Resale Values for EV Cars

I've been anticipating purchasing a 2011 Leaf for over 5 years now when it was first announced. With my commute, the range and cost just didn't work out and I had to settle for a PiP instead. Now with my HOV decals expiring at the end of 2018 and a shorter commute, I'm excited to purchase a 2011 Leaf again. I wonder if it will truly get into $5000 beater range and hopefully they extend the white decals for HOV lanes.

If electric motors are as reliable as they say, maybe it will be my daughter's first car. Battery degradation? Whatever, it guarantees my daughter cannot go far.

 

come to papa, one persons loss is anothers gain. i'll be all over the first $25,000. model x with less than 50,000 miles.

 

Agreed. Something modular that goes in and out of the trunk as needed would be perfect. The 30 kWh battery upgrade is all I'm hoping for. I don't have much hope for battery options aftermarket in the Leaf given the abysmal failure of plug in options for the Prius.

 

The Audi A1 E-tron PHEV prototype used a 250cc Wankel. A rotary is bested by a piston engine on efficiency and emissions, but it excels on the power output to size front. Which is likely more important when it comes to stuffing a range extender into a BEV.

I think the big hurdle for add on range extenders will be in how to handle them for emission regulations. The US still can't get the those advanced adaptive headlights because of our outdated vehicle code.

 

Resale;
Tesla model S - 60kWh pack with moderate years & miles on the odometer - selling in the low $50K's. Example of one successfully completed listing;
Tesla Model s Sedan 4 Door | eBay
Some successfully completed listings are even less! Sure, they're not dual motor / ludacris - but still - loads of power & range. Not too shabby!
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by the time some chinese firm come's up with a range extender for leaf, nissan will already have one, and they'll go out of business like enginer, or leaf will travel so far on ev, range extender will be unnecessary.
and then there's all the technical problems the owners will have to sort out, because of the cheap chinese junk range extender.

 

funny you should bring this up!
Hybrid Industries Now Offering Third-Party Nissan LEAF Battery Pack Upgrades -- 160 Miles Per Charge For $6500 −
This is one of the rare times where good old USA ingenuity finally beat the Chinese at their own game.
With Nissan wanting $5,500 for ½ the size of the above pack, & a used leaf going for about the same price, it seems like it would be a better deal to pay just a little more & get twice as much range - that is, if one were determined to keep their aging EV. Aproaching 6yrs & 70K miles on the odometer, still able to get 70 miles safely, flat ground, at maximum truck freeway speeds ( I won't look at upgrades 'till range drops to 45 miles or so) - I see their closest installation Center is in Costa Mesa. Maybe a twenty-minute drive from here, we'll see if I can work a visit into the schedule. I don't need all that trunk space anyway.

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i'm amazed at the investments some people will make in a relatively limited market. i wonder if they have installed any, that is a great price, if the quality and warranty is there. too many prius horror stories for me to be enthusiastic.

wouldn't it make more sense to build new prius batteries for a grand or so?

 

We leased our Leaf for a sweet deal, figuring depreciation values would continue to plummet, especially with the 200+ mile BEVs around the corner.

 

Bob, what exactly is the Range Extender that your car has? An extra battery pack in the trunk that can be used in emergencies? Or?

 

The i3 REx has a 650cc motorcycle engine for a range extender.

The old Long Ranger trailer by AC Propulsion used a 500cc one.
Rav Long Ranger

 

650cc - what does that work out to - about 22-25hp?
Maybe Bob could chime-in if no one else knows?
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You only need about 18 KW (at 300 watt-hours/mile) to keep up with energy usage at 60 MPH.
That's about (18,000/746 watts/HP)/(0.85 efficiency) or about 28.5 HP.

JeffD

 

Really? That's actually quite amazing! I had no idea And am obviously not in the loop about EV's...

Is this motorcycle engine something that is removable or does it stay in the trunk at all times? Also wouldn't that take up at least half the trunk?

 

Wikipedia lists it has 25kW, and Bob has stated it can maintain 65mph without pulling from the battery.

It's built in. Both models have the same cargo volume listed, but I can't say if the REx loses some storage cubby or not. The engine comes out of one of BMW's Maxi-scooters.

 

Really neat stuff! Thanks for the info!

And I hear those scooters are little hot rod's!! I've never owned one but have owned a BMW F650F Dakkar and a BMW R1200 GSA 90th Anniv. Motorcycle in the past, both phenomenal bikes. Unfortunate the GSA mets it's untimely sudden demise on the highway... fortunately sparing me...RIP!

 

ok,so with my trusty conversion app, i get ~ 33½hp. That raises another question ... It takes only ~18kW's to maintain 65mph in the Leaf, compared to i3's 25kW's. I wonder what if anything - beyond weight or higher drag CD differences, accounts for the >25% difference in power draw.
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