Cold Weather Nissan Leaf info! ($930 MSRP, can order now)

kmp647 said:

Good to hear , thanks again!

There isn't any pricing info yet?

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I haven't seen a pricing sheet on the Cold Weather LEAF's , but the base MSRP on the SL-CW I quoted was $34,650 which is $930 more than the base MSRP on a 'plain' SL.

http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=345524

Besides loosing 50% of your capacity I've always been told lithium will operate at temps to around -80C without heating.

The main issue with cold operation is not discharge but recharging as they can't handle anything over a 70%ish charge (max charge level depends on temp) and also if a fully charged lithium battery is frozen it removes 3% of its cycle life because its like overcharging the battery.

My thought on heating is that it should only occur until the batteries SOC is safe to freeze unless the operator chooses to have it kept warm, Until he departs at least.

My EV runs FLA in desparate cold on occasion and runs fine albeit sluggishly, I think the leaf would be no different and as long as folks know that the car has 50% range and reduced performance nissan should allow it to operate without the heating function in winter if the persons driving range allows it.

The only time I see the battery needing to be heated is prior to and perhaps during recharge and to prevent it from self overcharging while freezing.

Once it is to a safe SOC it should just stay frozen and not waste electricity.

it seems like Nissan should have the seat heaters and heated wheel as seperate options pack

then have the battery warmer pack

I will try to get a car with the full current CW package

interesting it doesnt warm the pack til -4 degrees F

so it wont improve your range much for most of the winter and would only be needed occasionally in many areas

our lowest night time temps are usually -5 to -10 degrees F

garygid said:

Might those -4º and 14º temperatures been "C" instead of "F"?
[edit: Forget this. Sorry, my brain went "dislecxic" and I got C and F reversed!]

In Alaska or Montana-type winters, the battery heater might run all winter?

What wattage are the various heaters, especially the Battery Heater?

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Cold weather folks have been DIY'ers for ages. Even the garage in our Kalispell MT home is insulated ... and even the water heater in the garage is insulated ... and even the cabinet that the heat er sits in is insulated. Diesel big rig's fuel turns to goo in sub zero temps ... and they figure out how to keep those warmed up. So ... figuring out how to winterize a car's battery pack is do-able as well ... so ... so much for hand wringing. Heck, if winterizing causes so much FUD in some folk, they can just buy a regular gass'er in the mean time. Hot and cold expremes don't have to be an insurmountable barrier. Heck ... if our cars are sitting out in the sub zero's ... I ought to be smart enough to have a heavy coat ... thick gloves ... and other appropriate gear. Oh! you mean my car might break down ... and I might have to get out? Yep ... sometimes you gotta prepare.

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jwhitehouse said:

I haven't seen a pricing sheet on the Cold Weather LEAF's , but the base MSRP on the SL-CW I quoted was $34,650 which is $930 more than the base MSRP on a 'plain' SL.

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Wow - thats the first time I'm hearing about this. How much is the SV-CW ?

I'm in the RAQ process and just saw the Cold Weather Package become available.

MSRP is $930

Here is the info from the Nissan USA site:

cold weather package
$930 MSRP***

if you operate your Nissan LEAF™ in a part of the country that experiences a real winter – with ice, snow, and sub-zero temperatures – we highly recommend the cold weather package. this package includes:

battery heater
heated front and rear seats
heated steering wheel
rear seat heat duct
heated outside mirrors

I'd be interested to see if anyone has the invoice pricing for the cold weather package. I'm looking at an SL-E and considering the Cold Weather Package.

Here in Southern California I have no need for it. Particularly for a grand. If heated seats were available separately for much less, I might have considered those however...

Finally!


Maybe now we can get some cold area orders!

Ualdriver said:

I guess my concern is that I did not realize that the Leaf (and maybe the Volt?) battery became unusable and/or damaged if exposed to the temperatures commonly seen during Midwest winters. I just thought (extremely) low temperatures degraded their performance by around 40% or so. I didn't realize that they HAD to be plugged in or operating during low temperatures or risk getting frozen solid.

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hmmm, so like its ok to leave ANY car sitting in temps that low? because i am pretty sure that any gas car with a standard lead acid batt will be SOL as well if sitting like that.

now, granted, not all will have issues, but many will. i doubt that all Leafs would have issues. keep in mind, -4º F is pretty extreme. not uncommon, but still extreme.

any indoor parking would never get that cold i am guessing.

DaveinOlyWA said:

Ualdriver said:

I guess my concern is that I did not realize that the Leaf (and maybe the Volt?) battery became unusable and/or damaged if exposed to the temperatures commonly seen during Midwest winters. I just thought (extremely) low temperatures degraded their performance by around 40% or so. I didn't realize that they HAD to be plugged in or operating during low temperatures or risk getting frozen solid.

