http://green.autoblog.com/2010/04/18/its-official-nissan-sending-out-leaf-registrations-emails-wil/

I you are interested you need to register at the Nissan site.

go here:
http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/?dcp=ppn.39666654.&dcc=0.216878497

Not sure why but I didn't recieve an email and I registered. I am still undecided.

Post an entry here if you are going to make a reservation. I would be interested in knowing which one of you is going to pre order.

Not me, but I wish them all the success in the world.. I hope they sell out for 2 years 30 minutes after the web site opens.

I pestered their EV support team today. I wanted to know if any more specifications would be announced before they started taking money. All I could get from them is the typical "the car is still being designed" BS.

They did give me the exterior dimensions: 175.2 inches x 69.7 wide x 61.0 high (converted from metric). That makes it about the size of a Honda Civic. That's extremely close to the dimensions of the Volt, by the way. I always thought the Volt looked a lot larger than the Leaf in photos.

what specs were you looking for?.. I would like to know what DoD percentage they are using?.. probably 70%.

One that interests me is the 50kw charger built-in to the LEAF.. it uses 400VAC 3 phase input to quick charge the battery in 30 minutes.. are they really going to include that in every US bound LEAF?, .. its gotta cost a bundle. Most likely they combined all three chargers into one unit (110vac-220vac-440vac 3 phase) but it cant be cheap.

You power engineers out there chime in.. how much is a 50kw AC-DC 3 phase converter?

what specs were you looking for

Basic stuff like passenger and cargo volume, legroom, wheelbase. 0-60 would be nice but I'm sure that's pushing it!

When I asked about cargo space they would not be more specific than to say it would hold two golf bags... bloody useless. Surely the cargo area is not going to be redeveloped before production cars roll off the line.

Looks a little bigger than the Versa, put perhaps the battery under the floor could cut a bit into the headroom. Apparently they have two prototypes in the US so some one should put a tape measure to them.

http://www.nissanusa.com/versa/specifications-hatchback.html

One that interests me is the 50kw charger built-in to the LEAF.. it uses 400VAC 3 phase input to quick charge the battery in 30 minutes..

What I've heard is that the quick charging station provides DC, so the cost on the car side is little more than the wiring and connector.

What I've heard is that the quick charging station provides DC, so the cost on the car side is little more than the wiring and connector.

That is correct.

What I read on the original japanese release is that car had an internal 3 Phase 50kw AC-DC inverter.. makes sense since you dont want to be handling high voltage/current DC. The charging station is just a metered source of 3 phase AC, same as the 120-220VAC charging stations.

What I read on the original japanese release is that car had an internal 3 Phase 50kw AC-DC inverter.. makes sense since you dont want to be handling high voltage/current DC. The charging station is just a metered source of 3 phase AC, same as the 120-220VAC charging stations.

This seems like the most probable situation since the SAE J----- whatever spec does not include DC charging pins (as far as I know).

This seems like the most probable situation since the SAE J----- whatever spec does not include DC charging pins (as far as I know).

The Leaf has two charging ports. The SAE one and the DC quick charge one. AFAICT the DC charging port is something Nissan came up with.

An inverter converts DC to AC, not the other way around.

Back to your original query, George, I do plan to give them a deposit tomorrow ... or I guess I should say today, since it's after midnight. I have gotten two emails from them with a promise of the golden ticket version on the 20th.

This does not mean I plan to buy a Leaf. I would much rather buy a Volt. But if ... (a) the Volt price turns out to be outlandish, or (b) the limited quantity dictates that I can't get a Volt until long after I can get a Leaf ...

... well, then, I'll lease a Leaf and wait three years for my Volt. We can live with the limited range since my wife owns a Prius.

Hey, the deposit is only $99, and it's refundable. What's to lose?

Hey, the deposit is only $99, and it's refundable. What's to lose?

I 2nd the motion.
I just made my reservation.
I can't wait for the home assesment. The guy will have todrive 1 hour out of Phx to my house and then (maybe) figure out that my driving cycle is 37 miles uphill with 2500 ft elevation change. Pushing the pack to it's maximum.

The Volt's a better fit for me but who knows if I could ever get one.:mad:

so once you get into phoenix you wont have much of range left.. you probably want to take it easy the first couple of times, limit it to 80 miles total and see how much range you have left once you get back home. You get to try out one of the new fast chargers being built in Phoenix :)

Thats not really what the LEAF was designed for. Supposedly the second gen will have more range.

The neat thing about electrics is that they are consistant, so after the first trip you will know exactly how far you can go and how well the regen is going to work going back home.

I reserved mine. I wasn't expecting to pick out a color... too bad the color choices were so bland. Apparently that selection isn't final, whew!

George, the Leaf sounds crazy for your situation, unless you can charge it at your destination. The Leaf will lose some range every day you own it. Even if it starts with enough range, it may not have enough 6 months later. Pushing the battery towards depletion every day is going to be really hard on it.

I wish the Leaf was more performance oriented, but I suspect it will be fun enough. If it test drives anything like a Prius, though, they can keep it.

The Leaf has two charging ports. The SAE one and the DC quick charge one. AFAICT the DC charging port is something Nissan came up with.

An inverter converts DC to AC, not the other way around.

