Leaf Box Range Extender Unbox, Install, and Initial Thoughts and Review

[@PeaceChanel]

Thank You for supporting Electric Vehicles and for All that you are doing for our Planet Earth.... Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste 🙏🏻 😊 🌈 ✌ ☮ ❤

[@Turboactive]

So nice of you

[@lynnieo8330]

This is the way I drive, so would be useful to me. You only get about half your power back by regen downhill, so increasing your distance is a better use.

[@Tore_Lund]

Thank you for that fist hand comment. I have debated countlessly about how regen has to be used a certain way to be efficient, and a lot of EV owners think I'm nuts: #1 Having regen setup so the pedal reacts like a car with an automatic gearbox, prevents you from coasting and is wasteful. #2 Regen is best used from high speed. From 40 mph and below, it is better to coast to preserve kinetic energy. #3 At even lower speed coming to a stop, regen does not give you any energy back, The voltage from the motor is lower than the battery, so it is just simple motor braking shorting the windings. So to drive most efficiently, you regen as hard as reasonable from highway speed until you reach 40, then coast and time it so you never need to come to a stop. That will preserve far more energy than constant regen with any speed change. So to coast, you lift your foot slowly so the throttle input matches you slowing speed, making your controller neither drive or regenerate, i.e. coast as you slow down. Typically on country roads 45-50mph, I spot the red light 600-800 yards away and instantly start coasting. Usually I keep pace with ordinary jack rabbit drivers that way, and when on the last 200 yards before the light, it turns back to green, I'm still doing 30 mph when catching up with them, and I can then accelerate slowly (efficiently). Saving much more than keeping up with traffic the whole time, regen at the light and accelerate normally from a full stop. Also the time spent rolling for half a mile, at low speed is hyper efficient. Roughly you can use 30% less overall driving like that!

[@TeamYankee2]

So.. can't you just lift your foot a little until there is no power usage.. without a Leaf box? That's what I tend to do.. lift my foot a little so I get a "glide " mode.. Why use a box ? So just to be clear.. does the Leaf box just allow you to easily locate the sweet spot on the pedal ?

[@mshoneysunshine2]

TeamYankee2, I may not be the expert but it seems to me that the difference from glide and just lifting you foot off the pedal until you have just the 1 bubble is that you still have some regenerative breaking at that point. I may be wrong and I hope I am because that does seem like a way cheaper solution but it doesn't feel the same as gliding in neutral to me.

[@RGressick]

But wouldn't be getting more ReGen be a good thing. I would like a module that when i have the car in Eco mode, i would get MAX REGEN all the time. Not just when it thinks i want it. I know that regen is more inteanse on 2013 models and the 2018 does it even more with 1-Pedal driving. But there is no reason the computer can't be reprogrammed to allow for more. Glide mode doesn't appeal to me because i do the same thing as TeamYankee2 said. I would want more intense Regen all around.

[@Turboactive]

TeamYankee2, yes you are right. I will be releasing a new video soon but I found my driving efficiency didn't change at all using LeafBox. The sweet spot is about the same size as stock, actually.

[@Turboactive]

Ridger Wolf, regen is good because it allows the car to capture energy that would otherwise be wasted, however, the most efficient way to drive is to allow the car to build momentum downhill and then slow uphill and repeat, if you regen downhill and then power up hill you lose some % of energy.

[@RGressick]

Correct. But the problem i have is the lack of regen. I was down to 5 bars driving home yesterday in Eco mode. When i took my foot off the gas and applied the brake, it was barely performing any regen. Again, it doesn't seem to like Regen very much unless you get down to the 3 out of 12 bars area. That is why MORE regen is important to me. Glide would be helpful as well and i do see situation where Glide would be useful. I tested that out last week by just putting the car in neutral and seeing the results.

[@nissanleafproject4914]

Can't wait to get mine.

[@Thelastairbendy]

this is basically a Electronic Throttle Accelerator Controller Booster

[@mshoneysunshine2]

Looking forward to you follow up video. I couldn't find a review of this product anywhere except on the manufacturer's site. I've tried shifting into neutral when I drive and it doesn't seem to add to much to my battery life but being able to do it without the delay that happens with the shifter might help make it more of an automatic instinct for me and since I have on of the original 2011 Nissan leaf's I'm really curious about B-Mode. The regen versus the friction breaking with the peddle. Is it alway friction breaking or does it increase the regen and then add friction at some point?

