Update on Nissan LEAF Battery Replacement

[kieranmullen]

Ends up at 220 around 40 AMPS. it it is pretty standard to have a 50 AMP breakers on 220 for ovens and such but those breakers get expensive $100

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I cant believe I actually read through 25 pages of mostly nonsense, off topic discussions and whines.

I would think that the 2011-2012 should offer an upgraded charger at a reasonable fee. Perhaps instead of 6.6 perhaps a 9 KW

Heat kills batteries. Pump 9 KW into a leaf and watch it melt down.

DCQC is 50kW. 9 KW should be fine, DCQC stills pumps in at that rate at about 80% SOC.

 

[FairwoodRed]

240 is the standard for voltage here (unless you’re on 3 phase commercial and then it’s 208) and 50 amp breakers can be had for less than a movie. link here

Again, I want to thank Nissan for announcing a replacement pack price. It has definitely put my mind at ease knowing that option is now available to me. Here’s to hoping that the revised leasing plan will also be better.

Ends up at 220 around 40 AMPS. it it is pretty standard to have a 50 AMP breakers on 220 for ovens and such but those breakers get expensive $100

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Heat kills batteries. Pump 9 KW into a leaf and watch it melt down.

DCQC is 50kW. 9 KW should be fine, DCQC stills pumps in at that rate at about 80% SOC.

 

[Valdemar]

it it is pretty standard to have a 50 AMP breakers on 220 for ovens and such but those breakers get expensive $100

Unsure how this is related to the discussion, and no, they are not necessarily expensive, it is the breaker type that typically determines the price the most and not necessarily its trip current:

50A - $10.88
20A - $60

 

[johnrhansen]

Ends up at 220 around 40 AMPS. it it is pretty standard to have a 50 AMP breakers on 220 for ovens and such but those breakers get expensive $100
You are probably thinking of the ground fault breakers used for hot tub installations. Those are pretty pricey.

 

[myleaf]

I am wondering why there has not been an official Nissan Corporate release regarding the lizard battery and battery replacement program.
Is the reason to not affect the sales of the 2014 Leafs in inventory?

 

[TomT]

Only those deep in the bowels of Nissan know, and they aren't talking!

I am wondering why there has not been an official Nissan Corporate release regarding the lizard battery and battery replacement program.

 

[RegGuheert]

I am wondering why there has not been an official Nissan Corporate release regarding the lizard battery and battery replacement program.
Is the reason to not affect the sales of the 2014 Leafs in inventory?

I think they simply do not want to bring ANY attention to this issue.

 

[mwalsh]

I think they simply do not want to bring ANY attention to this issue.

Fine by me. I don't even care if it's just to shut us up for a while. :mrgreen:

Of course there are other niggling little issues we need to sort out with Nissan, so it's not a panacea. But this is a major step forward, so far as I'm concerned.

 

[kubel]

Pump 9 KW into a leaf and watch it melt down.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHAdeMO" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[kmp647]

I am wondering why there has not been an official Nissan Corporate release regarding the lizard battery and battery replacement program.
Is the reason to not affect the sales of the 2014 Leafs in inventory?

I have the same concern , I know they don't want to draw attention to the issue, but how is anyone to be sure we are getting this new battery when we get a replacment or more likely purchase a 2015 Leaf?

With no listing in the specs, no OFFICIAL announcement, and no mention of this improved chemistry on the window sticker of 2015's (I checked it not there). I am sceptical more of the existence of this new chemistry and pack, not that it can be done at all.

I for one won't buy a leaf again til I see evidence of the improved pack publicly listed ( the lawyers will be screaming) and or a TMS that is clearly listed in the specs and or on the sticker.

I"m not saying anyone is not being sincere when they come on here and make what seem to be official announcements mind you.

 

[johnrhansen]

You will see all kinds of adverising about the new battery... once the old stock is sufficiently used up. I would think the best thing for Nissan to do is just slip in the lizard batteries in the warmer areas and keep putting more of the old style batteries in the cars bound for the cooler climates. Then once the old stock is used up tell the world about the lizard battery.

 

[JPWhite]

Then once the old stock is used up tell the world about the lizard battery.

I doubt that. It draws attention to a fix for something that isn't positive. I think they have better things to help sell cars, like no charge to charge.

 

[Nubo]

You will see all kinds of adverising about the new battery... once the old stock is sufficiently used up. I would think the best thing for Nissan to do is just slip in the lizard batteries in the warmer areas and keep putting more of the old style batteries in the cars bound for the cooler climates. Then once the old stock is used up tell the world about the lizard battery.

At this point it seems increasingly likely to me that the use of the "lizard" battery began concurrently with the switch to 2015 model year -- with 2014 production lasting only a half-year. It would seem rather arbitrary otherwise.

 

[TomT]

Plus, unless they are 100% certain it is an order of magnitude better, they might not want to say anything so as to preclude another "Phoenix" incident...

I doubt that. It draws attention to a fix for something that isn't positive. I think they have better things to help sell cars, like no charge to charge.

 

[DaveInAvl]

Plus, unless they are 100% certain it is an order of magnitude better...

10X better? The world will beat a path to their door!

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Then once the old stock is used up tell the world about the lizard battery.

I doubt that. It draws attention to a fix for something that isn't positive. I think they have better things to help sell cars, like no charge to charge.

I agree they will keep the whole thing as quiet as possible. No reason to do otherwise. Squeaky wheels will be greased; there's no benefit to Nissan for encouraging non-squeaking wheels to start squeaking, or to increase awareness among potential buyers that there was even anything to squeak about in the first place.
Announcing the replacement and lizard availability on social media the way they did targets the message delivery brilliantly... and it didn't cost them a dime!

 

[hill]

So one question that begs to be answered out of curiosity is what the battery actually costs Nissan... One has to assume that they are not losing money at $5,500 retail so the cost of the battery must be equal to or less than this... That being the case, it can be argued that the cost of the battery is much less of a percentage of the vehicle cost than originally surmised... And that Nissan is making more on the Leaf (or losing less) than some suggested...

Knock the core charge out - and the price per kWh is UNDER $190. DANG ... never thought they'd pull off that kind of pricing. I'm optimistic, but I never imagined this.

Question NOW is ... rather than let the stealership soak you for 3 hours labor . . . will they sell it to you on a pallet? I've monkey'd with the pack enough to know the HV dangers/cautions necessary to take - and the change out would make a fun week end project.
Yea - it'll probably never happen.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Imagine the liability of selling the packs over the parts counter. Total nonstarter with the lawyers.

Unless it's upgrading the horn or rotation the tires the LEAF will never be a favorite among shade tree mechanics.

 

[TomT]

They need an emoticon for facetious and satire... But seriously, it had better be at least three times better...

Plus, unless they are 100% certain it is an order of magnitude better...

10X better? The world will beat a path to their door!

 

[JPWhite]

They need an emoticon for facetious and satire... But seriously, it had better be at least three times better...

Plus, unless they are 100% certain it is an order of magnitude better...

10X better? The world will beat a path to their door!

Let's not forget the Lizard batteries performance will most probably only be better for hot climates. For Europe/Pacific NW there maybe little to no improvement. Don't expect whichever multiplier 2X, 3X, 10X, 1000X.... we assign to the lizard battery the real world experience/improvement will vary by region.