The Nissan LEAF Is The Most DIY-Friendly EV Out There. Here's Why

We're often asked about which vehicles people should consider on the used car market, and we've made plenty of videos on that topic in the past: • Want A Well SUPPORTED ...
But what about if you're someone who is eager to get their hands a little dirty (because it's an EV not an ICE car!) and do some DIY repairs?
If that's the case, we think there's really only one car you should consider. Here's why.
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00:00 - Introduction
03:26 - Yes, we have worked on vehicles (lots)
04:48 - Why we don't work on our own cars much these days (but would still do so if we could)
05:49 - Trading past automotive experience for Ev experience
06:31 - Learn, get the required equipment, FIRST
09:28 - Why the Nissan LEAF
11:06 - The following and support for the LEAF is phenomenal
12:06 - Easy battery swapping
14:13 - So much community experience and knowledge - freely available!
15:02 - Batteries with no cooling make for easier DIY repairs
15:36 - Super-low prices for used LEAFs from owners who won't replace a pack
16:13 - CHAdeMO to CCS adaptors now exist!
16:27 - Honorable Mentions of other vehicles
18:34 - Thanks, and Goodbye!
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Links.
Repair - Weber Auto - / @weberauto
Dala's EV Repair: Dalasevrepair.fi - (Aka Dala The Great)
Benjamin Nelson - / @benjaminnelsonx
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Presenter, Script, Audio, Camera, Editor, Colorist:: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield.
Art and Animation: Erin Carlie
Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
© Transport Evolved LLC, 2024
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[@DalasEVRepair]

Thanks for the mention! My favourite mod is the inverter upgrade, literally doubling the power output of the LEAF 😎⚡

[@naderwater6380]

That’s a crazy amount of DIY available on the LEAF. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

[@bertchalmers]

Thank you for opening this up with a warning and suggesting training for working around HV. As a designated HV grown up at work, I'm sooo glad. Also I am a big fan of Leafs. A farmer mate of mine bought 2 'dead' ones for 5k pounds dropped the batteries in a barn and we made one good pack out of two and he now has a spares 'donkey' too for anything else goes wrong on his primary farm 'workhorse'

[@Islamisthecultofsin]

Junkyards sell Leaf battery packs when they get them. You could have two working cars.

[@madcow3417]

I'm running into range issues on my leaf right now. Disassembling the battery pack to replace cells looks daunting. You have given me some more options to think about. Thank you.

[@transportevolved]

Generally, when individual cells start to have issues, an entire replacement might be easier.

[@doxinator3560]

I've been driving an maintaining my 2013 Rav4 EV for seven years now. With my own tools and some elbow grease, I've dealt with most all of the known issues such as blown DC/DC converters, blown cabin heaters, blown contactors, failed coolant pumps, as well as installing the ChaDemo upgrade kit (JDemo). Also, the Tesla Diagnostic Software has recently become available to users without a paid license.

[@alsavage1]

It's not, unfortunately, a good choice for most people to buy/use. I love mine, but I don't recommend one to friends, because everything Tesla in the thing breaks, and until you do a Coolant Delete on the LDU rotor, and replace the HV contactors, they are time bombs/time sinks waiting to happen. But I'd buy mine again tomorrow if it was wrecked today.

[@salibaba]

“Fancy helping me take apart a leaf pack? How long do you think it’ll take?” “One moment please.”

[@PierreAlainMaire]

Just learned that the Renault Zoe was not sold in USA 😞 This was my choice against the Leaf in the 40kWh area (at around 12k$). An "old" Leaf with 60kWh would have been a dream ! Here in Europe the Mitsubishi iMiEV was also sold by Peugeot and Citroën (with small cosmetic changes, like logos lol) from 2010 to 2020. Winter range, price and lack of EV trend were too bad for that car at the time - despite a perfect size for cities and around. Loved you intro 🙂 (and the rest of the video too)

[@FalkonNightsdale]

Well, iMiEV's battery had at time quite good cells - 109 Wh/kg, the standard of that time (inclusing Leaf) Even current LFP has 159 Wh/kg…

[@PierreAlainMaire]

@@FalkonNightsdale yeah I didn't say the car was bad, but it has high price and too low range for EV-sceptics... I said "too bad" = "not looking good enough to reassure newcomers" in a time when EV wasn't a trend as today (and the charging network was very poor)

