Scotty, what is your opinion on a Nissan Leaf? I know the newer ones are built better and they use an eCVT but do you think they have better CVT transmissions than other Nissan cars?
The previous generation and current (2nd) generation Nissan Leafs are all-electric vehicles and as such use electric motor and 1-speed direct drive “transmission.” That’s the case with all EVs including Tesla’s. The exception is the Porsche Taycan which uses 1-speed direct drift for the front and a 2-speed automatic transmission for the rear. That 2-speed automatic was a first for an EV.
Yeah I definitely understand the concept of the single drive setup (i own a Prius Prime right now but want to go all electric as my next car) and I appreciate the explanation but I know that Nissan CVTs are notorious for problems and premature failure and wasn't sure if due to Nissan building their own transmissions from JATCO if the Leaf eCVT suffers the same fate as its gas driven CVT counterparts
What I am saying is the Nissan Leaf does not have a CVT (or eCVT), unless I am missing something. It doesn’t make sense (for EV). No fully electric vehicle has a transmission, especially a CVT. Hybrids are different, but I am talking about fully electric vehicles (I.e. BEVs), which the Nissan Leaf is.
I'm wondering if it has the same issues that the other JATCO transmissions have then (i did find out it has a single speed reduction gear transmission) but it didn't specify anything else
No issues there, they are much simpler (and less moving parts) than those CVTs. See here for other issues:
http://www.nissanproblems.com/models/leaf/
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Nissan/Leaf/
https://cleantechnica.com/2020/12/05/my-2018-nissan-leaf-is-falling-apart-at-66k-miles/
https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/leaf/hatchback/used-review/n823/advice
https://www.besustainable.com/nissan-leaf-review/
I would wait for the next-gen leaf or the Ariya. The leaf is a nice looking car with good range and practicality but the batteries are not water-cooled, instead, they are passively cooled which makes battery longevity not so great on both generations of the Leaf. I would wait for the Ariya or next-gen leaf cuz those will have water-cooled batteries and they will last longer.
My dad bought a 2017 Ford Focus Electric brand new instead of the leaf because its water-cooled battery and the lower price were just better for him. It has about 41 000 km and the only thing that broke was the water pump to cool the battery under warranty, but otherwise, it's been very reliable in the 4 years of ownership and we have spent no money in maintenance and repairs (although we do need to replace a speaker cover and mirror glass since they cracked).
I've had mixed feelings about Ford due to their reliability in the past but the Ariya in my opinion is too expensive. I want to try and stick around the $30,000 bracket if I can rather than spend $40,000+ for an EV SUV like a Mustang Mach-E or an Ariya. My top 3 right now are the Leaf, Bolt or Ioniq; but with the rapidgate issues I've heard of in the past I'd be hesitant to get one unless they changed the cooling system
I would avoid GM and the Korean brands have their fair share of battery and quality issues. I would wait. Maybe try out the VW ID4 and road test? Also, Ariya is expected to start at $40k for the single motor model, but u will have to wait for it to come out later this year or early next year.
are you planning on leasing or buying?
I would plan on buying. If anything I'll end up getting a Leaf
you could but if I were u, I would wait. How long can you wait?
how about a Volkswagen ID4?
The batteries will probably die around the same time that the CVT in the equivalent gas-powered Nissan would die, but the electric version of the car is about double the cost to start with.
well depending on the car, trim and deal you get you possibly pay more. The only way you save is through lesser maintenance needs and costs. I own a Prius Prime right now and sticker price was the same as the Leaf's but I was concerned about range anxiety and heard negative things about Leaf rapidgate issues so I opted for a plug-in hybrid instead but my next will be full electric; whether it be a Chevy Bolt, Hyundai Ioniq EV, Kia Niro EV/e-Niro or the Leaf
Hey, that's fine if it works for you. I don't see myself every buying an electric or hybrid vehicle. Too expensive, too many limitations and drawbacks.
The Leaf is a car I've heard plenty of good things about but haven't checked out for myself. Scotty has mentioned a few times that he likes the Leaf for what it is.
If it has a better cooling solution (water cooling instead of passive cooling, I think it would be an excellent EV because it is a great package)
Thank you both for your opinions/statements. My family has had Nissans in the past (Sentras, a Stanza, Infiniti I30s, G35, a 370Z) and all but the I30s were manual transmission. My mother and brother were the Nissan people and preferred them (manual transmissions especially ) over anything. I had a bad experience when I owned my 2006 Altima years ago because I had it as my college and work commuter but the transmission started going at 65,000 miles. It wouldn't shift into 4th gear (it was a JATCO 4 speed auto). After that I owned nothing but manuals; excluding my Prius. I've heard good things about the Leaf but the battery cooling was my concern especially if I plan on using a Level 2 charger if I go on a road trip or am out and about driving and doing things. We'll see what Nissan has in store for the next gen Leaf when it comes out.