road trips.
I agree.
I like Nissan LEAF 2nd generation but only in plus versions with 62 kW batteries. However, living in Pacific North West, we bought a PHEV for long trips and in-town pure EV trips. Except Pacific, Atlantic coasts, Southern belt from Florida to California I would not trust even Teslas for long trips.
You can do better with the 62kwh battery if you are careful.
Sadly Nissan dropped the ball badly.
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Does anyone think to carry a fan for the batteries or I guess it wont make a difference
Very educational; thanks so much!
The 40kw battery is perfect, most people do not drive over 60 miles a day. If you drive over that get the 62kw.
Great video of real life use of Leaf with its uncooled battery.
Thank you.
That's where Nissan went incredibly cheap...thermal management for the high voltage battery. While most manufacturers have a separate cooling system or at least draw in cabin air to the cool the battery, Nissan opted to cool it by having outside air pass over the exterior battery casing. The problem is magnified by increasing the battery's capacity...it generates more heat. That was a full stop for me as I live in Florida and heat will seriously degrade the life of the battery.
L1 EVSE charger using the unit that came in the bag on the trunk from a normal power outlet lets me charge even from my apartment parking lot using a 12-3 outdoor extension cord 50ft into the EVSE so I can reach many different parking space from my ground level unit // its 2-5 mi of charge per hour for slow trickle overnight charging after I get home from work // no need for L2 or L3 charging when its parked from 6pm till 5am the next day // like you said, ideal for commuting locally or short trips where a gasoline vehicle never even warms up all the way & gets worst case in city fuel economy //
I was thinking about purchasing a used 2019 Nissan Leaf with the 40 kWh battery. I plan using it for commuting to work which is approximately 70 miles round trip. Is the 140 miles range accurate? Or will I be cutting it close?
Sorry, I read this wrong. 70 miles round trip should be no issue
@@Reviewsdiversified sounds good. Thanks for your input.
Another question. I’m shopping around for a Leaf SV and one is a 2019 with 30k miles. The other is a 2020 with 18k miles. The 2020 is about $2k more. Do you think the 2019 is just as good as the 2020?