[@salibaba]

Not technically impossible in the states. You just need a 2013-2017 24kWh leaf with a dud pack, then pick up a 62kWh pack from a totalled Leaf e+. Just stick in a CAN bridge and you’re sorted. Old LEAFs are efficiency monsters. (FYI you’ll need to uprate the springs though)

[@UffeHellum]

I'll never become a wrench turner, but your passionate and straight-shooting evaluations are still a joy. All engines, electric or ICE, know my approach, and instantly terminate. No DIY for me, ever. But a repairable end-of-life EV should still give me a better selection of mechanics. So as an episode suggestion: Which EV is good for an utterly inept cheapskate, who wants a broad selection of mechanics? I will not open the hood/bonnet if I can avoid it, but I have a mortal fear of dealership repair prices. So which EV gives me freedom to go to independent repair shops? It should be a lower bar than DIY, because darwinism will ingrain a respect of batteries into all mechanics, no action needed on my behalf. I am so stuck. A couple of years ago, I decided my family would not buy any more ICE cars... Three ICE cars later, I'm still hoping that "soon"...

[@wooddavid8293]

IMO, 1st gen Leafs are future classics. They are the earliest mass market EV. Their styling is period specific - kind of futuristic in 2011, kind of retro future now. Get one now why they are still cheap, available and not used up by time and neglect.

[@collinlovas]

I love your show! 2023 Nissan LEAF SV Plus here. Thank you for focusing on this vehicle. I won’t be working on my LEAF - it’s perfect as it is (except for lack of storage and CHAdeMO (there’s an adapter for that -yay!)). To the trolls on the channel: flake off!

[@TheKruizr]

As a person who's watched every episode, I have no complaints, thank you... 🖖

[@michaelsmithers4900]

I liked Ben Nelson’s video on connecting an inverter to a leaf battery. But you can do this with any EV. The only issue is have to consider how much current you can continuously draw from the main battery “through” the 12v battery. If over load it you’ll have a car repair. Also you can buy kits to do this…

[@smurftums]

The Chevrolet Spark EV and Bolt EV could be interesting in the future as cheap used vehicles.

[@nikidelvalle]

The Bolt EV is pretty crazy even right now, I don't know if there is a single modern vehicle out there with the kinds of features the Bolt has at the prices it sells for. It's crazy to think you can get a car that's less than two years old for almost the price of a decade old Toyota.

[@ElMistroFeroz]

The Nissan Leaf is the first true EV for the people. They were the first to successfully make EVs cool and practical. They're the Harley Davidsons of EVs. There should be a salute programmed into all other EVs that activate upon spotting a leaf, even in Teslas.

[@teklife]

harley davidson of EVs? i don't get that reference

[@jpg0927]

More like the 2 cylinder Honda Civic.

[@letiziasparks2902]

Great video!! I live in Portland Oregon and there is a company called "EV Rides" that specialize in replacing/upgrading 2011-2017 Nissan Leaf's a range of kWh options/range Battery Pack. They state their main goal is to keep used EV's on the road longer. I believe they also address older Teslas. I wish everyone well!

[@scottokeefe]

I’m a bit of a DIYer and I have a BMW i3 and like to tinker,do miner maintenance and modify. The support community is wonderful and word wide. I haven’t had to do much in the way of repairs even with almost 90 K miles on the clock but l have fun modifying it.

[@KSCPMark6742]

I couldn't care less about anyones orientation, didnt't even give yours a thought before you mentioned it. Just keep doing what you're doing. I've enjoyed your videos and have just subscribed.

[@benbrown8258]

You give me hope of a 'Plan B' if my planned purchase of a new ev falls through. St GrEGGory (my i-miev) could in theory be upgraded. The grey egg shaped car has been fantastic for my needs. If range, CCS and V2L could be DIY, it opens options rather than closes doors. Gratitude to you and the team for bringing this to light.

