Leaf: year by year

So I see lots of charts comparing all types of EV from one year, but does anyone have data on the range differences of the leaf by model year?

My lease is ending in May, and I need to figure out if its worth getting a leaf again (if there are any improvements to its range) or if I should go with the Volt.

There has not been any statistically significant real range difference from 2011 through 2015...

Limey said:

So I see lots of charts comparing all types of EV from one year, but does anyone have data on the range differences of the leaf by model year?

Click to expand...

EPA range ratings:
2011-12 Leaf: 73 miles (2 cycle test?)
2013 Leaf: 75 miles (5 cycle test?) (bit by the 80%/100% averaging) supposedly 84 miles at 100%
2014+ Leaf: 84 miles, not bit by 80%/100% averaging as 80% charge option was removed

You can find all of these numbers at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbsSelect" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

http://insideevs.com/2013-nissan-leaf-rated-at-75-miles-but-84-miles-using-the-old-system/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://insideevs.com/2014-nissan-leaf-mostly-unchanged-as-range-technically-moves-up-to-84-miles/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

However, TonyWilliams' steady state 100 km/h (62 mph) range tests below showed no significant difference between a '12 and '13. But, that's nothing like the EPA's tests (more info on them at http://priuschat.com/threads/car-and-driver-the-truth-about-epa-city-highway-mpg-estimates.67235/#axzz3MOpr7P2Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, article written before the Leaf, but the test cycle timelines are there.)

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=269645#p269645" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=11829" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The good part of getting a new Leaf is that you'll get a fresh battery vs. your degraded one. And, if you get an SV or SL, you'll get the more efficient (and much faster to heat) hybrid heat pump heater. And, all '12+ Leafs include heated seats and steering wheel.

My understanding is that the '11-'12 numbers are the 2 cycle test numbers "adjusted" to be equivalent to the 5 cycle test. All the cars have the same number of cells in the same configuration and there hasn't been any reason to think they are significantly different in capacity. There are some differences associated with the old/new heater, but other than that, nothing.

Oh yeah, w/a '13+, you'll at least get a dedicated heater on/off button and on nav equipped units (SV and SL), you don't need to press Ok on startup every time.

There are numerous other improvements, some outlined below:
http://sfbayleafs.org/news/2013/01/2013-nissan-leaf-product-highlights/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://sfbayleafs.org/commentary/2013/09/2013-vs-2011-nissan-leaf-whats-new-whats-gone-whats-changed/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(I have QC + LED and premium packages, which isn't possible on the '15 SV anymore...) I LOVE the Around View Monitor. I like the Bose stereo (even though I'm not a Bose fan). The hybrid heater for me heats up real fast. By the time I've backed out to my driveway, I have heat.

edit: Oh, I noticed the OP has a '13 S trim... I had to look at his first post since it's nowhere in his sig. If so, oh well, there will almost certainly be no range improvement vs. his '13 S when it was new.

I was hoping for an announcement that the tiered batteries would be available by the time my lease is up, sadly, It looks like that won't be the case. I may just have to extend my lease for a year, hopefully they will have something by then.

I don't know why every company is afraid of a battery bigger than the Leaf's, but smaller than Tesla's. The Soul EV is at least a little bigger, but just barely.

Limey said:

I was hoping for an announcement that the tiered batteries would be available by the time my lease is up, sadly, It looks like that won't be the case. I may just have to extend my lease for a year, hopefully they will have something by then.

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Not sure that will make much of a difference as I don't see a significant re-design of the Leaf's "guts" by then either (maybe some body/cosmetic changes though). Seems to me what you really need to decide is: do you want an EV or some sort of extended range hybrid?

Limey said:

I was hoping for an announcement that the tiered batteries would be available by the time my lease is up, sadly, It looks like that won't be the case. I may just have to extend my lease for a year, hopefully they will have something by then.

I don't know why every company is afraid of a battery bigger than the Leaf's, but smaller than Tesla's. The Soul EV is at least a little bigger, but just barely.

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It's not that they are afraid it's that almost all the cars are the same size and most offered now use the prismatic battery. It just makes sense to put the battery under the floor between the wheels as almost all the cars do. The cars that tend to be smaller get similar range on a smaller battery because of aero (frontal area goes down even if they haven't optimized cd) and or weight advantage. Then the bigger heavier car that can fit more batteries (Mercedes B ED) gets similar range because of the weight penalty. They almost all use prismatic batteries and the size to kWh ratio depending on who makes that battery all fall in a specific range. Tesla is a much bigger car so they can fit a bigger battery. They have kept the weight down as much as possible and optimized the aero too. Also since they use the cylindrical cells they can fit more kWh into the same area than if they used prismatic.

Although I'm not the expert from what I've read there are a lot of good reasons not to use cylindrical cells and Tesla took a risk doing so. The thermal management they need also adds a lot of cost into the car and is very important. It also has efficiency trade offs.Playing it safe is more important for the major auto makers that will have to honour warrantee claims for years if they get it wrong. If Tesla had got it wrong they could have just closed up shop, the same people could have switched to prismatic cells, got a new name and started over again.

If you could build a custom EV that matched the leaders in all categories such as the aero (cdA) of a Tesla (tied with the prius gen III), the weight of the smart, the rolling resistance of the i3 (this is an assumption but those 20 in narrow tires should be awesome in a side by side rolling resistance test) and the most efficient electric motor (don't know which one) then the leading prismatic cell (I think it would be the soul) would blow away the current EVs and to get Tesla range you wouldn't need anything close to 85kWh. If you did that you'd have a car that has the usability of the 1st gen insight and probably end up selling just as well too.