I am with you in that LEAF marries the simplicity and tecnology in a balanced way. Love the hatch manually operated, also driver seat manually adjustable; I didnt like the backing humming either, so after a few weeks I disconnected the speaker physically (this used to be an option via a button in older LEAFs where you could disabled the sounds). I wish they had easier access to energy consumption data in the screen; I also LOVE amber lights; insanity with vehicles using the braking lights as blinkers you dont see them in many driving scenarios unsafe. The one thing I truly dislike is that it gets too cold in the feet area during winter (Im in Canada) Is not properly insulated. AND when there is snow it does not help is only FWD and it constantly brushes snow due to its low ground clearance. As a commuter car in milder weather is a solid built car.
Move your tires to 42psi for 10% more range. For the spare tire, there is space for it below the floor if you are willing to mount from underneath behind the air shield. Some have done it. Personally, I throw it in the trunk for long trips.
Here I am a year later. I had the same thoughts at first about the shifter and the storage. I've managed to make peace with the storage and made it work and I have completely become used to the shifter. I actually now prefer it over a protruding shifter stalk because it's so easy to pop it into drive or reverse without even a glance.
An engineer's review should include discussion on the major deficiencies of this battery system, imo. Along with some statistical analysis on its range and charging speed under different conditions.
I have done testing. When its below 0F, my range is almost half. That said the car preheats while plugged in, so i went this first winter without scraping ice off my car. I really cant talk about battery depreciation as I've only had it for a year, but LeafSpy says i still have 96% State of Health.
You know there is a tire air compressor and repair kit in the compartment on the left of the rear between the hatch and the wheel well? Leaf has always been this way. They don’t want the weight of the spare and some people don’t know how replace their own tire these days.
Both times ive gotten flats a tire repair kit wouldnt help. Once i bent the rim the other time i hit a small tube. Fix a flat is garbage. The aussies have a spare on their Leaf due to regulations. The amount of weight a tire adds is negligible.
I like the shifter and the Toyota cars signs like a train too…backing and while driving. There’s storage in the door and the glove compartment and some in the armrest. Get a bag and sit in the car or trunk for additional junk.
I just bought a CCS to Chademo adapter. I had a Chademo to Tesla adaptor with the Tesla I owned. The Leaf has better build quality quieter interior nicer ride and no annoying glass roof and I have no idea who the CEO of Nissan is :) unlike Tesla.
Im actually am coming around to liking the shifter for the sole reason that when i get to my destination i just turn off the car and it puts itself in park.
@@jawharris Yeah earlier versions 24kwh,30kwah and 40kwah but 60kwah might be big enough to survive.Even 24kwah people have 50k miles on the original battery suppose 60kwh will get there with 3.0times less cycles of charges then it should also last atleast 3 times longer.
@@ceylontea5877 Sarcasm, I understand. I was thinking maybe cooling systems were leaking in the long run. I live in the NW, so I'm hoping my 40kwh will hold up, it was a great price, 18k for a 40kwh, -2k sales tax credit and 4k tax credit, so effectively 12k.
@@jawharris - liquid cooling is a bit overrated for simple daily commuter applications. Liquid cooling is largely for owners that frequently use high power DC Fast Charging (DCFC), which, depending upon the battery's core temperature, can degrade the battery pack. For air-cooled battery packs like those in the Leaf, DCFC can accelerate battery capacity degradation. This is especially true if its battery's core temperature is already elevated by extended periods of high-speed driving above 85 mph, frequent use of DCFC over a span of just a few hours, and if either is performed during periods of high ambient temperatures (think Arizona's 115F daytime highs). If you're someone that typically drives at more normal speeds, don't live where ambient temperatures exceed 100F, and rarely if ever use DCFC then your battery will likely outlast the car itself. Also, the larger the battery pack the better (62kWh will be much more durable than was the 24kWh battery). Keep in mind as well that the Leaf uses NMC battery chemistry (Nickel, Manganese, Cobalt), which does not like to be left fully charged for long periods of time. It's OK to charge to 100% if you intend to drive the vehicle immediately but leaving it sit at 100% for 10 hours or more every night (or especially over a long weekend), will have a small but cumulative effect on degradation. Keeping the charge between 20% and 80% for everyday driving has been shown to be very effective at maintaining good battery health. With my first Leaf (a 2015 SV), I made the mistake of putting it on my home's Level 2 charger every night so it would be at 100% the next morning. It would reach 100% within 3-4 hours and then spend the next 10-11 hours sitting at 100%. This caused only a tiny amount of degradation every night but over time the battery pack accumulated noticeable degradation. I also used to plug the car in after getting home on a Friday evening and leaving it sit at 100% until Monday morning (I used my ICE vehicle on weekends). For my 2019 I've since learned how to better care for the battery.