[@mbaxter22]

Whatever came of QC Charge and their (relatively) cheap battery upgrades for old Leafs. They can upgrade any Leaf to 40kWH for $10k, or 62KWH for $13,500. When you did your first video properly featuring these guys, as a 2013 Leaf owner I got excited. Your interview with Alex, in particular, gave me the impression that QC Charge was a legit operation with an extremely knowledgeable lead mechanic. It looked like us Leaf owners finally had a reasonable path to upgrade our ailing batteries and breathe new life into our beloved old Leafs. 150 mile range for $10k? 230 miles for $13.5? Sign me up! That sounds more appealing than downgrading to a Chevy Bolt for a lot more money. Well, QC Charge still exists, they’re still doing battery upgrades, and they’ve recently secured a reliable new battery supply (no more salvage packs). So what happened? We haven’t heard anything about QC Charge from this channel since the initial vids you did on them.

[@DrewNorthup]

Props for the Big Clive name drop. With some of the terrifyingly bad products he has discovered (and then explained for the masses) he is truly a public service to all "mankind".

[@michigandon]

Lots of these currently on the local Marketplace that can be had for a song. You've got me half tempted to pick one up just to tinker with!

[@douglasalanthompson]

We love our 2 Nissan Leaf Pluses and drive them long distance.

[@charleslefeuvre5267]

Great informative video , I live on the tiny island of jersey and the older electric vehicles are doing great as it’s only nine miles x five lol The second hand market is really starting to take off now ,especially for people who aren’t wanting to drive hundreds of miles every day lol 😂 Great to see you ladies working on the old cars and enjoying what you do , my grandpa used to say if you can’t say something positive don’t bother saying anything . Maybe put that at the top of the comments section lol Keep up the great work , is that a jersey cow on your t shirt ? Looking great xx 🇯🇪🇬🇧👍

[@Yanquetino]

Yes! Except for when the battery capacity drops below 70% and needs replacing. Thank goodness that happened to mine when still under warranty.

[@steveallwine1443]

I have hopes that my Nissan Ariya is as user service friendly as my previous 2 Leafs were. From what I’ve seen with putting in the hitch and trailer wiring harness in my driveway this past weekend, it seems like it is. I’m especially hopeful in that a Nissan has a ton of specs, diagrams, and articles on the Ariya. The fact that they sell a ton of OEM parts on their website to consumers, including individual traction battery pack modules is a very good sign.

[@bigboxofstuff]

Great episode again! I am looking at a Chevy Spark '14 1lt and wondering what you all think of that one?

[@peterjamesroberts-thejolly2860]

We've bought a 2017 6.6kw Tekna getting rid of the PCP Zoe ZE50. there are a few teething problems inc an Airbag warning thats come on. Might call James for help. As always sending the LOVE. Didn't realize how much I missed the Leaf (Dee can Drive the Tesla).

[@KaiPonte]

Great video as usual. By the way, my father-in-law was from Northern England (Burnley) and married a Cuban after moving to the United States. Love the English accent. Great that DIY people are looking into modding the Leaf. I prefer a more modern EV like my Mach-e. But still a great video!

[@joshuagies4900]

My grandfather had an old Morris 850. My dad told me how they changed out part of the drive line by taking the body off for easier access 😂

[@Milhouse77BS]

Thanks makes me want to consider upgrading my lead for maybe buying a newer used one

[@stephenwhite3576]

I support you all 100%. A of haters are professional trolls. Russian bots, etc.

[@wooddavid8293]

Keep doing you Nikki and Kate! You're content is great! - a straight, old, white guy who can't understand what all the "lifestyle" fuss is all about.

[@aussie405]

Thank you!

[@jamesphillips2285]

Where I live Flo has doubled the number of CHAdeMO compatible charging stations within ~40kWh range in the past year or so. So don't need the CCS adapter quite yet!

[@benjamindbarr]

I wish I had room and money for DIY... I love my 2015 leaf but it is getting rather annoying with the mileage and a used bolt with a brand new battery pack is almost the same price as a 200+ mile battery put into my leaf and I get ccs. I really want a truck but the leaf has hauled 16' lumber, conduit, and solar rails for me without an issue.

[@davemeise2192]

Man O man I like your humour! Very well done.

[@randolphlee4586]

Hi Niki, love what you guys do and I wondered why you did not give the BMW i3 an ‘honorable mention’ I know you once had one and as I am deep into the hunt here in the USA for a 2021 i3s while I was once a ‘wrench’ who did most of the upkeep on my cars I am now past 75 years and mobility impaired so the way the rear door swings on the i3 as well as its size fitting into my under house heated garage with good access around it made it the perfect choice for a certified one coming off of a BMW 3 year lease running mostly in the mid $20k range. Why did you give up on the i3? I do not want a Rex and it’s service headaches and the battery size of the BEVis perfect for me and it has almost all the current safety tech when I find one with the technology package and parking assist . The forums support and after market is still chugging along and parts via eBay are while expensive are a bit less than new gold plated prices for new from BMW. So perhaps if you do a used choice for folks who while happy to mess about with electronics etc don’t want to go the four post lift total DIY route. Keep up the good work.

