Photovoltaic Solar Panel Spoiler
Now that the Nissan ordering system has gone live for dealers, all cost factors, are now known, this includes the inaugeral list of options for the LEAF. It should be noted that the L3/Quick Charge option can NOT be added post delivery.
Nissan LEAF SV: $32,780
24 kWh Lithium Ion Battery
3.3 kW Onboard Charger
Portable Trickle Charge Cable -120V
Standard Charge Port -240V
Navigation System
Palm-Shift Drive Selector
Regenerative Braking
Recycled Cloth Seat Fabric
16” Alloy Wheels
No Charge For 36 Months – CARWINGS
No Charge For 36 Months – Roadside Assistance
5 Exterior Colors
Nissan LEAF SL: $33,720
Adds:
Photovoltaic Solar Panel Spoiler
RearView Monitor
Fog Lights
Automatic On/Off Headlights
Cargo Cover
Homelink® Universal Transceiver
Options:
B92 Splash Guards $140
M94 Recycling/Organizational Package $225
M92 Cargo Cover $290
M93 Cargo Net $20
(Not available with M94 Recycling/Organizational Package)
N92 Hologram Kick Plates $125
(Not available with B93 Eco Design Package)
B93 Eco Design Package $260
(Not available with N92 Hologram Kick Plates)
B94 Protection Package $225
S92 Safety Kit $75
Quick Charge Option: $700 (available only on SL-can’t be added post delivery)
![Will Ferrell Spotted Driving a Nissan LEAF [Video]](http://nissan-leaf.net/wp-content/themes/bigfoot/includes/timthumb.php?src=
http://nissan-leaf.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/wf.png
&h=48&w=48&zc=1)
MUST HAVE USELESS SPOILER!!!
LOOKS PRETTY!!!
and tell my stupid friends it powers the whole car
RicksEV(Quote)
For the extra $940 the SL looks pretty well worth the cost. That would be my choice. Didn’t see any of the listed options that I might want to add. Good information in any case.
N Riley(Quote)
I wonder why the quick charger is available only on the SL model? Why does not make sense. Can you understand why, Statik?
N Riley(Quote)
Agreed. As soon as people see a solar panel on something, they think that it’s powered ENTIRELY on solar power.
Somewhat deceptive. As deceptive as potential Leaf Customers being told the extra $5000 CARB credit in California that ALL Leaf drivers will enjoy. ALL of them, right? Right?
Sure, if you’re one of the first thousand customers. I wonder how they will keep track of who gets it first?
Gary(Quote)
Gary,
Probably first come first served based on when the state receives the request. I assume.
N Riley(Quote)
Nissan likes money?
Jay (Statik) Cole(Quote)
For me none of these options are a must have, especially for the SL. One item which is handy is a hard plastic liner for the trunk area. Easy to just pull out and wash off. Given how deep the Nissan trunk is it would be great to have something like that. Not seeing that as an option though.
To tie in with yesterday’s thread, if you’re leasing it’s always a good idea to skip the options because it you don’t buy at the end of the lease what you’re looking at is a (very long term) rental car, and you’re just paying for things for the next owner.
IMO the solar panel would be useful if it ran an exhaust fan when the interior overheated. Every year we lose children and pets because people forget or underestimate the heat build up in car interiors.
DonC(Quote)
Granted, but you make money by offering the optional equipment on both models, not just one. Or has my Finance 101 understanding gone awry in today’s economic climate?
N Riley(Quote)
Agreed, if you are leasing. I would probably be purchasing because I have the money saved and I am normally a long-term vehicle owner. Plus, my wife (who is the boss, naturally) is opposed to leasing.
N Riley(Quote)
We are going on our 4th yr. with our small 12v battery in our Prius living in Tucson. Regular batteries usually only last about 3 years in AZ.. I’m not sure if the PV panel would be worth it unless you like listening to radio while car is off or if they would put a vent fan in as Don C. pointed out BTW great suggestion. The 12v battery is in the rear of the Prius, which prolongs life as well being out of the engine compartment where batteries get very warm.
blind guy(Quote)
M94 Recycling/Organizational Package $225
Does anybody have any pic’s of this?
James(Quote)
Good PSA there Don.
/just kidding
Re: Solar Panel Spoiler
Official ditty from Nissan on it: “The Nissan LEAF will have an available small solar panel on the rear spoiler to help charge the 12V accessory battery.”
