What should we build next?

[TEG]

I am really wishing I could turn on the backup camera at will. That is when I really want it - when I am about to change lanes and have that extra view of the blind spots.

You can! There's a poster that told how to do it. It may be in 'Tips and Tricks'. In the meantime, if you adjust your side mirrors out farther, you will have no blind spots. That's also in another thread somewhere.

Too many screens to navigate through (while driving) to do it with the existing menus. I hope for a one button push, or when the turn signal is on. The fact that you can do it from the diag menus is a sign that it might be programmable in software.

 

[TEG]

... In the meantime, if you adjust your side mirrors out farther, you will have no blind spots. That's also in another thread somewhere.

Yes, I know about that...

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/1217-How-do-you-adjust-your-side-mirrors

 

[LeafFanatic]

Electric4Me -- charge timing is definitely confusing. We are looking into it. Herm -- I've also had the thought of creating a "virtual" L2 EVSE by drawing from multiple 120v sockets. Potentially could do the same for an L3, although then you might have cords snaking through every outlet in your house

GeekEV -- I can see an advanced Killawatt device being pretty cool. The necessary information regarding amperage, voltage, kWh is quite easy to obtain from the car. The challenge is in presenting it in a clear way and through the right channel whether it is in-dash, smartphone, browser, etc. Or would you rather it be presented on the device? Curious to hear everyone's thoughts.

 

[garygid]

Some diagnostics screens, like all 96 battery-cell voltages, nicely displayed.

 

[TEG]

...I've also had the thought of creating a "virtual" L2 EVSE by drawing from multiple 120v sockets. Potentially could do the same for an L3, although then you might have cords snaking through every outlet in your house

We really need better 'smart grid' where the breakers advertise their ampacity over the lines, and each device/appliance reports their individual current draw. Then when you plugged your "Leaf charging octopus" into a bunch of outlets it could figure out how much spare current it could draw from each without tripping any of the breakers at the panel.

Unfortunately I think we are a ways off from that sort of "dynamic load calculation" but I think it is a laudable goal.

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

Another option. Brand Electronics has been making digital power meters for years (I've had my 4-1850 for more than 10).

Heh! Me too. They were one of the first. Still working like new, too.

I have a Watts Up Pro too, which added a serial data output for real-time recording.

But by far my favorite is still reading the data out of the SDG&E meter. Can't beat that. When the only load on it is the Blink charger, that's the way to go.

 

[lemketron]

Wow, thanks for all the feedback guys! First of all, regarding the PlugShare app on other platforms -- we have people working on it, I promise! It would be counterproductive to throw more manpower at it so we are looking at other opportunities in the meantime.

If you want to avoid having to port to each of several different mobile platforms, consider writing your app in javascript which would give you a mobile app for your web site, as well as the potential to have platform-specific installable "native" apps using PhoneGap (for Android, Blackberry, webOS, iOS, etc.). See http://www.phonegap.com/ for more info.

 

[GeekEV]

GeekEV -- I can see an advanced Killawatt device being pretty cool. The necessary information regarding amperage, voltage, kWh is quite easy to obtain from the car. The challenge is in presenting it in a clear way and through the right channel whether it is in-dash, smartphone, browser, etc. Or would you rather it be presented on the device? Curious to hear everyone's thoughts.

Personally, I think the option to view or download the data via a smartphone or browser might be NICE but not required. Bluetooth might be a cool option for both an app to read, or for the hackers out there, but I wouldn't want such bells and whistles to drive the price up. I definitely think the device should have it's own readout (it doesn't need to be fancy) for those people who don't have the right smartphone or LAN connectivity where the device is. Maybe it's just me, but I think a little tiny socket that plugged in between the car and the J plug would be super cool. It would be portable, so you could take it with you and use on any charger. And you could market it to ANY of the new EVs coming on the market... Of course, you could do the same for something you wire in at home, but it wouldn't be so readily portable or as plug-and-play to use...