[@gill7087]

I would truly like to see an electric Morris Minor. I had a couple of them back in the 80,s. One for driving one for parts. I fitted a much larger engine than I should have and with its brakes, well it didn’t end well. 😮

[@jonperkins8696]

I always love to watch y'all.....I am currently on the watch for a new/slightly new car.....electric that is.

[@davea691]

Good video.

[@Maxxmentum]

Who gets upset over your shirt? Personally I like or don't mind any of the items listed. Plus both of you work in pop culture ref, a gold star sticker if there was ever a reason. The EV research and impressions of it is why I come, everything else is a reason to stay 😊. Also " who likes short shorts..we like short shorts"..😅

[@jimparr5412]

I hate the t shirts. Most of the time you can only see the top of it but it looks like it might have something interesting written on it but you can’t read the whole thing 😆

[@Maxxmentum]

Ok I get that, sometimes I'm trying to figure out the shirt I miss what's said and have rewind the a section 🥴

[@10lawngnomes37]

I wonder if the Fisker Ocean will be a project car for many universities

[@patreekotime4578]

Low volume with no spare parts, too high tech for its own good, and it wont ever receive a single recall campaign to address issues. Its worth more as a battery donor for other projects IMO.

[@LaserFur]

I bought two first gen leafs. It's cheaper than a EV conversion. note: If you work on the battery cells; the glove needs a over glove and you needs arc flash protection. This does not apply to working on anywhere else. There are also sketchy web sites to get all the repair PDF's. I do worry about the battery and the heater.

[@danielmadar9938]

Thanks

[@robinpettit7827]

I have no issue with your sexual orientation, I am glad you are here. No matter how DIY the Nissan Leaf is, I am so looking forward to getting my Aptera. It is currently scheduled for the first half of 2025. Possibly due to my selection of Openpilot as that is non-negotiable to me.

[@Russwig]

Keep Evolving Nikki!!!

[@MarkSpohr]

It's Monday and you're great! Ignore the negative comments.

[@krissdavis3471]

If you are interested in obtaining and working on a used EV without the need for a lot of sophisticated tools, you may want to try to find a Vanguard Citicar or Commutacar. These were produce in the mid 1970s through approximately the early 1980s. They are very simple to work on and you end up with a very unique car to drive around in-town.

[@narvuntien]

Oh! that is what that was, I saw a van that looked like a Leaf and I had no idea what it was

[@MooseOnEarth]

In Europe: VW e-Up triplets (also Skoda Citigo-e and Seat Mii electric) and Renault Zoe are good choices.

[@gmosc]

As A DIY car?

[@adddude7524]

@@gmosc Maybe, they are newer but smaller, more basic and scrappy than the Leaf. At a first glance, they should be simple to work on but it's hard to trust VW to make simple people's cars anymore 😅

[@milohobo9186]

I live where the climate is way too hot to run a BEV without an active, liquid cooled battery. Thankfully, I have a Bolt EV and will plan to keep it in good condition. I'm no mechanic, but I'm willing to learn what I need to keep it running.

[@Islamisthecultofsin]

Make sure to change the coolant when scheduled.

[@BriantDavis78]

I remember seeing a video of the old smart ev and a aftermarket booster. Don’t know if there’s a mod community about it.

[@punditgi]

You guys sre awesome! From a straight cisgender white America senior. ❤🎉😊

[@Islamisthecultofsin]

cisgender is not a word.

[@nikidelvalle]

As a queer person I always feel more comfy watching queer creators, so I'm glad you're still going despite all the hostility you get in the comments! Especially because Tesla fans are downright delusional to the point that they've manufactured a fictional reality where these vehicles are good, a reality they've inducted an uncomfortably high number of EV KZbinrs into. It can be hard to know who to trust, but knowing there's an EV channel out their that always speaks their mind clearly helps a ton! Thanks for all the work you do, :3

[@davec8921]

Maybe it varies by area but here (Canada) Nissan themselves can't even get parts for ones still under warranty. I do buy that at a deeper level it might be the most modifiable though.

