HEPA cabin air filter upgrade for LEAF?

Most of us drive our LEAFs during the rush hour traffic in the cities during which time we are exposed to the high levels of toxic gases and particulate air pollution (PM2.5 and PM10) from the other cars exhaust fumes.

My guess is that LEAF cabin air filter is nothing special when it comes to good filtration of the particulate matter. Has anyone attempted to upgrade cabin air filter with HEPA rated filter to reduce their daily commute exposure to the toxic air pollution?

My search revealed that Mitsubishi makes HEPA cabin air filter for some of their cars but doubt it would fit into LEAF. Anyone has Diagram of the LEAF outside air intake, this could potentially be the place to put/retrofit the HEPA rated filter?

Perhaps something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Holmes-HAPF30..._sbs_hg_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1J3P12993C8WY8K3PEYZ

A new study says the single best thing you can do to protect yourself is roll up the windows and set your vehicle’s ventilation system to ‘recirculate.’

Using that setting -- typically a button that shows a car with an arrow inside -- can cut pollution concentrations inside a typical car to 20% of on-road levels, scientists found. When you use a ventilation setting that draws in outside air, they found, you are exposed to up to 80% of the levels of pollution found in traffic, even with the windows up.

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/se...ecirculate-car-air-pollution-traffic-20130912

I stand by to see how you do on your quest, but one could use an inverter to run an AC air filter system used for a hospital operating or small room if one sought such healthful air. Back in the early 70's electrostatic filtration in cars was rare but I remember seeing a trunk mounted unit as a young child...

I had a Fram (I think) 'Fresh Air' filter, impregnated with charcoal, installed in my 2013 SV. It isn't HEPA grade, but the air is fresher, especially on Recirculate. I'm very sensitive to exhaust fumes, so I'm a good judge of this. It's a real shame that Nissan's design makes you jump through hoops to have Recirculate work in many of the ventilation modes...

LeftieBiker said:

I had a Fram (I think) 'Fresh Air' filter, impregnated with charcoal, installed in my 2013 SV. It isn't HEPA grade, but the air is fresher, especially on Recirculate. I'm very sensitive to exhaust fumes, so I'm a good judge of this. It's a real shame that Nissan's design makes you jump through hoops to have Recirculate work in many of the ventilation modes...

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Went to fram fresh air web site but they do not list cabin air filter for leaf. Which one did you use?

I just checked, and it's Fram "Fresh Breeze." It's the same one used in the Cube, IIRC.

it is FRAM CF11177 Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filter, but they don't mention what is the filter efficiency...

However there is new prototype of cabin air filter currently in development that is exactly what I am looking for:
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es404952q

The next time you can’t decide what to order while sitting in the drive-thru at Wendy’s, consider blaming your air filter.

A vehicle’s cabin air filter is designed to filter out harmful small particulates, namely dangerous ultrafine particles (UFPs), but it isn’t very efficient—most OEM filters only block about 50% of particulates. Vehicle emissions are a primary source of urban UFPs, which are consistently elevated around urban highways, so that means you’re breathing in a lot of those particulates each time you ride in your vehicle. And though switching your air vent to recirculation mode can block the entry of around 90% of UFPs, doing so quickly runs up dangerous carbon dioxide levels—which inhibit decision-making. You just can’t win.

Take a deep breath—a couple of scientists at UCLA have devised a solution. “To address this challenge, (the authors) Zhu and Lee decided to develop a method that would simultaneously reduce UFPs inside cars, while also allowing carbon dioxide to escape,” states a press release from the American Chemical Society.

The duo developed a high-efficiency cabin air (HECA) filter that can reduce cabin UFP levels by an average of 93%. Breathe that in. Published in Environmental Science and Technology, the study describes the design of a dual-layered filter composed of upstream synthetic fibers and downstream glass fibers, in comparison to the standard single-layer of OEM filters. The scientists also decreased the diameter of the fibers to increase particulate-nabbing surface area.

Zhu and Lee then put the filter to work, testing it out in 12 different vehicles under stationary, local road, and highway conditions, using condensation particle counters to measure particulate levels inside and outside the vehicles.

The tests showed great results across the board, with the HECA filter able to significantly reduce cabin particulate levels and prevent buildup of carbon dioxide. As the authors conclude in the paper, “Overall, the developed HECA filters achieved 2-3 times greater reduction than the in-use OEM filters.”