I have spent some time this AM trying to find out more details about charging the Leaf. I see words about 440 V quick charger options at the Nissan site but can't find details. In the charging video it looks like the smaller of the 2 charging plugs is the SAE J_ _ _ _ 220 V plug. I am assuming the larger plug on the left is the 440 V plug.

The features and specifications info says there is a 3.3 KW onboard charger. this charger is obviously the 220 V AC charger.

but----
Is the 440 v charging option AC or DC (AC I think)? If AC I would assume the charger is built into the car for the 440V option. and Does the 440V charger come standard on the car or do we pay extra for it??

Bicster,

Some of this may have been in the part where we got to choose Luxury vs Standard level of trim but I foolishly rushed thru that part. Do you remember if the 440 charging was only available in the Luxury trim option??

Thanks,
GSB

I have spent some time this AM trying to find out more details about charging the Leaf. I see words about 440 V quick charger options at the Nissan site but can't find details. In the charging video it looks like the smaller of the 2 charging plugs is the SAE J_ _ _ _ 220 V plug. I am assuming the larger plug on the left is the 440 V plug.

Correct.


The features and specifications info says there is a 3.3 KW onboard charger. this charger is obviously the 220 V AC charger.

but----
Is the 440 v charging option AC or DC (AC I think)? If AC I would assume the charger is built into the car for the 440V option. and Does the 440V charger come standard on the car or do we pay extra for it??


The 440V charge port is DC. 440V chargers will be exceedingly rare and expensive. I think I saw a figure of $60,000 being thrown around. These are the sorts of chargers Nissan wants to see installed on the highway system.



Bicster,

Some of this may have been in the part where we got to choose Luxury vs Standard level of trim but I foolishly rushed thru that part. Do you remember if the 440 charging was only available in the Luxury trim option??


The 440VDC charge port is a standard feature.

For what it's worth, All Cars Electric posted screenshots of their entire reservation process. Furthermore, the Nissan website has directory listings permitted, so you can browse through all the images and other assets on their server. Just log back in and edit the URL down to the directory level.

Did anyone else notice the Leaf spec sheet PDF shows a clutch interlock for M/T equipped cars? Oops.

http://www.nissanusa.com/ev/media/pdf/specs/FeaturesAndSpecs.pdf

Last page under "impact"

Oh, I just noticed the rear window defronter. :rolleyes:

Correct.



The 440V charge port is DC. 440V chargers will be exceedingly rare and expensive. I think I saw a figure of $60,000 being thrown around. These are the sorts of chargers Nissan wants to see installed on the highway system.



The 440VDC charge port is a standard feature.

For what it's worth, All Cars Electric posted screenshots of their entire reservation process. Furthermore, the Nissan website has directory listings permitted, so you can browse through all the images and other assets on their server. Just log back in and edit the URL down to the directory level.

That's cool. That means the new charging network going into Phx should some 440 chargers I can use.

Oh, I just noticed the rear window defronter. :rolleyes:
It appears to work properly, maintaining the rear window in the rear of the car.

Furthermore, the Nissan website has directory listings permitted, so you can browse through all the images and other assets on their server. Just log back in and edit the URL down to the directory level.

Mind explaining this??

Also,

Looks like the SL has:

Homelink Universal Transceiver

Do you know what that is??

Mind explaining this??

You can explore this structure with your browser:

http://www.nissanusa.com/ev/




Also,

Looks like the SL has:

Homelink Universal Transceiver

Do you know what that is??

A built-in learning garage door opener. Probably in the rearview mirror.

Is there an online community for the Leaf that's actually active like this one is?

Is there an online community for the Leaf that's actually active like this one is?

I spent a little time looking but they looked pretty dead to me. If you find one let us know.

One of them looked structured alot like this site which made me think Lyle had started it.

Oh, I just noticed the rear window defronter. :rolleyes:

Yeah, and how about the fact that the premium trim adds a rear view mirror. :D (No mention of a backup camera, though. ;) )

I imagine the Leaf has some kind of "distance to empty" function. What would you do if you started a trip with enough range, but conditions force you to turn on headlights, HVAC, wipers, etc., and you discover your destination no longer falls within the range estimate? Worse yet, you do not have sufficient range to return to your starting point.

???

I imagine the Leaf has some kind of "distance to empty" function. What would you do if you started a trip with enough range, but conditions force you to turn on headlights, HVAC, wipers, etc., and you discover your destination no longer falls within the range estimate? Worse yet, you do not have sufficient range to return to your starting point.

???

Plan ahead and ----Don't live in Oregon!!

(You would be welcome in AZ--)

Now that I think about it it makes sense to have the 440 v charging in DC instead of AC as there isn't a heavy charger required on board the vehicle.

Shoot, I just assumed it would be 220 x2 =440 AC.

I would be interested to know: Did you all know the 440 charging was DC (except Bicster of course)???

Hermperez??

It does not make sense that the LEAF would have a built in 50kw charger.. its gotta be expensive and heavy. I saw it on an early article, probably mistranslated from Japanese.

The fast charger port probably takes 400VDC

I would be interested to know: Did you all know the 440 charging was DC (except Bicster of course)???

Well, I was the first one to say so in this thread. So yeah, I knew.