[@kevinjensen9803]

Thoughts regarding the Kia Soul EV’s as sold in the US?

[@workingmanbh]

Hey! What about one of your workers that had a Volt?

[@RupertReynolds1962]

Related to DIY: Here in northern UK I have an experimental camper van for short distance use with a LiFePO4 battery. The problem (I think) is updating it for DC charging, because the AC charging setups are being dismantled to make room for DC rapid. I'm told that most CCS2 rapid chargers will not supply 240V AC on the AC pins--not very "Combined". Is that true, please? If so, does anyone know the minimum DC voltage allowable, and the minimum current a DC charger in my van could request? If I need to be close to 400V, that means a big investment in upgrades, and likewise if the power delivery must be rapid, I'll need a pointlessly big battery. (Currently I can AC charge from 7kW AC charging points while I shop. I don't need much energy for short distances)

[@ZurOhki1]

Most EVs get down to very low current at the very end of the charge or when the battery pack is cold, so I can't imagine the minimum current is very high. The minimum voltage seems to vary wildly depending on the charger, I'm seeing from 200V all the way down to 50V.

[@1grizzlyrizzo]

I love my old 2014 Leaf (Pingu), they must have had a mod in the past as my fan can be run without heat or AC. 🤷🏻

[@michaelanders6161]

Oh, but "The Gay" is a big selling point for me to watch your channel ahead of some other ev enthusiasts....okay, not the top reason, actual knowledge counting for a lot. But yes, I very much appreciate queer visibility in a variety of venues. It seems to me the complainers are determined to view us as shocking and outlandish, sex-crazed deviants worthy only of existing in some queer ghetto realm, convenient for the "real" people to easily avoid. F**K that! Thank you and the team for your bit for the cause of visibility❣️

[@garydmercer]

Waving my queer flag in approval of your comment! 🎉🎉

[@Islamisthecultofsin]

Not talking about this channel, but I get tired of having it shoved in my face. If that's their sole identity, then that's quite sad.

[@rogermartinez78]

Ladies, I will say working on my Mini Cooper electric is easy because outside of the high voltage battery related stuff it is pretty much a gas Mini, suspension, brakes, and I could go on are pretty much the same as on the gas powered Mini.

[@transportevolved]

Great point - The same should go for some other models too?

[@michaelsmithers4900]

Are the suspension or brakes different on an EV? I rotate the tires on my Tesla and everything looks the same in there. I’m never going to tackle AC/HVACsystems in either type vehicle…

[@CubbyTech]

The Leaf is good for a city car - but the low range and lack of thermal management pushed me toward the BMW i3. I think the i3 is probably the 2nd best example of the DIY EV. There's a lot of support and FB groups that can help you keep your i3 running its best. The only downside of the i3 is the tires!

[@jamespaul2587]

Poor reliability and high repair cost is another issue with i3s, especially with older models, just ask Kate! 😊

[@CubbyTech]

@@jamespaul2587 Granted the teething issues of the first couple years of random issues - 2016 onwards seem to be much more reliable in those sub-systems. The batteries are some of the best ever made.

[@Channel--Ai]

Can you put other tires on rims?

[@jamespaul2587]

@CubbyTech yes,that may be true, and I believe issues were more common with Rex models due to additional complexity

[@michaelsmithers4900]

Weber Auto videos are amazing and go deep!

[@EliotHochberg]