—
Out of the WAG department: Judging by the displacement of that little panel, and at 180 degrees, I’d say it might be able to deliver 30-40 wH/day at peak in the Californian summer, degrading down to abouit a quarter of that in the winter, which could certain maintain the battery year round, and even give it a little charge to some degree in most months…but it would be a wicked small charge.
I think it would have to be significantly larger to run a air circulator effectively/at all.
Jay (Statik) Cole(Quote)
Don’t you think Nissan had some Prius envy when they decided to add the solar panel? Not that it isn’t a bad idea, but like Statik said it would be a wicked small charge. But very good PR for some support groups.
N Riley(Quote)
The LEAF and Volt hop-up ebay company that I plan to start soon will offer many “novelty” performance enhancement products.. here is a partial list:
1. Carbon Fiber in a Spray Can.. paint your wheels to look like they are made of the space age material Carbon Fiber.
2, Faux Solar Panel applique, on a magnetized thin rubber mat so your paint is not scratched.. special discount if you buy two for the ultimate look.
3. Oxygen Free Copper Wiring Harness.. this one will require installation by a mechanic since there is a risk of electrocution… unleash those electrons!
I hope you all will come by and take a look.
Herm(Quote)
It looks sharp….does the SV not have the spoiler at all?
James(Quote)
Imagine it would have to ’cause it is integrated into the roofline cut.
RicksEV(Quote)
Where’s the strip model?
I want a strip model!
I don’t need all that shtuff….
CaptJackSparrow(Quote)
So pessimistic.Just eyeballing it I’m thinking it’s about 40% of the size of a normal panel. So maybe rated at 72w? Given that in SoCal a 1 kW system produces about 1600 kWh during the course of a year, if you left your Leaf parked in the sun during daylight hours that would give you about 115 kWh a year. Certainly a small charge in the scheme of things, and certainly not enough to run your AC, but 19 kWh lets you go 100 miles and, going back to my PSA, probably enough to run a fan when sitting in the sun during those times you’d most need it.
DonC(Quote)
Indeed, I am a pessimistic person at heart, heeh, no secret.
However 40% of a normal panel (I guess you are saying normal is 180w) is way big. I think maybe the problem is the production model looks good, has black tint/paint surrounding the actual embedded panel, which is pretty small.
Here is a shot of the prototype which isn’t ‘camouflaged,’ and the current production look side by side:
Just for fun I am going to ‘math it out’ on paper:
Assuming a little better than normal efficiency, lets go with Kyocera here as an analog because they are around 16% and everyone seems to go with them in untraditonal app (ie-Toyota and the Prius) A 180w rated panel is 52.8×39, or 4.4ft by 3.25, for a total footprint of 14.3 feet or 2,060 inches, or 11.5inchs per w/hr
Here is a linky to what I am thinking about as a comparison base: http://sunelec.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=62
I would say at best the LEAF’s panel itself is 5×15 inches. Thats 75 inches or a rating of about 6.5 watts (75 inches /11.5). A 6 watt panel on 180 degree angle would average out in the summer around 6-6.5 kWh/m2, and about 2 kWh/m2 in Nov-Jan. So that would be a max around 42w/day and a low around 13w/day.
/imo
Jay (Statik) Cole(Quote)
Think the B92 splash guards would lower range??
GeorgeS(Quote)
Also, If there are 2 different spoilers, which one has the best CD.
Geez you EE’s all ask the wrong questions!!
GeorgeS(Quote)
There isn’t two different spoilers in production, not in regard to external dimensions or drag. The SV has the normal ‘half moon’ spoiler panel place holder sheet, the SL has the same half moon configuration with the solar panel inset underneath.
Jay (Statik) Cole(Quote)
Oh yeah, you’re right. I though the whole black part was the panel.
DonC(Quote)
Yeah, it is deceptive, you would never know unless you were right on top of it now.
Jay (Statik) Cole(Quote)
A 6w panel is not going to move much air, 20-40w would be the minimum I would think.
Herm(Quote)
Jay,
There’s a specification document here that mentions a “cold weather package” including:
- temperature management
- heated seats
- heated steering wheel
- heated mirror
- HVAC duct to read [I hope they meant "rear" rather than "read"]
I am not sure if this document is reliable since it also mentions “clutch interlock (M/T equipped)”…
I mention it anyway because that package could be very interesting for people living north of the border. I read somewhere that using heated seat and steering wheel is much more energy efficient than warming up the whole cabin. But the point could be moot if you “pre-heat” the car from the plug.
Gwido(Quote)