Lift up the trunk carpet. Is there a single nut sitting there? If so, your spare tire is UNDER the trunk. Take a look under, the nut is to lower the spare that's held in place by a cage.
Reminds me of a story I heard. Apparently, if you take the bottom off of a coffee can, there is a backup reserve of coffee there for just 1 cup. Nice try.
This is false. The Leaf has a spare tire under the boot floor, holding on with a bolt that you unscrew from the boot. It is easy to check if you have it. I guess it depends on the trim but my basic 2018 model has it.
Thanks for sharing! Am also thinking on buying an ev but still debating if I should get the Chevy Bolt (for the tax credit) or the Nissan Leaf S. I think I will go with Nissan Leaf just because Chevy is discontinuing the Bolt at the end of this year.
Just be aware. The fast charger is Chademo, which is basically defunct. The battery dosent have a active temperature management system. I bought mine as a commuter car, dont expect to go on trips in this car. That said its great for what it can do.
@@sdhute there is no chademo to ccs fast charger yet. Im using the Leaf as a commuter car. I doubt i ever have to fast charge. If anything ill charge at a campsite or "destination" charger at a hotel.
@@chriscook509 thank you I was just researching that. If nissan went ccs or nacs like every other mfg this would be one of the most popular cars. It appears some of the electrify America locations offer chademo. To me this leaf is more attractive then the bolt.
@@sdhute - The Leaf is actually a little better built (IMHO) than the Bolt. It just feels more solid. The Leaf is 300 lbs heavier than the Bolt with a quieter and smoother ride, again just my opinion. The interiors are also more comfortable. The Leaf's seats are very comfortable. The Leaf also uses special glass to deaden sound and keep the interior quieter. Keep in mind as well that the Leaf has won awards from KBB and Consumer Reports for being among the most dependable and lowest cost to own vehicles. They're like energizer bunnies, they just keep on going. Under the hood they're so simple that very little ever goes wrong with them. The earlier models had some issues with premature battery degradation but by 2018 Nissan completely solved those issues. If all you're looking for is a comfortable and HIGHLY RELIABLE commuter vehicle for a daily commute of less than 100 miles each day then a 2019 or newer SV Plus Leaf is the perfect commuter car. My 2019 SV Plus averages nearly 3.9 miles/kWh on 13 cents per kWh electricity. Thats hard to beat. I always charge at home so I never have to use the CHAdeMO DCFC port. Good luck with your choice.
@@floki_raven3829 ive got a lead foot. i just had to take mine to the shop for possible battery (bladder swelling)....possibly for up to 30 days of testing and getting new codes etc. Seems strange and lengthy to me...
Could you keep an eye for the 2016 Nissan Leaf SL version, yes it's half the range of 2019 newer SL trim's, but it's about half the price as well, my concern is how fast you lose that range when the car is driving on the highway, I'm now starting to see this year and trim model from 8,000 to 10,000 with 30,000 to 60,000 miles on used car websites, (I think this is the best Electric car for your money I've seen for your money with it's range even in the 90 miles range still, and still under a 10,000 price point)
Be careful, the 2016 (30kWh) Leaf had some issues with premature battery degradation. The problem turned out to be the BMS algorithm was calculating battery capacity incorrectly. The batteries were usually just fine but showed accelerated capacity loss. A software update was issued but never mandated via recall. Make sure any 2016 or early 2017 has had the BMS software updated. Rather than a 2016 you might be safer going with a late 2017 (30kWh) Leaf. For a used Leaf ALWAYS inspect the battery's State of Health (SOH) via the Leaf Spy app and a BlueTooth OBDII reader. Leaf Spy will also tell you how many high-power DC Fast Charging sessions the car has endured (the lower the better).