I know what the recommendation is for this video, but let me make my pitch for the Fiat 500 E First, because it shares a platform with its gas brethren, my guess is that there are some parts that are swappable between the two. Given that they limited the fuel door to the size of the fuel door on the gas, I’m willing to bet that there are body panels that swap as well. The second checkbox in its favor is that, similarly to the Toyota RAV4 EV first generation, The Fiat 500 E from the original run starting in 2013? Is designed with a system that supports DC fast charging. Unfortunately, it wasn’t implemented partly for cost, and partly because of that affirmation fuel. They would’ve had to make the fuel door bigger in order to support the DC fast charge plug. What this is to me is that there is an opportunity to upgrade the Fiat for fast charging. Here’s where my knowledge gets a little thin, but I believe that both of Fia and the Toyota use the same system, and that system was based on the original Tesla fast charging system I’m wrong about that correct me, but if I’m right, that means it should be a fairly decent candidate for upgrading the battery pack. That is to say, it is possible that one could increase the range of the Fiat by swapping in newer battery packs that are compatible with Tesla. But even if that’s not the case, my understanding is that it takes a bit to actually remove the battery pack, it’s not terribly complicated. Other words, you need a lift and certain knowledge, but beyond that it’s something that can be done in a day. And asked for the parts, if you wanted to change the suspension, make some other non-drivetrain upgrades, the Fiat had the abarth version of the gas vehicle, and I would imagine there are certainly cosmetic, but also possibly performance items like wheels, tires, and suspension, but you might be able to swap in. Same holds true for interior components such as seats, seat covers, steering wheel, and several other items. Good luck with the backseat, as that’s definitely different. But for example parcel shelf is exactly the same. Do I envision doing these things to my 500 E? Yeah, I do. Not yet, it’s working fine and I just replaced the charging power cable for a little over $1000, so I don’t want to screw out too much yet. But at some point in the near future, especially if I get a second car (crossing my fingers on Aptera), I will start trying to increase its range, it’s charging speed, replace the woefully inadequate infotainment system, and several other other small cosmetic things that I’d like to do. But if I could somehow increase the range from 85 miles to something over 100, I’d be pretty happy with that. Time will tell. Anyway, that’s my pitch. The downsides of the Fiat are few, but they are decent size. The first is good luck getting a dealership to know what to do with it, although to be feared to my dealership, what took them two months, they eventually did find the problem I was having to fix it. but find a third-party even in Los Angeles proved to be extremely difficult. The second downside is if you get into an accident in the Fiat, having nothing to do with the fact that it’s electric, your insurance will want to total it. Main reason is that basically almost the entire side of a car is one body piece. That means that if you dent that and need it replaced, you’re looking at between seven and $14,000 to repair it. However, if you’re handy on another type of person wants to work on your car, could probably get that down under 1000 for the part, and then the rest of it is just your time taking off the door, taking up the front window, etCetera.

[@EliotHochberg]

Oh, and with regards to Online support, I would not have felt comfortable with the repair I ended up with on my Fiat if it hadn’t been for online forums. I have no doubt that the leaf Forums are extremely good, and I would not claim that the Fiat ones are as good, but they’re pretty darn good.

[@JayaByte]

As someone who's in the community, I suggest ignoring the haters. They want the attention no one else gives them.

[@AnonymousFreakYT]

If it were 1-2 “slightly bigoted” comments that may be easy, but they receive dozens of truly _hateful_ comments per day. It’s hard to ignore that much hate.

[@Islamisthecultofsin]

@@AnonymousFreakYT Are they actually hateful comments or are they people just stating their opinions which they don't like?

[@dorhocyn3]

We have a 2012 leaf and a 2011 leaf but it seems as though the 2013 leafs even though they look the same are completely different and the 2011‘s and 2012 are almost worthless. Is this an accurate assessment?

[@LaserFur]

I bought two 2012 leafs for the sole reason that I can get manuals and the telemetry no longer works. As a 15 mile daily commuter it works fine. I do worry about the heater and the battery.

[@alsavage1]

Yeah, a lot changed in 2013 for the Leafs. Better battery chemistry is the big one, but also heat pump for heating, steel hood instead of aluminum, and removal of the heated rear seats . . . so, it's a mixed bag.

[@AdrianoCasemiro]

Have you ever seen a Leaf Chademo conversion to CCS2? That would make me want one. They are really plentiful and cheap enough to break out the tool box.

[@MooseOnEarth]

Retrofitting CCS will likely require approval by some authority, at least in many markets of the world. An adapter, as presented in this video, is considered less trouble and cost.

[@transportevolved]

There are now third parties selling ccs conversions. Muxan does one, we believe.

[@wolfman9999999]

I have a video on my channel of my Partner and I replacing the OBC on our former 2012 Nissan LEAF. You're more than welcome to use it on your channel.

[@waynecartwright-js8tw]

Had to replace the touchscreen on my leaf (£18 from alibaba) found video on youtube. only thing i did in 7 years

[@Allthough]

I'm still waiting patiently for an affordable aftermarket battery pack for my 2015 Leaf. *sigh*

[@beachcrow]

Obligatory Tesla comment: Not hardcore but you can still DIY all the required maintenance such as air filter replacement etc with easy to follow videos on the web site and even order parts from the parts catalog (or eBay) for DIY repairs.