UFPs, which are defined as being less than 100 nm in diameter, pose a significant health risk because their small size allows them to easily enter the respiratory system. There, within the aveoli of your lungs, the particles’ small size further allows them to diffuse or transport across cell membranes, entering the intracellular space and gaining access to important cellular stuff, like DNA. Once on the inside, UFPs might induce or catalyze of wide range of cellular changes, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and epigenetic modifications.

UFPs are generated from a variety of sources, which include both natural (think volcanic eruptions and sea spray) and manmade (combustion reactions and friction) processes, but vehicle emissions constitute a large proportion of urban UFPs. Considering the estimated 38 hours per year the average American spends stuck in traffic, reducing vehicular exposure to UFPs could provide great health benefits.

The paper is “Application of a High-Efficiency Cabin Air Filter for Simultaneous Mitigation of Ultrafine Particle and Carbon Dioxide Exposures Inside Passenger Vehicles” (DOI: 10.1021/es404952q).

Also remember that most automotive systems are designed to recirculate only about 80% of the air... The rest is drawn in from outside. This is done as a safety measure.

NasGoreList said:

it is FRAM CF11177 Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filter, but they don't mention what is the filter efficiency...

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I used the one here:

http://rcbullock.blogspot.com/2014/03/2011-nissan-leaf-cabin-air-filter.html

It's charcoal and $17.85 as of this writing. It's linked below the mini-article explaining why people are breaking the tabs when replacing them. It's a very simple process to replace, actually. 40 minutes or so and risk free unless you REALLY are dangerous with tools. Got both kinds of screwdriver? You're good to go.

It's not HEPA I don't think but it is WAAAAAY better than factory and reduces outside odors by a surprising amount.

I also have one of those $10 ion generators from AutoZone. I recommend buying that local as I had to get 3 or 4 to get one that didn't make noise. It generates a small amount of ozone but not much so it probably wouldn't bother you. You have to put your nose right on it to even smell it. That probably helps to freshen a little more as well.

Even if the ion generator only helps a little, 5% is 5%.

TomT said:

Also remember that most automotive systems are designed to recirculate only about 80% of the air... The rest is drawn in from outside. This is done as a safety measure.

NasGoreList said:

it is FRAM CF11177 Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filter, but they don't mention what is the filter efficiency...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

good point. I wonder what is the setting for leaf?

I can tell you that the Leaf isn't drawing in a lot of outside air, as I have yet to smell exhaust fumes with it set on Recirculate. I'd guess it's 5-10% fresh air, at most. Remember: that 80% setting is mostly to protect against CO from an ICE, not CO2 from re-breathed air. So with no ICE they can set fresh air intake in Rec mode pretty low.

regardless we still need better air filter!

so which of these vent holes up top is the fresh air intake?

NasGoreList said:

regardless we still need better air filter!

does anyone have picture of the fresh air intake under the hood. I am thinking of using the home hvac filter material to cover the fresh air scoop.

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A few months ago, while looking on line, I saw a charcoal filter that was supposed to fit the Leaf, but when I asked the Leaf service department and their Leaf mechanic, he said he didn't think it would fit.

If I can, I will see if I can locate the charcoal filter source as I too would like for their to be a better filter.

Sometimes I wonder if, when my car went through the "line," if the filter installer was on break, as dust and fumes will come right into the car.

greengate said:

NasGoreList said:

regardless we still need better air filter!

does anyone have picture of the fresh air intake under the hood. I am thinking of using the home hvac filter material to cover the fresh air scoop.

Click to expand...

A few months ago, while looking on line, I saw a charcoal filter that was supposed to fit the Leaf, but when I asked the Leaf service department and their Leaf mechanic, he said he didn't think it would fit.

If I can, I will see if I can locate the charcoal filter source as I too would like for their to be a better filter.

Sometimes I wonder if, when my car went through the "line," if the filter installer was on break, as dust and fumes will come right into the car.

Click to expand...

Here it is:

So the fresh air intake is located in the central position (slightly toward driver) under the windshield. To get to it you have take off windshield wipers and the black plastic cover. Even then It is still buried underneath and obstructed by the wiper motor mechanism. I cut the piece of the home merv 13 rated Ac filter and taped it over the opening (aprox 3" x 10"). It is not HEPA rated but will catch most of the small particulate pollution. For the next change I will fabricate the filter housing so I can put hepa rated filter and active carbon sheet in there.