Depends upon the model (24kWh, 30kWh, 40kWh or the 62kWh battery pack). 120Vac charging (Level 1), offers approximately 1.4 kW of charging power. 240Vac charging (Level 2), offers 3.3 kW and 6.6 kW of charging power for the Leaf. CHAdeMO DC Fast charging stations offer up to 50 kW of power for 2013-2019 models and as high as 100 kW of power for some 2020 and newer models. To get a rough idea of charging time (for a full 0% to 100% charging session) divide the battery size by the charging power to get the number of hours then add one extra hour for the BMS cell balancing. For cold weather range loss my 2019 SV Plus will lose about 15% of range when temperatures are in the 20's F. It hasn't gotten any colder here yet. As far as drivability is concerned, cold weather driving in an EV is no different than driving in warm weather. They will always start and go even at -40 below. Other than range loss they are largely unaffected by the cold. They will lose up to 40% range in extreme below zero cold and (for models without a heat pump), will gobble even more amperage when running the heater. Even with a heat pump, in extreme cold the heater will still draw a lot of power. However, many models have heated seats and heated steering wheels which really do a great job. I can easily go without needing to use the cabin heater down to 30F.
This is a commuter car for me. I charge overnight at home. Never have to go to a station. In terms of cold weather, you can schedule prewarming, so my car will auto defrost using grid power. I never have to get in a cold car again. I have 230 miles of range, but a 50 mile round trip commute.
I am with you in that LEAF marries the simplicity and tecnology in a balanced way. Love the hatch manually operated, also driver seat manually adjustable; I didnt like the backing humming either, so after a few weeks I disconnected the speaker physically (this used to be an option via a button in older LEAFs where you could disabled the sounds). I wish they had easier access to energy consumption data in the screen; I also LOVE amber lights; insanity with vehicles using the braking lights as blinkers you dont see them in many driving scenarios unsafe. The one thing I truly dislike is that it gets too cold in the feet area during winter (Im in Canada) Is not properly insulated. AND when there is snow it does not help is only FWD and it constantly brushes snow due to its low ground clearance. As a commuter car in milder weather is a solid built car.
I tried to disconnect the backup sound. I could NOT get it to come apart. I put duct tape over the speakers, quieter.
You can disable the sound - button on the left on your side of the road.
Move your tires to 42psi for 10% more range. For the spare tire, there is space for it below the floor if you are willing to mount from underneath behind the air shield. Some have done it. Personally, I throw it in the trunk for long trips.
Here I am a year later. I had the same thoughts at first about the shifter and the storage. I've managed to make peace with the storage and made it work and I have completely become used to the shifter. I actually now prefer it over a protruding shifter stalk because it's so easy to pop it into drive or reverse without even a glance.
Nissan Leaf is best.😊
An engineer's review should include discussion on the major deficiencies of this battery system, imo. Along with some statistical analysis on its range and charging speed under different conditions.
I have done testing. When its below 0F, my range is almost half. That said the car preheats while plugged in, so i went this first winter without scraping ice off my car. I really cant talk about battery depreciation as I've only had it for a year, but LeafSpy says i still have 96% State of Health.
You know there is a tire air compressor and repair kit in the compartment on the left of the rear between the hatch and the wheel well? Leaf has always been this way. They don’t want the weight of the spare and some people don’t know how replace their own tire these days.
Both times ive gotten flats a tire repair kit wouldnt help. Once i bent the rim the other time i hit a small tube. Fix a flat is garbage. The aussies have a spare on their Leaf due to regulations. The amount of weight a tire adds is negligible.
@@floki_raven3829 I don’t disagree, just stating facts. Maybe slow down a little if you’re bending rims🤷😂
That sunglasses holder was a feature of the original model and was removed in my 2018 S-spec version. I WISH I had your sunglasses holder!!
The shifter is the same you had in your Prius. Did you forget??
I had a Prius C. It had a standard shifter.
I like the shifter and the Toyota cars signs like a train too…backing and while driving. There’s storage in the door and the glove compartment and some in the armrest. Get a bag and sit in the car or trunk for additional junk.
The fools at nissan would add thermal management, ccs and nacs ports and larger onboard charger, they would own the ev market. And keep it under 30k.
I just bought a CCS to Chademo adapter. I had a Chademo to Tesla adaptor with the Tesla I owned. The Leaf has better build quality quieter interior nicer ride and no annoying glass roof and I have no idea who the CEO of Nissan is :) unlike Tesla.
@@MHdollrevievs
Hi there! Will you please send me the links to the two adapters you have? I have a 2020 Leaf SL Plus & really like it!
Thanks!
@@timbrown9123 The Company that I bought mine from is called A2Z EV
If bro got the S ik for a fact he wouldnt be praising the leaf as much as he is for the svplus.
