Crisis Leaf: it came up that it quickly goes flat

Andy Palmer, the deputy director - general of Nissan was constrained to explain himself in a videointerview related to the capacity – loss rumours regarding the battery of Leaf, based on user complaints. The almost 17 minutes long English interview can be viewed below, but we going to announce the most important details also in writing, seasoned with some comments. We note by way of introduction that by whoever may this record been made, it was not a wise decision to let the leader sit before the sunny window (unless his veiled purpose was to promote the renewable energy resources in this way), but it can be undoubtedly seen in the eyes of the interviewed person that he has had some sleepless nights recently.

In the middle of the dialogue stand the complaints coming from the circle of the Leaf – owners living in Arizona which gather around one and the same topic: the capacity of the battery of the electric vehicle goes relatively quickly flat. The main point is in the word „quickly" carrying the relativity in itself (not even the residents of the USA may think that – however good it may sound– that a battery would be everlasting). Mr Palmer long enumerates those factors which may contribute to such phenomenons, and also those average values to which adjusting the car was designed. The kilometers run per year, the typical travelling speed, the frequency of the fast charging also came into consideration, but it's not hard to guess (mainly based on user feedbacks) that the failure can't be found along these indicators.

Namely there's warm in Arizona, at least it's warmer than in most countries of the world. This wouldn't be such a big problem in itself, as according to the expectations of Nissan the battery should be capable for an 80 % performance after the use of 5 years. But in Arizona the average level is 76 % which seems to be acceptable. But the dear engineers placed an indicator in terms of the transparency on the dashboard which shows ruthlessly the status of the battery. But for what they didn't prepare at the car factory, that has occured now: some owners want to see a value of 100 % on the display again, at any costs – they would even buy a new battery package. Which „hasn't got a price" in turn, because the designers has only prepared for a change per units in the frame of an 8 years warranty program, in terms of the economical operation.

Watching from this side of the sea it seems that the story has much cry and little wool, but we entrust the decision to our readers. But hoping the earliest spread of the alternative drives we can say that let this be the biggest problem which may come up in case of an electric car during the long years operation. If a 5 – years – old, undamaged, gently driven Nissan Leaf with an 76 % performance battery is looking for a keeper, it would certainly find quickly a new owner. However, as it's clear from the deliveries who owns such a car, he/she would rather buy a complete battery package than to sell his/her vehicle. It's suspicious, expressly suspicious...