Motorfest 2017

I attended the RACQ Motorfest this year with Gary who brought his BMW i3. EV attendance was down in 2017. But the local BMW dealer brought i3 and i8. Also Renault Australia brought the Zoe (tho is still not on sale).

People are more interested in EVs this year than last year, so I think we will see more of them on the roads.

Not many EVs at the Motorfest this year

Renault Zoe on display

New Battery

After a 12 week wait, my new battery arrived on 10th June 2017 (installed on the 12th). My LEAF is now just like when it was new. The battery was covered under warranty (many thanks to Moorooka Nissan), but not all the labour. I paid about $1000, Nissan Australia and Moorooka Nissan contributed the rest.

The first reading was exactly like when I bought it, due to the GOM being confused as not enough data.

First full charge on a new battery

After a few thousand kilometres, my trip to work is looking good. I use longlife mode (fill to 80%).

Battery status after the drive to work

Battery status when I get home

Charging stations installed at Westfield Carindale Shopping Centre

Westfield Carindale Shopping Centre has installed new charging stations (in addition to the Tesla destination chargers). These are compatible with J1772 cars. On the bottom floor, creek road entry (Aldi etc.). You will need a charge point card or use the charge point smart phone application. Thanks to Gary Crighton for the pictures. Not sure when it is officially opened, but fingers crossed it is soon.

LEAF Battery Repair

Unfortunately, my LEAF suddenly lost 30km of range (122km on a full charge, down to 90km) and regen was disabled until there was about 4 bars remaining. About September 2016, my 8th bar disappeared. Also, I noticed the energy usage increased, which is probably due to regen not working.

I took my LEAF back to the dealer and they found three modules were lower than others. The modules were removed along with the modules either side and run through the machine (cycles the module). The nine modules took five hours each. The modules were put back into the pack, which was then cycled twice (full to empty).

On further inspection, another five modules were found to be lower than the others. So the five and their neighbours (another ten) were removed and run through the machine, which took almost three weeks. The modules were put back into the pack, which was then cycled twice, but they did not raise their level to the others. Nissan replaced the five modules, which took two months to arrive from the U.S.A.

Once the new modules arrived, they were installed and the pack was cycled twice. Unfortunately it did not bring back my range, but it did fix the regen. My LEAF had been at the dealer for six months, so I had the 3G TCU upgrade installed and also replaced the front struts (had rusted).

Nissan ordered me a replacement battery, which will take approximately two months to arrive. So I can drive my LEAF in the mean time. Which is good, because the dealer has very limited space in the service department, and I miss driving electric. I was quite surprised how much I missed my LEAF. The old N16 pulsar still drives nicely, but the engine noise causes the radio to sound distorted, even when I play with the settings. Also the transmission of an I.C.E. car really annoys me, especially at round abouts. Petrol is very expensive and there is always a long line at the service station near me, especially if the price is low. Insert more whinging here. I definitely will never purchase an I.C.E. car again.

100,000 km travelled and still rolling along happily

After 100,000km, my LEAF still drives like it did when it was new (but not as far on a single charge). I had the tyres replaced, a few air conditioner filters and two brake flushes. I thought the eight capacity bar would go before I could travel 100,000km, but it never did. So the battery capacity fade really does slow as the battery is used.

100,000km travelled, still 9 bars of capacity

My electricity price changed twice, once when the carbon tax was introduced and another when it was abolished (tariff 11 pricing). The price never returned to the pre carbon tax price :(   I only record the cost per kWh, not the daily connection fee, which also increased.

kWh / 100km

$ AUD / 100km

After 100,000 km, my LEAF total fuel, tyre and servicing costs were $6,492, less than the cost of petrol for my old 2001 Toyota Corolla $9,000 (7500 litres @ 1.20c / litre). If you add tyres and services for the Corolla, you could add another $2,000. (10 x $150 services and $500 tyres).  I stopped recording petrol prices in 2012 when I bought my LEAF. Caltex provide historical pricing until 2015  http://www.caltex.com.au/LatestNews/FuelPricing/Pages/HistoricalPricing.aspx

The other column is car repayments, which I never include in the running costs as I am a private purchaser and will own the car (treat it like an asset). Also insurance costs are not included.

Expenses to 100,000km

New tyres

Today I took my LEAF for a new tyres. I decided to purchase the original spec tyres, as they lasted 99,000km. The tread ware indicators were still below the tread, but the smaller channels had worn down. It cost $637 for 4 x Bridgestone EP150 205/55R16, which included a wheel alignment. Fingers crossed they will last another 99,000km.

Old Bridgestone EP150 (after 99,492km)

New Bridgestone EP150

90,000km

Another 10,000 km have passed and LEAF keeps going happily.

The 90,000 km service was performed ($89) and they updated the firmware (first time since it was built). I think this fixes a corner case where the battery can reach 100% and the charger does not disengage immediately.

HV Battery 293A0-3NA0C --> 293A0-3NA0D
Charger/PD Module 296A0-3NA5A --> 296A0-3NA7A

Since the hot weather rolled in, 80% charge is going 100 km easily. When it was cooler,  I would drive to work and the battery would report five bars remaining, but when I would get back to the car in the afternoon, it would report four bars. After driving about two km, the battery would read five again. I have to take the car back to the dealer in January to have the battery checked (before the battery warranty expires).

Graph of electricity usage from the EVSE

Costs for 90,000 km ish