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'

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

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.

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

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.

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)

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

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

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.

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".

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.

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…

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

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"...

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

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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

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 😂

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.

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 🇯🇪🇬🇧👍

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.

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

Thank you!

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!

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"..😅

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!

Keep Evolving Nikki!!!

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Good video.

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❣️

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

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. 😮

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 UKpostsrs 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

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)

Thanks

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

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.

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

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

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?

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

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.

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.

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

Weber Auto videos are amazing and go deep!

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.

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. 🤷🏻

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

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.

Where the leaf battery guy in LA?

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.

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.

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

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

stock footage of Rhett touching a tire 2:44

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

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.

No sound ?!?

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

I have never seen any negative comments.

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... ukposts.info/have/v-deo/jZqhqXpsoallk3k.html 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.

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

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.

Hi, this is a friendly comment for the stats.

LOL :-) good on yas

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

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. ukposts.info/have/v-deo/an19jKdvoWqX1Ww.html

Really ? Leaf air cooled ?

Oops, Nevermind…

I thought you were married to Sweet Kate!

Nissan doesn't support it,the community does

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.

Never read the comments.

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 🦘

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.

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

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

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

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

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