[@Turboactive]

I decided LeafBox was not worth it, I will be uploading a new video soon. You can do everything with good pedal control and a stock Leaf. Also I didn't like how it changed the power curve. If you have an SV/SL you can turn your screen to the energy economy screen and see exactly how much regen you're doing. The car maxes out at 30kw regen so if you brake harder than that you are using the friction brakes. You can also use the bubble meter on the dash if you have an S mode.

[@PaulFeakins]

@@Turboactive you never uploaded part 2?

[@Turboactive]

@@PaulFeakins yep I never did. LEAF Box didn't do anything and I sold it shortly after

[@PaulFeakins]

​@@Turboactive that's a shame to hear because I was literally just about to buy one. I have been experimenting with coasting and it does seem to boost range. The problem is, you have to be very very precise with the accelerator to get exactly 0 kW and 0 regen. So a device that makes that easier *must* help right? I'm still tempted to buy one but if it really did give you zero improvement I might save my £200? Out of everything you tried on your 24kWh Leaf, what had the best effect on range?

[@Turboactive]

@@PaulFeakins yeah that was my hope too. In reality it didn't really increase that dead zone very much and made the car drove poorly imo. One thing I started doing is putting the shifter into R while driving which makes the car go into Neutral instantly and that way it's super easy to coast whenever you want

[@Sanjayadon]

Very informative. Thanks.

[@andrasdmarton]

Hi Turboactive! How about acceleration? Did you get the "option" of 83kW higher output? Is it "faster"?! :)

[@Itsonlymakebelieve]

Brilliant idea. Without this, can you put the car into neutral anyway and coast, as in an ICE car. My town is quite hilly and I could use this second option, if available on Leaf cars.

[@Turboactive]

Yes, actually I sold the LeafBox and just shifted to neutral as I found it was easier. In the LEAF if you are driving down the road and push the shifter to Reverse, the car goes straight to Neutral without delay. I used to coast for miles and miles :)

[@ianmax69]

Id be interested too See if I might fit one to my 30Kw Tekna thanks for posting

[@Turboactive]

Yes it works on 30kw too

[@flitsies]

So a month on how is it working out for you, any more range?

[@Turboactive]

I will be releasing a new part 2 soon!

[@tnlwithtrixiekat478]

He said above, its not worth it in his opinion.

[@davidasul]

Well done. Safe (and efficient :-) travels. Thanks

[@xboxice2005]

i can do this on my 2012 stock Leaf by lifting not all the way when going down a hill.

[@Turboactive]

Yes it does work stock I ended removing the leafbox and enjoying the car stock using that technique. Also an easy way to quickly shift to N while moving is to move the shifter to R, it will isntantly go to N. I did that for big hills and could coast at 70mph for almost 5 miles!

[@SDBmania]

I'd be curious to find out an approximation of how much more range you're getting.

[@Turboactive]

I will be releasing a 2nd video soon. Range didn't change at all with LeafBox. I am getting 70-80 miles driving normally 95+ if I really try hard.

[@mollosillyrian3042]

Turboactive what year/mileage is your leaf and how many battery bars you have ? thanks

[@nealchambers2306]

Any updates so far? I would be really interested in getting one of these 😀

[@tnlwithtrixiekat478]

He said above, its not worth it in his opinion.

[@SolnaABDick]

Always drive in cruise control, do the same thing with the button on the steering wheel. ( Hover rt foot over brake, faster stopping than possible with this solution) Done that the last 7 years no issues (: Free

[@LordGryllwotth]

Cruise controll seems is a bit unatural on hilly and a lot of corners. I prefer using the speed limit. I have tried Nissan 2016 (old style 30kw) and the 2018 Modell (40kw), and the new one is so damn aggressive on the cruise controll, it DEMANDS to stay on the speed set, but the "older" nissan is relaxed and can go up and down a few numbers without becoming ANGRY (no hablo ingles). E-Pedal on the new nissan was very nice, I liked it a lot, I currently only own a manual transmission car, and E-Pedal did make me feel like I was in more controll. The older Leaf creeps forward and I do not like it so much, feels like an automatic transmission car.