I like the shifter. It's like the shifter in older Toyota hybrids. :)
Im actually am coming around to liking the shifter for the sole reason that when i get to my destination i just turn off the car and it puts itself in park.
Best commuter I like the no liquid cooling for longevity specially the plus long range.
I assumed the liquid cooling would extend the life, especially in a hot environment, is there a different angle?
@@jawharris Yeah earlier versions 24kwh,30kwah and 40kwah but 60kwah might be big enough to survive.Even 24kwah people have 50k miles on the original battery suppose 60kwh will get there with 3.0times less cycles of charges then it should also last atleast 3 times longer.
@@ceylontea5877 Sarcasm, I understand. I was thinking maybe cooling systems were leaking in the long run. I live in the NW, so I'm hoping my 40kwh will hold up, it was a great price, 18k for a 40kwh, -2k sales tax credit and 4k tax credit, so effectively 12k.
@@jawharris liquid cooling great for cross country trips and real fast charging but pumps hoses I dont like and liquid running inside the battery.
@@jawharris - liquid cooling is a bit overrated for simple daily commuter applications. Liquid cooling is largely for owners that frequently use high power DC Fast Charging (DCFC), which, depending upon the battery's core temperature, can degrade the battery pack. For air-cooled battery packs like those in the Leaf, DCFC can accelerate battery capacity degradation. This is especially true if its battery's core temperature is already elevated by extended periods of high-speed driving above 85 mph, frequent use of DCFC over a span of just a few hours, and if either is performed during periods of high ambient temperatures (think Arizona's 115F daytime highs). If you're someone that typically drives at more normal speeds, don't live where ambient temperatures exceed 100F, and rarely if ever use DCFC then your battery will likely outlast the car itself. Also, the larger the battery pack the better (62kWh will be much more durable than was the 24kWh battery). Keep in mind as well that the Leaf uses NMC battery chemistry (Nickel, Manganese, Cobalt), which does not like to be left fully charged for long periods of time. It's OK to charge to 100% if you intend to drive the vehicle immediately but leaving it sit at 100% for 10 hours or more every night (or especially over a long weekend), will have a small but cumulative effect on degradation. Keeping the charge between 20% and 80% for everyday driving has been shown to be very effective at maintaining good battery health. With my first Leaf (a 2015 SV), I made the mistake of putting it on my home's Level 2 charger every night so it would be at 100% the next morning. It would reach 100% within 3-4 hours and then spend the next 10-11 hours sitting at 100%. This caused only a tiny amount of degradation every night but over time the battery pack accumulated noticeable degradation. I also used to plug the car in after getting home on a Friday evening and leaving it sit at 100% until Monday morning (I used my ICE vehicle on weekends). For my 2019 I've since learned how to better care for the battery.
Lift up the trunk carpet. Is there a single nut sitting there?
If so, your spare tire is UNDER the trunk. Take a look under, the nut is to lower the spare that's held in place by a cage.
Reminds me of a story I heard. Apparently, if you take the bottom off of a coffee can, there is a backup reserve of coffee there for just 1 cup. Nice try.
The Leaf has never had a spare tire as far as I know. They only give you a can of Nissan's own "Fix-a-Flat" tire inflator and sealer.
This is false. The Leaf has a spare tire under the boot floor, holding on with a bolt that you unscrew from the boot. It is easy to check if you have it. I guess it depends on the trim but my basic 2018 model has it.
Thanks for sharing! Am also thinking on buying an ev but still debating if I should get the Chevy Bolt (for the tax credit) or the Nissan Leaf S. I think I will go with Nissan Leaf just because Chevy is discontinuing the Bolt at the end of this year.
Just be aware. The fast charger is Chademo, which is basically defunct. The battery dosent have a active temperature management system. I bought mine as a commuter car, dont expect to go on trips in this car. That said its great for what it can do.
@@floki_raven3829this one makes sense to bad Nissan didn’t go CCS have you tried a ccs adapter ?
@@sdhute there is no chademo to ccs fast charger yet. Im using the Leaf as a commuter car. I doubt i ever have to fast charge. If anything ill charge at a campsite or "destination" charger at a hotel.
@@chriscook509 thank you I was just researching that. If nissan went ccs or nacs like every other mfg this would be one of the most popular cars. It appears some of the electrify America locations offer chademo. To me this leaf is more attractive then the bolt.
