OwnerWillie McKemie
Owner's Other EVs1981 Jet Electrica
1999 Ford Ranger
2007 Hyundai Accent
2008 Zap PK
LocationDale, Texas United States map
Email email image
Vehicle2011 Nissan Leaf
Batteries0.00 Volt,
InstrumentationNo SOC. Inaccurate and inconsistent range estimates via the "Silly Miles Remaining Display".
Top Speed100 MPH (160 KPH)
?
Range100 Miles (160 Kilometers)
or as low as 70 miles under less than ideal conditions.
Watt Hours/Mile222 Wh/Mile
According to onboard instrumentation, fuel consumption varies from about 4.5 miles/wkh to 5.2 miles/kwh
EV Miles
Current:21,000 Miles (33,789 Kilometers)
Compared to my conversions, this is a truly GREAT car! Works reliably and is trouble free. Instrumentation is irritating; SOC is not reported with any precision or accuracy. Range is only 70-100 miles. I find myself forced to use the Hyundai for many longer trips.

11/23/11
With 9k miles, my judgment on this car is reinforced. A truly great car. No trouble whatsoever.

11/6/12
At about 20k miles and about 18 months, my view of the Leaf has shifted. After two unusually hot summers, my battery is down to less than 80% of new capacity. The range reduction means I must charge to 100% for almost all charges and the car will no longer serve for as many trips as it did when new. The car's usefullness to me is much reduced. I am much amused and offended by Nissan's response, or lack thereof, to the problem.

My Hyundai conversion, with a LiFePo battery, has gone twice the miles and twice the time with less than half the battery capacity loss as the LiMn battery in the Leaf. Nissan clearly made a major blunder when selecting battery chemisty.

Aside from the truely crappy instrumentation and the poor battery, the Leaf remains a great and reliable car.

11/30/12
The Leaf was towed back to the dealer a couple of days ago. It ran out of juice at 62.2 miles about 6 miles short of the destination. It was charged to "100%", driven in "eco" mode at speeds less than 60 mph. A cool morning, starting about 40 deg, the cabin was pre-heated on shore power and no climate control was used during the trip. That makes the usable range of the car about 50 miles. Since almost all my trips are at least 60 miles, I am insisting that the dealer keep it until Nissan has a fix for the battery.

8/4/13
After the arrival of my Tesla in April, this car was sold to a neighbor who apparently likes it better than I.

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