[@transportevolved]

… and Tesla will happily take your money for the stuff it won’t let you fix?

[@alsavage1]

Teslas are a terrible DIY car, except for the dedicated and voluminous DIY community. Esp. the early Model S. SOOOO many weak points, and Tesla won't sell you parts unless you are a vetted "good customer". LDU rotor seal leak(s), the early steel rotor bearings, the GEN1 OBC fuses, the GEN1 DC-DC Converter containing the A/C and cabin heater fuses (glued down cover so not user access), rain water intrusion into the DC-DC connectors, rain water corrosion into the GEN2 front HVJB, rain water corrosion of the top of the front of the battery pack . . . not a good buy, until at least maybe 2015-16, and then the money they command makes them . . . not a good buy. They part out well, though.

[@beachcrow]

@@transportevolved Tesla publishes their full service manuals online at no cost for *anyone* to use. They have also provided other car makers full specs on upgrading to 48v electrical systems. (Not fond of Elon's politics either but Tesla's 140,000+ employees are doing great work to advance EV adoption to the world.)

[@AlanTov]

@@beachcrowthey’re selling cars. To make Musk money to promote climate change deniers and fossil interests to gain power to do serious damage to the environment. Don’t buy Tesla while it funds Musk.

[@stevencorrea8032]

Yes I learned from Professor John Kelly about welded shut contactors in a 300 volt battery ouch Weber University DC current ouch

[@clasqm]

A 60Ah BMW i3 can be upgraded to 94Ah quite easily. The 120Ah battery is physically different, though.

[@Channel--Ai]

Where the leaf battery guy in LA?

[@AlanTov]

The old Leaf is rapidly becoming an ‘EV classic’. Joining the BMW i3 and the Honda e. Not sure what the next one will be… Maybe the Niro EV but that lacks some character methinks.

[@toyotaprius79]

I've been seeing a good few advertised videos for 3rd party retrofit Li cells from China that can completely ugrade a pack of a LEAF or an iMiEV/Czero. It's definitely an option for the likes of Dala EV repairs. But unfortunately the political tariffs on chinese green technology is hampering a lot

[@MooseOnEarth]

7:00 It is Prof. John Kelly, not Prof. Don Kelly, from Weber State Univ.

[@transportevolved]

John Kelly yes. That’s what we said…

[@MooseOnEarth]

@@transportevolved Well, listen again ... I included the timestamp to make it easy.

[@transportevolved]

John Kelly…!

[@TroggyPB]

@@MooseOnEarth John Kelly was the name stated. You sure your loudspeakers are ok?

[@madcow3417]

​@@transportevolvedSubtitles do say Don Kelly. KZbin's fault. Automatic subtitles are usually about 95% right, which is way better than my hearing. It's not worth the effort editing and correcting for a low production cost video for the small percentage of us that rely on subtitles.

[@queegfivehundred8197]

Good to hear you still read comments - as a viewer I rarely read any myself, and if I received the stuff you describe I'd stay well clear. That said, a news clip I saw the other day raised questions that you might be able to answer or might be willing to investigate... kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5vTpndrn9hnaKc described a high speed crash of a "Lucid" EV and seemed to show individual burning cells scattered around the crash site, so I wondered if that is possible or whether some other explanation (such as the driver carrying individual cells intended for some other purpose in the vehicle at the time of the crash) is more likely... the police explanation of the debris didn't seem plausible to me, but I'm not familiar with the construction of Lucid batteries. Edit: I've now watched Munro Live's pack teardown, and can understand how a catastrophic collision could result in a module being torn from the pack and torn open, allowing un-potted cells to come loose.

[@GoodMenstruationAttitude]

This channel is pretty neat but the regular intermittent use of car manufacturer B-roll is confusing. It makes me think there's any reason to look at the screen when - no offense to the host - there's generally not. Additionally, and this might just be my own biases, but it give the impression that you're co-opted. The lightness of the visual information makes it all feel extremely cursory, despite the author's text being somewhat detailed.