@@sdhute - The Leaf is actually a little better built (IMHO) than the Bolt. It just feels more solid. The Leaf is 300 lbs heavier than the Bolt with a quieter and smoother ride, again just my opinion. The interiors are also more comfortable. The Leaf's seats are very comfortable. The Leaf also uses special glass to deaden sound and keep the interior quieter. Keep in mind as well that the Leaf has won awards from KBB and Consumer Reports for being among the most dependable and lowest cost to own vehicles. They're like energizer bunnies, they just keep on going. Under the hood they're so simple that very little ever goes wrong with them. The earlier models had some issues with premature battery degradation but by 2018 Nissan completely solved those issues. If all you're looking for is a comfortable and HIGHLY RELIABLE commuter vehicle for a daily commute of less than 100 miles each day then a 2019 or newer SV Plus Leaf is the perfect commuter car. My 2019 SV Plus averages nearly 3.9 miles/kWh on 13 cents per kWh electricity. Thats hard to beat. I always charge at home so I never have to use the CHAdeMO DCFC port. Good luck with your choice.
I love my Leaf’s - Nissan EV Connect (aka Telematics / CarWings) has too much down time, it is definitely not Five Nines (99.999%) of up time
New law requires EVs to make needless continuous noise.
Also nissan kill the useless 40kwh battery keep the 62kwh.
Mine is 40Kwh, I want a 62kwh so bad
My main complaint is that the tires wear out before 10,000 miles
I'm at 13,000 and still have a lot of tread left.
@@floki_raven3829 ive got a lead foot. i just had to take mine to the shop for possible battery (bladder swelling)....possibly for up to 30 days of testing and getting new codes etc. Seems strange and lengthy to me...
Could you keep an eye for the 2016 Nissan Leaf SL version, yes it's half the range of 2019 newer SL trim's, but it's about half the price as well,
my concern is how fast you lose that range when the car is driving on the highway, I'm now starting to see this year and trim model from 8,000 to 10,000 with
30,000 to 60,000 miles on used car websites, (I think this is the best Electric car for your money I've seen for your money with it's range even in the 90 miles range
still, and still under a 10,000 price point)
Be careful, the 2016 (30kWh) Leaf had some issues with premature battery degradation. The problem turned out to be the BMS algorithm was calculating battery capacity incorrectly. The batteries were usually just fine but showed accelerated capacity loss. A software update was issued but never mandated via recall. Make sure any 2016 or early 2017 has had the BMS software updated. Rather than a 2016 you might be safer going with a late 2017 (30kWh) Leaf. For a used Leaf ALWAYS inspect the battery's State of Health (SOH) via the Leaf Spy app and a BlueTooth OBDII reader. Leaf Spy will also tell you how many high-power DC Fast Charging sessions the car has endured (the lower the better).
What about charge time, range, cold weather driving, that kind of thing?
Depends upon the model (24kWh, 30kWh, 40kWh or the 62kWh battery pack). 120Vac charging (Level 1), offers approximately 1.4 kW of charging power. 240Vac charging (Level 2), offers 3.3 kW and 6.6 kW of charging power for the Leaf. CHAdeMO DC Fast charging stations offer up to 50 kW of power for 2013-2019 models and as high as 100 kW of power for some 2020 and newer models. To get a rough idea of charging time (for a full 0% to 100% charging session) divide the battery size by the charging power to get the number of hours then add one extra hour for the BMS cell balancing. For cold weather range loss my 2019 SV Plus will lose about 15% of range when temperatures are in the 20's F. It hasn't gotten any colder here yet. As far as drivability is concerned, cold weather driving in an EV is no different than driving in warm weather. They will always start and go even at -40 below. Other than range loss they are largely unaffected by the cold. They will lose up to 40% range in extreme below zero cold and (for models without a heat pump), will gobble even more amperage when running the heater. Even with a heat pump, in extreme cold the heater will still draw a lot of power. However, many models have heated seats and heated steering wheels which really do a great job. I can easily go without needing to use the cabin heater down to 30F.
This is a commuter car for me. I charge overnight at home. Never have to go to a station. In terms of cold weather, you can schedule prewarming, so my car will auto defrost using grid power. I never have to get in a cold car again. I have 230 miles of range, but a 50 mile round trip commute.
bredda you are too much
Your are overly picky
i want it
You sure you’re ready for an EV?🤣🤣
If you cant change a tire, are you ready for a car?
@@floki_raven3829 lol not at all! Most people aren’t car people of any type. They just drive them.