 

[Herm]

Herm -- I've also had the thought of creating a "virtual" L2 EVSE by drawing from multiple 120v sockets. Potentially could do the same for an L3, although then you might have cords snaking through every outlet in your house

That was not what I mean, just simply a 240V "True Charger" that would use the L3 port on the Leaf.. and make it portable if possible. Tesla sells a similar device (I think), 16.8kw, for the Roadster.. only $1950

It would definitely have to plugged in to a socket directly wired to the breaker panel, up to 70Amps if you crank it up to max.

edit: the Tesla "charger" is just AC 240V, not a Tepco 500VDC L3 charger at all..

 

[TomT]

While you are at it, increase the steering effort and give me so real on-center feel... Just reducing the steering boost by 2/3 at speeds above 20 would go a long way toward this end... This is my biggest complaint about the driving experience.

ECU remapping offering different modes for the various driver preferences/environments, i.e. Throttle pedal controlled regen (a la Tesla), freewheel mode (coasting).
Sport mode that will give more agressive throttle response/regen mapping.

 

[Luft]

I'm from Xatori, the maker of the PlugShare app. I wanted to get some input from the forum about what we should build for our next offering!

In short -- what annoys you most about your Nissan LEAF? What do you think could be done to fix it? This doesn't have to be limited to software. So far we have heard a lot of complaints about plugs, adaptors, and home charging docks so we may do something along those lines. There has also been a lot of feedback regarding Carwings and the Nissan app so that is another possibility.

So please fire away!

Well, since you asked...

I want to be able to plan a long distance EV trip. What that means is being able to specify a starting point and an end point (not necessarily my current position) the program would then break my trip into pieces and suggest charging stations along the way. It would need to estimate my range taking into account probably speed and elevation changes. I would want to specify how much remaining SOC was my absolute minimum before I wanted to charge. I.E. I don't want to run out of juice so I want to give myself a buffer.

I'm a programmer so I know this is a bugger of a program but it may be possible using Google's APIs.

Since our batteries will have less capacity as they age it would be important to be able to specify. If the app is to be used for more than just the Nissan LEAF you would have to perhaps keep various profiles for different EVs.

Also Google maps gives me various routes to a destination. This is nice because I may not always want to travel on the freeway but rather on a lower speed road.

 

[TEG]

A bit silly, but it reminds me of this:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/disneyland-planner-by-gotplans/id408661662?mt=8

 

[OrientExpress]

Sounds great!

 

[Glenn]

All interesting thought, OE, but this isn't the appropriate thread for them.

 

[DrillbabyDrill]

I'm from Xatori, the maker of the PlugShare app.

Since I've a Windows Phone, I'd say either make the app for WP7 or a simple html website I can browse from a smart phone.

+1

 

[TEG]

Maybe not you guys, but someone should build a CHAdeMO *output*.
So you plug into the CHAdeMO port, and an external inverter provides 120V backup power for your house.
So when there is a power failure you don't have to go fire up a gasoline generator, instead you just run your house off the car's pack. Not exactly "V2G" since it would be standalone for your devices only. To avoid hassles with the utility you would just plug devices directly into the inverter, for instance your home fridge to avoid having food spoil.
I think the Leaf pack could provide a couple days of household power for a typical house.

If it was semi-portable, you could use this for car camping too to run household appliances when away from home.

 

[palmermd]

I'd be happier to see a ChaDeMo input. MM PFC70 and ChaDeMo control would be perfect.

 

[TEG]

I'd be happier to see a ChaDeMo input. MM PFC70 and ChaDeMo control would be perfect.

Yes, of course. But it would be nice to have both.

 

[TEG]

How about a CHAdeMO "jumper cable"?
Your friend is stranded with an "empty" Leaf.
You pull up in your "full" leaf, and hook up the CHAdeMO to CHAdeMO and quickly transfer some of your charge over?

 

[GeekEV]

How about a CHAdeMO "jumper cable"?
Your friend is stranded with an "empty" Leaf.
You pull up in your "full" leaf, and hook up the CHAdeMO to CHAdeMO and quickly transfer some of your charge over?

+1

Or even a J1772 "jumper cable"... I think that's what the OP of this thread http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4262 was intending to talk about, but nobody seems to have gotten it so far...