[@waynelevett3632]

I had to put a fan under my 24 kw leaf battery. It was chipped by Nismo. It was beautiful but I had trouble keeping it cool. Gauges often in the red on it's 3rd daily fast 50kw free chargers here in Perth Australia 🦘

[@magamike1800]

I have never seen any negative comments.

[@casey360360]

"air cooled" has always made me laugh. Simply put, the Leaf has no cooling what-so-ever. Air-cooled implies some form of heat transfer medium and some form of heat dissipation medium. There is no thermal padding or transfer medium inside the Leaf battery pack. The casing doesn't have any form of heat dissipation. A drastic increase in heat dissipation for the Leaf would be easily obtained by fixing aluminum heat sinks all over the casing of the battery pack, yet Nissan opted not to do so. They pushed it as far into the unibody as possible then covered it up with a massive plastic flat floor. Aerodynamically, fantastic, horrible for air transfer efficiency. Even Ford figured out the skid plate on the Taurus and Explorer needed a passive air diverter to cool the backside of the engine.

[@cyberchrist6808]

stock footage of Rhett touching a tire 2:44

[@johnporter5828]

Just threw out a ton of ICE maintainence items - all old and greasy. Love our no maintainence Bolts !

[@raffly4449]

No sound ?!?

[@blackduck531]

Hi, this is a friendly comment for the stats.

[@timothykeith1367]

The relatively unsophisticated Leaf is the most hackable EV for the DIY hobbyist.

[@solarute5486]

LOL :-) good on yas

[@kevinpolito1529]

Over the next decade, personal car ownership and public transportation will be challenged by the self-driving taxi model. It will likely be cheaper to call a taxi than ride the bus and much cheaper than owning a car. This is a transport evolution you need to cover. BTW, the revolution begins August 8, when Tesla begins production of the Robotaxi. It may take a decade or more to be fully realized, but personal transportation will never be the same. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aH6viaRun5mZqpo

[@eunu6928]

Really ? Leaf air cooled ?

[@raffly4449]

Oops, Nevermind…

[@MrCountrycuz]

I thought you were married to Sweet Kate!

[@transportevolved]

Nikki here. I’m married to a Kate. But not the Kate who is my cohost.

[@ashtaroth1975]

Nissan doesn't support it,the community does

[@kencotton4645]

Of course, it goes without saying that you are all evil, gay, trans, whatever's, but perhaps you could still give me some advice on a power liftgate retrofit for my 2018 Nissan Leaf. You have a lot more experience with EV's that I do and I thought you might have come across a retrofit kit that you thought was DIY friendly.

[@firstnamelastname9918]

Moral spins make me happy and gay!!!!! Hooray! ❤ OMG! The morality police turned me gay!

[@Pottery4Life]

0:54 You forgot people who complain about your meaningless black & white pauses that don't actually bring value to the video that could just could have been said straight forward.

[@Derpy1969]

Never read the comments.

[@matthewbaynham6286]

Don't worry, I never do.

[@AnonymousFreakYT]

Truth. Wait…

[@shanefiddle]

I came down here looking for this comment 😅

[@aceroadholder2185]

Too bad the Leaf is such a dog to start with.

[@Bob_Sacamano]

1:50 start of title content and not droning political and algorithm talk.

[@AlanTov]

You are on the wrong channel buddy. Go elsewhere.

[@Bob_Sacamano]

@@AlanTov not very inclusive of you pal.

[@AlanTov]

@@Bob_Sacamanogo somewhere else rather than crying on here.

[@Bob_Sacamano]

@@AlanTov please dont victim shame me.

[@AlanTov]

@@Bob_Sacamanothe alternative universe of a low IQ snowflake Trumper…. Bye

[@Supernaut2000]

Can u just stick to EV’s? I don’t give a damn about your personal lives.

[@transportevolved]

Mentioning the hate we get in the comments is too much!?

[@Supernaut2000]

@@transportevolved just stick with EV reporting. I don't share with you about my personal life. I am glad to see I got a quick rise from you! Remember you are here for EV info, nothing more.

[@transportevolved]

Right. So when people spew hate at us... we should just take it?

[@nikidelvalle]

I give a damn about their personal lives. Maybe if you don't like it that's a you problem.

[@Supernaut2000]

​@@transportevolved maybe you should ask the question WHY is the hate happening? Surely it isn't about your awesome reporting, nor your extensive research, EV acumen, etc so you tell me what do you think causes it?