Someone upgraded a SR to an ER.

[chl]

I have a 2012 Leaf bought in 2011, 24kWh capacity now at around 85%.

On the Leaf forum, several people have been replacing the original battery with plug and play packs from Japan or China with 3 times the capacity (72kWh) for under $8k, this is one example post (from https://mynissanleaf.com/threads/su...0-26&utm_content=daily_newsletter#post-667358 ):

Battery Retrofit: Specs and Cost

1. Modules
   Eight 7.2 KWH VW/AUG Etron NMC Lithium modules were purchased as a plug and play. Each module weighs approximately 66 lbs (30 kg), with the total pack coming in around 530–550 lbs (240–250 kg). The original 24 kWh Leaf battery weighed about 485 lbs (220 kg), so the upgrade adds only 50–65 lbs.
2. Safety and Thermal Performance
   Modules are designed for a 580 A discharge rate (per VW motor controller nameplate), the system seems to have excellent thermal characteristics during both charge and discharge.
3. Supplier Information
   modules were purchased from EVClassix specializes in Leaf battery upgrades and EV conversions for classic vehicles.
   Website: www.evclassix.com
   Email: [email protected]
4. Price
   Battery pack to (including CAN Bridge, tariffs, and taxes): $5,420
   Door-to-door shipping to Portland Oregon from China: approximately $1,400 (delivery in 50–60 days)
   Total delivered cost: $6,820
5. Installation
   Installation performed by EV Rides in Portland OR for $700. This includes testing the battery, sealing the modified case, installing the undercarriage shroud, and wiring the CANBridge filter.

Anyway, there were a lot of Nissan Leaf's sold and still functional in Japan, so there is a market for upgrades.

Personally I would wait for newer battery tech (solid state) to be integrated into an upgrade before I'd bite.

There are also battery swap companies proliferating in China, and some fleet operations in Ca. doing that as well, so down the road that might be an option.

Absent another pandemic, the battery tech improvements will continue full speed and the prices will keep dropping, so I am optimistic that when needed, there will be options for replacing the Lightning battery.

I'd want a decent length warranty if I replaced the battery, too.

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[RLXXI]

Even better, it’s only 8 bolts lol

 

[ZeusDriver]

I'm 71, love my Lightning, and now expect that it will be the last vehicle I'll ever buy.

30 years is a long time to keep a truck!

 

[ZeusDriver]

I always wished we had a way to reduce charging speed from the receiving end. If you are at a DCFC with 7 other chargers open and you are going to get lunch and know it is going to take 45 minutes, you should be able to fit the charging speed to that time not faster.

Yes. I've run into that situation more often than I would have thought: scrambling to finish a meal to avoid idle time charges.

 

[On the Road with Ralph]

30 years is a long time to keep a truck!

Thanks for the optimism.

 

[chl]

And a bit of plumbing and wiring (connectors).
I'd need a power lift as well, I can only bench press 1799lbs.
But I could handle the 8 bolts, lol.

 

[RickLightning]

I always wished we had a way to reduce charging speed from the receiving end. If you are at a DCFC with 7 other chargers open and you are going to get lunch and know it is going to take 45 minutes, you should be able to fit the charging speed to that time not faster.

Really bad idea. 90% or more would never check that 7 chargers were open. 5% would check and when they realized there was a line, keep charging...

All chargers need idle charges that go from a nuisance to really high at no more than 20 minutes.

0 to 10 minutes - grace period
10 to 20 minutes - $1 per minute
20 minutes+ - $5 per minute

 

[bc1]

30 years is a long time to keep a truck!

I still have my 2000 Ford F150 with only 153,000 miles. Starting on its 26th year with no plans to get rid of it out at the farm to do the dirty work. Have a 12 volt powered hydraulic bale mover on back that I move 1500# bales with. Wish I wouldn't have sold my 1966 F100 but oh well.

 

[Maxx]

Really bad idea. 90% or more would never check that 7 chargers were open. 5% would check and when they realized there was a line, keep charging...

All chargers need idle chargers that go from a nuisance to really high at no more than 20 minutes.

0 to 10 minutes - grace period
10 to 20 minutes - $1 per minute
20 minutes+ - $5 per minute

You have a point in current conditions we wouldn’t want to turn everyone to a Bolt but theoretically this can be resolved easily by an industry standard. On the handshake and during charging EV could give charger two numbers, desired and max current. Charger could override power when the vehicle is requesting amp below its max when 70% of the chargers are in use. Owner can get a warning on their app about the new estimated charge complete time. So owners derate at their own risk.

This reduces stress on the EV, Chargers and the grid.