[@Turboactive]

same

[@MrTrevorkemp]

The Nissan Leaf 30 kW is only about 87% efficient on regenerative braking and that's a give or take of 3% as well so for all the energy you do not use regenerating that is 13% more a fishency that you are getting out of the car on a single charge given how hilly the Colorado area is and planning on the part of Colorado he lives in he can gain a few extra miles per charge by using this device and his driving technique that hes using or he could have just saved himself the money and he could grave it a little bit more like a standard car and when he starts going down a Hill put the car into neutral and then when he needs slowing down or stopping power he could prop the car back and to Drive mode or if you can go straight to be mode from neutral he could prop the car in to be mode if he needs more aggressive diesel but this at least increases his regenerative braking in D mode as well But he could have got the results of this particular item for free just by driving with one hand on the steering wheel his left hand and by having his right hand ready to hit the shifter into neutral so that way he could just coast and he could have saved himself the money on the device only true advantage to this device is increasing the curs regenerative braking capability by pushing the brake pedal in D mode Which I would like to make note that a stock Toyota hybrid already does that you pushed the break and it increases regenerative braking until the system is maxed out on regenerative braking then the system engages your friction brakes on a Toyota hybrid so I don't know why Nissan and wouldn't have already made this a standard feature in the car in the 1st place especially since that is a 2013 which competes with the 3rd generation of toyota's most popular hybrid also the most popular hybrid in the world the prius And they are good cars and 102 West's a long while and I'm talking about the Toyota's the Nissan Leaf is a bed choice for vehicle owners kiss it is pretty much the only vehicle that does not have a proper thermal battery management system and the nissan leafs do tend to suffer from degradation at a quite accelerated rate from all the other electric vehicles on the market.

[@Turboactive]

true

[@rickrockwell3342]

BTW, the same LEAF Box DOES apply to 30kWh LEAFs as well! evtun.com/leafbox.html 2) What model years and versions of Nissan Leaf is Leaf Box compatible? All. It does not matter if it is first (up to 2012) or second gen (2013+) of Nissan Leaf / e-NV200, both battery sizes (24kWh and 30 kWh). And your range results on your 2013??

[@mickjaegar2379]

Would it be particularly useful here in central Florida where hills are about as existent as a bedtime story?

[@Tore_Lund]

Coasting to a stop, saves more energy, that driving all the way to the red light and then regen,especially if you can keep momentum, so you don't need to accelerate from a full stop.

[@TimKirkmt]

Did you do an update on this install? Looks interesting.

[@Turboactive]

no sold it it didn't work

[@agmq5300]

is there tools make my nissan leaf car walking a big distance? please help me because bars became 8 bar and disrance is short

[@Turboactive]

No. You must replace the battery. Luckily it is not hard.

[@mollosillyrian3042]

Alaa Alqurini 😀

[@tnlwithtrixiekat478]

I appreciate your review.. So the battery is ebay swapable lol.. good to know.. (i fixed cell phones before ) I run a Leaf SV 2014, and I only have 1 bar of capacity gone and I am still reaching high 90's on good days with my milage.. but lets all face it.. 24khw leafs is the very definition of anxiety

[@akaDavidWebb]

Great video.. thanks!

[@nuwanwijesooriya4209]

Is this compatible with Japan domestic model?

[@kyawkoko1982]

Thanks to your video. I finally order one.

[@Turboactive]

Have fun!

[@fgh7832]

Amazing .

[@Turboactive]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@m1aws]

Why buy it? Just go into neutral by knocking it into reverse.

[@Turboactive]

Yep that ended up being my favorite method and I sold the leafbox

[@wallacegarciagarcia5557]

Update?

[@Turboactive]

Sold the car long ago. Leafbox not worth it IMO. Aero mods and tires good mods search my videos

[@hiranthabandara6682]

What if it stuck in wide open throttle suddenly. Wwooooss... you go :)

[@Turboactive]

I have tried this, you can press the power button and the car will turn off and you can slow and stop safely.

[@tnlwithtrixiekat478]

NOBODY ANSWERS THIS NOT EVEN LEAFBOX.. Do. You. Need. To. Have. ECO MODE ON? if you can answer.. please do.. I hate the way eco feels.

[@PaulFeakins]

It's answered on the website: evtun.com/leafbox.html

[@super-sim1665]

Nissan basically made the car worse than keeping it simple.

[@pojdiavaj1422]

If you want range, drive slow

[@Turboactive]

Yes. Now imagine if you make your car more efficient and drive slowly! Evenore range than possible before!