Update on Nissan LEAF Battery Replacement

[jlatl]

Just had this come across my desk. I am sure it is a long way off from being production feasible, but interesting article

http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/20842" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[mwalsh]

Unless one is over 60k miles, the car is still under the capacity warranty

Unless it's flagged with the dreaded B0133! :twisted:

 

[mbender]

Just had this come across my desk. I am sure it is a long way off from being production feasible, but interesting article

http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/20842" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah that's a day or two old (heaven forbid! ;-)), but without cost estimates, energy-density numbers or "proof of scalability", it's unlikely we'll see this make its way into vehicles anytime soon, if at all.

I do suspect that we'll see some fascinating breakthroughs before the end of the decade though (you know labs across the globe are working hard on this, now that they see the writing on the wall), and who knows, this or the carbon battery announced earlier this year might be the one make it to market after all. With a long-enough "attention span", this decade should make for a fascinating story* (vis-a-vis electric mobility) someday.

* and then no doubt a movie or two, and then later, chapter(s) in history books.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Unless one is over 60k miles, the car is still under the capacity warranty

Unless it's flagged with the dreaded B0133! :twisted:

I didn't want to "get into the weeds" trying to explain that exception. I suspect that there will be ways around that short of new lawsuits. It is moot for me since there is no way I am going to hit 66% in 60 months.

 

[WetEV]

I don't think there have been many (any?) replacements thus far, save for the ones under the capacity warranty. Unless one is over 60k miles, the car is still under the capacity warranty, so unless one needed the extra range of a new battery before the old one got down to 66%, there isn't much point in paying for a replacement if it is still under warranty.

Nissan could have announced this 3 years ago, and made basically no replacements to date.

I've often wondered why.

 

[nerys]

Because nissan themselves did not have faith in how long the batteries would actually hold up in capacity is my guess.

they did not want to "eat it" so to speak so they made that exclusion to the warranty (not guarentee'ing capacity)

 

[brettcgb]

Just had this come across my desk. I am sure it is a long way off from being production feasible, but interesting article

http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/20842" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah that's a day or two old (heaven forbid! ;-)), but without cost estimates, energy-density numbers or "proof of scalability", it's unlikely we'll see this make its way into vehicles anytime soon, if at all.
....
* and then no doubt a movie or two, and then later, chapter(s) in history books.

Then there are the non-battery issues that I don't think will ever be resolved: Where do you get the 0.25 MegaWatt power, who would (could) host, etc...

 

[JPWhite]

Just had this come across my desk. I am sure it is a long way off from being production feasible, but interesting article

http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/20842" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah that's a day or two old (heaven forbid! ;-)), but without cost estimates, energy-density numbers or "proof of scalability", it's unlikely we'll see this make its way into vehicles anytime soon, if at all.
....
* and then no doubt a movie or two, and then later, chapter(s) in history books.

Then there are the non-battery issues that I don't think will ever be resolved: Where do you get the 0.25 MegaWatt power, who would (could) host, etc...

The only way to charge batteries at this rate would be to charge from a bank of storage batteries which are recharged at a slower rate.

 

[nerys]

Guys. Maybe coming from a different field this is more obvious to me than you guys.

Beibg able to charge in a couple of minutes does not mean you can "only" charge that way.

The way I read it it simply means it can charge that fast or at "any rate" upto that rate.

That is the critical thing to me.

 

[JeremyW]

The only way to charge batteries at this rate would be to charge from a bank of storage batteries which are recharged at a slower rate.

You could, if a suitable charger were developed. You would just need a sub-transmission line to do this. These kind of loads are not un-heard of. Mostly industrial and water pump load.

 

[brettcgb]

The only way to charge batteries at this rate would be to charge from a bank of storage batteries which are recharged at a slower rate.

You could, if a suitable charger were developed. You would just need a sub-transmission line to do this. These kind of loads are not un-heard of. Mostly industrial and water pump load.

That might be a workable solution... if you're charging 2 - 4 cars a day. BUT IF you have a line of cars waiting to use the charger, energy storage is not going to get you very far.

A quick battery swap would be a better solution. This doesn't require high power or new technology, but does allow load shifting to charge batteries at night when rates are low. There's also the possibility of utility scale load leveling.

I'm thinking ultra-fast charging batteries (or chargers) will not be happening. Ever.

But we're way off topic.... I'm still waiting to hear if Nissan is going to swap out my battery.

 

[JeremyW]

I said nothing about storage. Sub transmission lines are rated from 10's to 100's of Megawatts. 66-120kV voltage range. The power from the grid is certainly available, for a price.

And that's the end of my ultra fast charging discussion on this thread.

 

[KJD]

But we're way off topic.... I'm still waiting to hear if Nissan is going to swap out my battery.

You have lost 4 bars and you live in Arizona. What is there to decide ?

 

[brettcgb]

But we're way off topic.... I'm still waiting to hear if Nissan is going to swap out my battery.

You have lost 4 bars and you live in Arizona. What is there to decide ?

Ask Nissan. The service adviser said that such exchanges had never been refused, but he still had to go through Nissan to get it authorized.

It doesn't help that the same (and only) Leaf-knowledgeable service adviser left on vacation for a week before said authorization was received. The only info I'm getting is that a part has been ordered for my car, but there was no description what it is - that's more than I knew before. I'm assuming the swap was authorized.

 

[TimLee]

The only info I'm getting is that a part has been ordered for my car, but there was no description what it is - that's more than I knew before. I'm assuming the swap was authorized.

Hopefully waiting for heat resistant battery or the mounting kit.
Would seem unwise to be installing the old chemistry in Arizona.

 

[nerys]

Sadly financially the 2ise decision is to give him an old chem battery to use them up since there is no wareanty on a wareanty replacement except what is left of your original warranty.

Hopefully thwy wont do that

 

[brettcgb]

Sadly financially the wise decision is to give him an old chem battery to use them up since there is no warranty on a warranty replacement except what is left of your original warranty.

Hopefully they wont do that

I have strong evidence that suggests an identical replacement battery might also fail within the original warranty period. A short-sighted "wise" financial decision would make use of another original battery. I think they're smarter than than. I'm the other hand, I've already paid for another battery due to the high lease payments (compared to today's leases).

 

[TomT]

Nissan has strongly corralled short-sightedness... :roll:

A short-sighted "wise" financial decision would make use of another original battery.

 

[TRONZ]

Hummmm. Lost my third cap bar this morning. With less than 40K miles and over 15 months until my five years, probably time to start watching this thread.

 

[cwerdna]

Hummmm. Lost my third cap bar this morning. With less than 40K miles and over 15 months until my five years, probably time to start watching this thread.

Hmm... Seems like if you don't lose your 4th capacity bar by say May or so, might be a good idea to send your car to Phoenix for a thorough summer baking.