 

[ctuan13]

Even better, it’s only 8 bolts lol

Ahh see, it's been a while since I've studied the exact battery removal documentation, well that's even better lol

 

[RickLightning]

You have a point in current conditions we wouldn’t want to turn everyone to a Bolt but theoretically this can be resolved easily by an industry standard. On the handshake and during charging EV could give charger two numbers, desired and max current. Charger could override power when the vehicle is requesting amp below its max when 70% of the chargers are in use. Owner can get a warning on their app about the new estimated charge complete time. So owners derate at their own risk.

This reduces stress on the EV, Chargers and the grid.

So Yahoo decides to derate to go eat a 5 course meal. 7 open chargers. 5 min later 9 cars show up. Now speed up the chargers? And ruin Yahoo's meal?

Horrible idea.

Penalize the hell out of them. Charging is not meant to be an uninterrupted dining break, unless you eat fast food.

 

[Maxx]

So Yahoo decides to derate to go eat a 5 course meal. 7 open chargers. 5 min later 9 cars show up. Now speed up the chargers? And ruin Yahoo's meal?

you can be the yahoo that don’t derate your Lightning to have your mean in peace. I will be the yahoo that does and risk getting fined or an interrupted meal. It is all about the choice. If you look at Tesla Super charger traffic charts, it is a bell curve. The 9 car scenario does not happen that often and when it does, it maybe more predictable than you think (so chargers can refuse derating).

I don’t have as much DCFC experience as you but most of my charging has been at opposite ends of spectrum. Either the charger was too busy to allow derating or it was mostly empty and remained empty when I left.

The feature would be handy for level 2 charging too. When I got my lightning first with Ford mobile chargers which didn’t have any adjustments, there were occasions that I needed to plug in to a 240V laundry receptacle but I needed only 24 amp.

don’t worry my bad ideas can never be damaging. No one ever listens to me.

 

[hturnerfamily]

And a bit of plumbing and wiring (connectors).
I'd need a power lift as well, I can only bench press 1799lbs.
But I could handle the 8 bolts, lol.

if you want to try this 'at home', on a slab garage... on a flat surface, without a lift...

*... unplug the Frunk's Main HV disconnect
**crawl under and disconnect the appropriate HV cables and Coolant lines, using a bowl and towels to catch any loss of coolant...

A) place a 2' x 8' sheet of 1/2" or 3/4" plywood on the slab surface, just under the centerline of the battery pack
-place 4 bottle jacks near each corner of this plywood base.
-add another sheet of plywood on top of these jacks, to help distribute the weight, and create a solid surface, for later...
-jack up each of these bottle jacks, in succession, evenly, until each corner of the plywood touches the battery pack
-now, using good judgement, apply some equal pressure from each bottle jack, which will now be 'holding' up the battery pack, and hopefully relieving some of the pressure on each bolt

B) start removing the 8 battery pack bolts, outside corners first...

D) now, use four other jacks to lift up the four corners of the truck, creating enough clearance to then be able to 'pull/push/slide' the battery pack out, on it's plywood base, from under the truck
-making note of the exact placement of the plywood base, and the battery pack on top of each bottle jack location, will make aligning and reinstalling the new battery pack much easier

 

[RickLightning]

you can be the yahoo that don’t derate your Lightning to have your mean in peace. I will be the yahoo that does and risk getting fined or an interrupted meal. It is all about the choice. If you look at Tesla Super charger traffic charts, it is a bell curve. The 9 car scenario does not happen that often and when it does, it maybe more predictable than you think (so chargers can refuse derating).

I don’t have as much DCFC experience as you but most of my charging has been at opposite ends of spectrum. Either the charger was too busy to allow derating or it was mostly empty and remained empty when I left.

The feature would be handy for level 2 charging too. When I got my lightning first with Ford mobile chargers which didn’t have any adjustments, there were occasions that I needed to plug in to a 240V laundry receptacle but I needed only 24 amp.

don’t worry my bad ideas can never be damaging. No one ever listens to me.

Ford has already put into place the ability to set your charge level at level 2, 2025s have it. Again, at a public charger, you shouldn't be derating.

I have been to multiple charging locations where a vehicle is either sitting at 100% for a long time (shopping, eating), or someone is charging to 100% to facilitate shopping or eating, not because they have the need for 100%.

I applaud EA limiting some locations to 85%, and they know which locations need to be, and which locations people might need the range to charge higher. In many situations, charging higher can be facilitated by a level 2 charger next to the fast chargers.

I'm glad no one ever listens to you . But seriously, this will never happen. Human beings are me, me, me focused, and public chargers are for us, us, us.

 

[Maxx]

I applaud EA limiting some locations to 85%, and they know which locations need to be

is this based on time of the day/day of the week at those locations? or they are set like that all the time?

p.s. I agree with you that it will never happen. I think in U.S. EVs will get on the road faster than chargers so congestion at the chargers will likely be more of a problem than inability to derate.

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