Exterior Color Options

[LEAFer]

... doing eco-penance ...

... :lol:

 

[retrodog]

Why are people in hot climates interested in any color other than white or silver. Anything else is going to end up using more energy to cool the interior. Are we trying to save energy or not?

To conserve energy only up until the point that it starts to impact your image is not much different than a Hummer driver who recycles his beer cans. ...

There's a saying, "Perfection is the enemy of the good".

Sometimes we have a tendency to extrapolate everything to its maximal conclusion. I often bicycle to work, about 3 hours per day of riding. At work I'm on the 2nd floor. People get seriously confused when I take the elevator.

"If you bike to work, why wouldn't you take the stairs?"

Well, A: It's not a religion. B: With 3 hours a day of good exercise, climbing one flight of stairs hardly matters.

Same with Leaf color choice. There are so many benefits that accrue in terms of emissions, efficiency, economy of power expenditures staying in our economy, balance of trade, geopolitical implications, mitigating and forestalling the societal impacts of Peak Oil, etc... A few watt-hours here or there based on color choice is splitting hairs.

That being said, I am leaning towards white for the heat rejection. Not because I'm doing eco-penance, but for 2 other reasons. First, I tend to expect that the AC in the car will be adequate, but not overpowering. Second, I'd rather not waste range unnecessarily.

I contend that on a website for an EV, it is nearly impossible to excessively "extrapolate everything to its maximal conclusion", and even so, pointing out paint color and how it relates to heat absorption or reflections wouldn't be in that category. It has a rather large effect.

But in any case, I don't really care that much and that's the reason for the smiley faces. :lol:

Just trying to remind people to keep that in consideration.

 

[Danny]

I have a Honda Civic with the most beautiful metalic green. I wish I could get that on my Leaf.

 

[LEAFfan]

Why are people in hot climates interested in any color other than white or silver. Anything else is going to end up using more energy to cool the interior. Are we trying to save energy or not?

To conserve energy only up until the point that it starts to impact your image is not much different than a Hummer driver who recycles his beer cans. It might be to a far lesser degree, but it's the same concept. I live in Houston and can't make up my mind between silver and pearl white. The light blue is pretty but that's just too girly for me. :lol:

There's one suggestion somewhere on the forum that the interior color has more impact on cabin temperature than outside color. :?

That someone either hasn't had a dark color exterior vehicle and lived in a hot climate or they never use sun shades for the windows. I've taken temps with the SAME interiors and the white exterior car was ten to fifteen degrees cooler than the red every time.

 

[AndyH]

I'll take your word for it.

In the mean time, I'll keep enjoying my dark blue car with the tan interior in S Texas. I really love the Huper Optik ceramic window tint.

 

[LEAFguy]

I'm surprised that no one has posted this link here yet:

Colored Leaves

Design your own LEAF exterior color. They even give you the option to send the suggestion to Nissan.

Have a little LEAF fun!

 

[AndyH]

Why are people in hot climates interested in any color other than white or silver. Anything else is going to end up using more energy to cool the interior. Are we trying to save energy or not?

To conserve energy only up until the point that it starts to impact your image is not much different than a Hummer driver who recycles his beer cans. It might be to a far lesser degree, but it's the same concept. I live in Houston and can't make up my mind between silver and pearl white. The light blue is pretty but that's just too girly for me. :lol:

There's one suggestion somewhere on the forum that the interior color has more impact on cabin temperature than outside color. :?

That someone either hasn't had a dark color exterior vehicle and lived in a hot climate or they never use sun shades for the windows. I've taken temps with the SAME interiors and the white exterior car was ten to fifteen degrees cooler than the red every time.

Here's the thread and the link to a study of interior color and temperature:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=6195#p6195
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=105831

According to the National Safe Kids Organization, if the ambient
temperature is 79 degrees F, car interiors can reach the following
temperatures!

White Interior 135 degrees F
Red Interior 154 degrees F
Blue/Green Interior 165 degrees F
Black Interior 192 degrees F
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content3/news3/temperatures.safety.all.html

 

[LEAFguy]

Which may be why the only interior color seen in the LEAF so far is the very light grey. Even on the black one seen on the streets of Arizona.

 

[Rake]

I also love the copper color idea.
Also would like to see a deep cobalt blue.

One of the prettiest paint jobs i ever saw was a custom job on a Jag; it appeared that they had layered metallic green/blue/pearl? over a black paint job. When you looked at it in normal light it looked black, but in the sun or under the lights at night it shined like dragonfly wings. Jaw dropping.

 

[LEAFfan]

I also love the copper color idea.
Also would like to see a deep cobalt blue.

You haven't seen the Cayenne Red? It isn't red. It's actually a copper color when it is in the light, then a kind of dark red in the shade. If you have your windows tinted dark enough and use a ceramic on your windshield, the outside color isn't going to make much difference.

 

[47Rah1980]

For a green car we need a green color - I vote for a lime green that stands out in a crowd

 

[Nubo]

This with a cream leather interior

And maybe whitewalls.