Chelsea Sexton picking up Leaf for the day

[garygid]

Great writeup.

1. Regen: I agree completely about the utility of coasting with no regen.

2. Screen Size: Did the Nav screen look "small" (like a 5-inch diagonal), or "modest" size (about 7-inch diagonal)?

3. Map Data: On the "map" of range-rings (and the "map" to the right of the list of nearby charge-stations) there are no roads shown. An idea why?

 

[evchels]

The screen's pretty good size- easily 9" diag.

I wondered that after the fact too- half of it is ocean as we were literally on the coast. But I think I was just not zoomed in (notice that option in bottom right corner of that screen). Was rushing to get as many screen shots as I could, so didn't stop to play at that point.

 

[Gavin]

Why were you rushing?? You should have just said, "Hey Perry, You know who I am?? That's right. Now just give me the key fob and I'll see you back here in an hour, maybe two...Better yet, just grab a book and I'll be back when I get back."



Gavin

 

[garygid]

Wow, a "BIG" screen, thanks!

Then, please pardon me for the following:

Remember, in spite of what I told my wife,
a CD is not really "8 inches" in diameter.

 

[evchels]

no problem- I know when size matters.

 

[LeafHopper]

I took the interior image into Photoshop.

 

[evchels]

hmm, that would make it about the size of my iphone (not screen, phone) and it's significantly larger than that.

Meanwhile, this little tidbit was sent to me by email:

"Another cool feature of the dash display I haven't seen anyone mention yet is the battery capacity gauge. The SOC display on the far right has 12 blue and white bars, each indicating about 2 kWh, but the matching 10 white and two 2 red bars to the right of those SOC bars aren't just a fixed legend, but are an active display of battery pack capacity that will vary in the short term due to extremes of temperature and in the long term as the pack ages.

When the top two capacity bars don't light anymore, the pack will have lost nearly the 20% of capacity that Nissan figures would indicate end of life, at least for EV service.

Nissan hopes to develop a secondary market for the "80% packs" for use as backup batteries and in off-grid wind and solar systems. Trade-in value would reduce the net cost of a replacement pack for EV owners."

 

[evnow]

When the top two capacity bars don't light anymore, the pack will have lost nearly the 20% of capacity that Nissan figures would indicate end of life, at least for EV service.

Thats cool. We were wondering in the warranty thread, how we would know the battery has lost capacity ...

 

[Nubo]

I'm really starting to like this car

 

[sjfotos]

Hi all- took me a few days b/c of hybridfest, but finally got a post up on ABG about the Leaf. It's a start... ;o)

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/07/22/chelsea-sexton-nissan-leaf-uses-information-as-gateway-drug/

Ok. Indeed. They sent hundreds of people to Yokohama. Not cheap. I faithfully read every report they filed and THIS is the best among them. They could have saved themselves a couple million dollars and simply sent Chelsea.

Thank you again for a very informative report.

 

[Nubo]

Wow, a "BIG" screen, thanks!

Then, please pardon me for the following:

Remember, in spite of what I told my wife,
a CD is not really "8 inches" in diameter.

But it is more durable than an 8-inch floppy. :lol:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_floppy_disk

 

[evnow]

I think the screen size is only 5". I took the interior image into Photoshop and used the measurement tool to measure the proportions.

hmm, that would make it about the size of my iphone (not screen, phone) and it's significantly larger than that.

Nissan it seems has two nav screen sizes - 5" for the $400 option and 7" for the $1850 option (includes hdd, voice recognition etc). Depending on which one we get - it will be either 5" or 7" - I very much doubt they will create a whole new hardware system for Leaf nav. It is possible we get 7" - if they found it difficult to fit all the information in the 5". I hope so.

 

[Gavin]

Probably the 7" screen...people can easily mistake 7" for 8 or even 9...

there is a punch line in there somewhere...

Gavin

 

[AndyH]

...and it keeps paying dividends!

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/07/22/chelsea-sexton-nissan-leaf-uses-information-as-gateway-drug/

Ok, so not quite a feature (and no pic as I didn't drive it down that far), but drivers will appreciate the vehicle's sequence as the battery gets close to being depleted. EVs have all had various warnings and limp modes, but they've been largely akin to figuring out what a gas car really means when it hits "E." In the Leaf, it's downright predictable: when 4kWh remain in the battery, the car chimes and the "nearby charger" screen automatically comes up. At 2kWh, the car will automatically shut off climate control and any other unnecessary accessories, and limit top speed. Finally, it will enter a "reduced power" mode as your final suggestion to pull over. And, in a last effort not to leave anyone stranded, drivers can even eke out another mile or so through a reserve tapped by shutting the car off and on again, in case of an "I can see the charger but just can't quite make it" moment.