The top electric car of 2010 was the Nissan Leaf. The Leaf is the only true full size, zero-emission EV on the market, as the Chevy Volt does use gasoline to extend battery range.
First Two Leaf Vehicle Owners Take Delivery in 2010
The first two Leaf vehicles were delivered in December 2010, with much media fanfare in California; the first in Petaluma and the second at Mossy Nissan Kearny Mesa in San Diego. In this review, we’ll examine the Nissan Leaf battery range, and charging station dock installation.
Unlike a gasoline vehicle, in the Leaf, there is no starter, no alternator and no spark plugs. In fact there is no engine in the traditional sense. This is because the Leaf uses no petroleum fuel. Nissan LEAF runs completely on electricity.
How Does the Electric Car Battery Perform
The Nissan leaf has 48 lithium-Ion batteries modules with 4 cells per module. The battery is located under the floorboard of the vehicle. The 24kw lithium-ion battery pack produces 107-horsepower and a top speed just shy of 90 mph.
The Nissan Leaf is estimated to get 100 miles per full battery charge. Of course the actual miles each driver gets will vary depending on other conditions such as using lights, and other draws on the electrical system. Other factors that will affect actual driving range will vary depending upon driving habits, speed, conditions, weather, temperature, and battery age.
According to Nissan USA battery driving range is most affected by:
- Climate control – the more extreme the temperature is outside, the more energy used to heat or cool the cabin.
- Speed – higher speeds require much more energy to overcome air resistance.
- Driving style – smooth acceleration and deceleration will extend range while aggressive acceleration and deceleration will decrease range.
- Cargo and topography – heavy cargo and driving up steep long inclines will reduce driving range.
Nissan estimates perfect driving conditions to be a constant speed of 38 mph with climate control turned off and the average temperature to be 68 degrees. According to Nissan estimates, driving on a flat road at a constant 38 mph means less air resistance, and therefore less energy use. Nissan suggests that under these driving conditions the battery range on one full charge to be up to 138 miles.
How to charge the Nissan Leaf Battery
The home charging dock is installed in your garage or on an outside wall. After you make a request for a charging station, Nissan will send a technician to your home and conduct an assessment for installation of the charging station. Federal tax credits may be available for installation of the charging dock.
The 240 volt circuit charging station will be installed by a certified electrician all coordinated by Nissan. After installation the dock is tested by the certified electrician Nissan will send to install the charging station at your home.
The warranty on the battery is a whopping 8 years/100,000 miles on battery components, meaning Nissan expects the battery to outlast the vehicle ownership with the average ownership of a vehicle being 3 years.
The Nissan Leaf may dominate the zero emission vehicle market for 2011 and beyond on price and environmental friendliness with the Chevy Volt costing thousands more that the Leaf. Keep your eye out for more electric vehicles as the price of petroleum continues to increase and consumers demand more efficient and earth friendly vehicles.
Rebecca Yeaman - Rebecca has been providing instruction, training and consultation in end-user computer software applications since 1989. Her expertise in ...
