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An important safety tip for those who use the older Leaf's Panasonic-supplied 120v charging cord frequently: you may need to tighten the wiring screws in the plug to prevent future overheating and possible damage. I noticed over time that the prongs on my 120v charging adapter plug felt warm to...

A very interesting analysis of the interests of Prius aficionados vs Tesla S fans: http://blog.gravity.com/2013/07/31/what-your-electric-car-says-about-you/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Where do Leaf owners fit in? Probably somewhere in the middle, maybe closer to the Prius...

I recall some mention by a Nissan spokesperson late last year about a firmware update for older Leafs. Many of us were hoping for a revised GOM, or a dash SOC% as in the 2013 models. Was I imagining this? Is something along these lines still happening?

Here's a short list of what I've learned after 24 months with my Leaf: 1) I really, really like the way an EV drives, and enjoy day-to-day life with an EV. 2) I will not buy another car that makes me press a lawyer button every time I get in. Kind of funny that Nissan would rather piss off 90%...

I got an email this afternoon pointing to a Nissan survey regarding quick charging at nearby Nissan dealerships which to me seemed to completely miss the point - it kept asking me whether I was interested in quick charging at the Nissan Dealership nearest my home. I filled out the survey as best...

I was just thinking - if plug-in hybrids continue to outsell the Leaf by a wide margin, then there is a strong possibility that all the L2 chargers out there will be occupied by a plug-in when I pull up to charge. I won't be able to safely plan a trip in my Leaf which exceeds its range, which...

Last night, getting heavily shocked as usual when leaving the car, I realized that if I could harvest these repeated jolts of energy, I could extend the range of my car a bit. So I did the math: assuming 15kV shocks, and me at 300pF, that's almost 0.07J of energy with each shock, or 1.9 x 10-8...

I recently heard from my electric utility (PG&E) that the Cupertino/Los Altos area has the highest density of Leafs in their service area, which is most of northern CA. I think I just realized why: of course we have a high concentration of tech professionals, but more to the point: Highway 85's...

I saw this interesting article describing some issues with accurately predicting battery SOC from external measurable parameters: http://www.medicalelectronicsdesign.com/article/battery-fuel-gauge-factual-or-fallacy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I just got a call from PG&E asking what type of EV I have, how long I've had it, and whether I charge at Level 1 or 2. The rep said that the purpose of the call was to help assess the load on the currently installed lines and transformers. He mentioned that the Cupertino area has the highest...

Just tried the Leaf app on my new Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.0.2. Great phone. But the Leaf app closes after login. Is it just me?

My morning's commute was behind a brand-new Leaf driving 50 to 55mph in the HOV lane, leading a long line of frustrated nose-to-bumper cars wishing they could be driving 65. No HOV lane stickers, or license plate on the Leaf. Please don't be this person in your car. It gives electric vehicle...

On thing I've been wondering lately - In California, once reasonably-priced plug-in hybrids are introduced that are eligible for HOV lane stickers, will interest in pure BEVs like the Leaf fall off? I ask this because (1) All three Leafs on my block had white HOV stickers applied practically as...

I've noticed some pretty hair-raising behavior of my range display lately, after getting the April software update and adding my carpool lane stickers (higher freeway speeds). Here's the scenario: 1) Charge to 80% at home. Range indicator says "77 miles". 2) Freeway 12 miles slightly downhill...

Has anyone figured out how to reorder waypoints on Carwings' (web based) route planner? I'd like to set up say four or five destinations, then reorder them once I see them on a map, then send them to the car. But I haven't found how to reorder waypoints on the browser interface.

It's happened to me twice now after owning my Leaf for 10 days: I saw my range indicated at only 70-80 miles, passed a familiar gas station, and for a second thought that I'd better stop and fill up. Guess I'll get over it sooner or later. It's like "Groundhog Day", waking up every morning with...

Thought I'd start a thread to discus strategies for getting the boss to install a charging outlet at your workplace. Here's what worked for me: 1) I asked if there was an outside outlet available for plugging in my new car occasionally. Facilities guy said "no, but it would be nice to have...

A nicely balanced first-drive report from Autoweek's long-term Leaf test: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110311/CARREVIEWS/110319977

Looks like we're all going to have to think a little harder about charging. Sometimes it seems as if journalists are doing this on purpose, but it sounded like this reporter just believed the range estimate and google maps, and the result was a full stop in Manhattan. Also an interesting...

KQED public radio is broadcasting a Commonwealth Club discussion on the California electrical utility structure and the need for change due to local generation and EV use. I imagine that there will be an archive soon, or you can listen live to their stream at kqed.org. Starts at 8pm PST tonight...