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hmmm, so like its ok to leave ANY car sitting in temps that low? because i am pretty sure that any gas car with a standard lead acid batt will be SOL as well if sitting like that.

now, granted, not all will have issues, but many will. i doubt that all Leafs would have issues. keep in mind, -4º F is pretty extreme. not uncommon, but still extreme.

any indoor parking would never get that cold i am guessing.

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I have a Prius just like you. During the winter, it sits in a parking lot for up to 7 days in sometimes subzero Fahrenheit temperatures and it's fine. I start it up after a 7 day cold soak and it goes. I would hope that a Leaf would be able to do the same without having to run its battery heater and drain itself leaving me with no charge to get home!

So is Nissan requiring the CW package in certain zip codes or is it just an option? Being from CO, I know what winter driving is like (and very hard on cars). Sounds like it would be very poor judgement to not get the CW package in a winter environment.

I'll have to start searching the parts listings for the seat-heater switches. I want to wire up the seat heaters I'm getting on the Wet Okole seat covers into stock seat-heater switches. :mrgreen:

TEG, is that screen shot of the cold package from the order/configure screen?

in other words I guess , does it pop up and give all who are currently ordering or configuring a Leaf the choice of adding this package?

kmp647 said:

TEG, is that screen shot of the cold package from the order/configure screen?

in other words I guess , does it pop up and give all who are currently ordering or configuring a Leaf the choice of adding this package?

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Yep, the new ordering process includes that screen. Even though the headline appears to only ask "woud you consider," checking "yes" actually adds it to your order.

Glenn

Rats, that is something that I would have liked to have on our Leaf. Even though it only gets below 30 here in San Jose once or twice a year, having heated seats is nice for the chilly mornings. Oh well maybe a retrofit will be in order. That can be my next DIY.

Does anyone know whether the option's only available on cars for the 2012 model year, or whether the heated seats et al are available for cars in the current production queue? (Not yet produced, just... in the queue.)

As someone who has to drive in both Seattle and Carnation -- and thus from nice temperate low areas to the foothills of the Cascades, which can be considerably colder and even have snow when Seattle doesn't -- the idea of heated seats and steering wheel sounds extremely appealing. (Nothing like hours of chores at the stables in cold weather to leave your hands numb and frozen!) But if modifying the order to add this would push delivery until December or whatever, I'd rather just go with an aftermarket seat heater.

I've also tossed questions to Nissan, but... well, if someone else has yet received an answer, it's probably quicker to ask here.

Packet said:

Does anyone know whether the option's only available on cars for the 2012 model year, or whether the heated seats et al are available for cars in the current production queue? (Not yet produced, just... in the queue.)

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This seems to be what is known as a "running production change". It looks like it is available on current (2011) model year vehicles, but only for those units ordered going forward. It will not be something that can be added after the fact. Based on previous experience, I would say that Nissan is not likely to break out individual components of the package. Order the cold weather package and you get it all. Don't order it and you can't get any item individually.

Packet said:

Does anyone know whether the option's only available on cars for the 2012 model year, or whether the heated seats et al are available for cars in the current production queue? (Not yet produced, just... in the queue.)

As someone who has to drive in both Seattle and Carnation -- and thus from nice temperate low areas to the foothills of the Cascades, which can be considerably colder and even have snow when Seattle doesn't -- the idea of heated seats and steering wheel sounds extremely appealing. (Nothing like hours of chores at the stables in cold weather to leave your hands numb and frozen!) But if modifying the order to add this would push delivery until December or whatever, I'd rather just go with an aftermarket seat heater.

I've also tossed questions to Nissan, but... well, if someone else has yet received an answer, it's probably quicker to ask here.

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So far according to Nissan, they decided to start offering the cold pack on configurations placed 5/22 and on, most of which are still not able to reserve yet, let alone order. It will be on the final production units of 2011. Nissan does have a system to change the configuration of a car before it goes to the production line. I checked the ability to do that for June production and the system would not allow me to do so. I am waiting for an answer from Nissan and will update you as soon as I have it.
I guess it was a choice between re-leasing the package for 2011 or hold off for the 2012 model. Nissan chose to go with it. Needles to say, by doing so, they created another wave of disappointment specially to fresh customers that started ordering In May (including myself. I ordered my black SL on 5/16 :x

I have an estimated delivery in August and asked today if I could add the cold weather package, but was told that it is too late to do so. I was told that it would be available if the edit option on my dashboard (which I do not).