I Froze 2 Nissan LEAFs For A Cold Weather Experiment! And It Didn't Go To Plan... 

Thanks Kyle....I had the time and enjoyed.

Thanks for doing this kind of video, but wow this was a terrible result for the leaf, it should not have charged until the battery was "warm", you do not charge lithium ion batteries below 32°F/0°C under any circumstances. Doing so even once will result in a sudden, severe, and permanent capacity loss on the order of several dozen percent or more, as well a similar and also permanent increase in internal resistance. This damage occurs after just one isolated 'cold charging' event, and is proportional to the speed at which the cell is charged. But, even more importantly, any lithium ion cell that has been cold charged is not safe and must be safely recycled or otherwise discarded. By not safe, I mean it will work fine until it randomly causes a thermal runaway event due to mechanical shock combined with the increased internal resistance. There is a study called "Phenomenon of 'lithium plating' during the charging process observed" and some associated studies that show this issue and other issues with cold charging lithium batteries. My guess would be that the Tesla took 45 minutes before charging because it needed to be sure that all cells were well above freezing and at similar temperatures.

Moral of the story….if you live in cold weather climate and don’t have access to a garage, an EV might not be the best choice for you.

"Nissan Sent me a new Leaf to test drive" ... "I turned it into an Ice brick"

You bring useful content to the table every video. Thank you for that. Lars over at Best In Tesla mentioned you and your channel in his latest. Happy New Year bruva!! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--zuUNWy1PGA.html

what shows love best when they get a beating and dont run away, or testing with Kyle.. both is horrible im not sure 🤭

I bet she has two layers of long johns.

I hope he treats her to a wonderful romantic dinner night for all the stuff he puts her through.

There are 4 kinds of women .. 1.Those who come into man's life and add value 2.Those who come into man's life to destroy what's built and try to take a man away from his track towards success. 3.Those who jump form man to man 4.Those belongs to the streets.. This comment might sound hateful to some people (those who will be triggered) but that's the reality Our brother here got a wife...all the best brother

...and giving you her gloves in -20 weather and explaining how you were giving yourself frostbite.

I'm very interested in what happens to the red older Leaf. It is important to understand what is happening with all types of EV (I'm not sure it was good that the newer Leaf took a charge without warming up the battery). It might be, the older car is smarter. I think these cold tests are some of the most important your channel has done. Thanks you and your wife's for this hard work. Thx Barry :-)

Brain freeze!

Twenty below zero is not unusual temps for winter. Americans need dependable autos to start and run and get you to the hospital or work on a daily/nightly basis.

And did i hear him say booster cable red to black!

@@barryhomes1 There is a vlog video on getting it working again on his "personal" channel.

If it was the proper BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) OBD2 adapter then it shouldn't have drained the battery. The intelligent OBD2 adapters shut themselves off when the car ignition/accessory power is turned off. It's most likely either an older/basic adapter or the 12 V battery was near its end of life.

If that is the same battery from a few months ago you are right. It was weak then.

The Leaf kills accessory power when the ignition is off so I’d say that the battery was low on charge anyway.

Cope and seeth. It's fun watching two coal powered electric vehicles fail so hard from WEF shills like yourself.

OBD doesn't work on accessory power but these adapters only use enough power to handle the Bluetooth Comms until they are connected. A simple Bluetooth setup can run for a couple of days off a phone battery, it wouldn't significantly affect the leaf's 12v system. If that battery is already bad it may have frozen.

Since the recent cold snap, there have been numerous videos about what happens to EVs in the cold, under real-world conditions, and every one of them has been savaged by the EV fanboys.

Yeah it's a cold/hot chanber can only test so much it's also these are built to a cost point like no BEV on the market isbeing sold for artic conditions so why waste moeney making t so?

Yeah the Leaf was never designed for very cold or hot temps. It was designed around Japan and thats about it. They're updating it for future generations

No kidding! Coming this summer in Death Valley, Kyle spends a day filming outside with no sunscreen….😝

In Europe will switch fully to EVs in 2024 so is needed know how those works in real world conditions like winter and under freezing temperatures not under labs conditions

So better to look at the miles then?

I hope he knows not to drive away with the charger still connected.

the lithium ion battery is only allowed to get so cold if the temp outside is minus 30 and the high voltage is still good then the heaters keeping it between a temp of minus 10 to minus 17 degree's c as minus 20 the battery freezes and is doa no getting it back from that one

Yeah I have to leave my car out in the cold for 8 hour workdays or even longer when I go on the road in a lot without a power outlet in a region with 5 months of hard winter. These videos are making me think about whether or not my next vehicle with be an EV. I was planning on it but frankly this is not a great selling point.

I have used a Leaf (two, actually) for commuting in the north for 10 years now. The cables do get stiff when temperatures get very cold, and the practical range available comes way down (much more than in some EV's that heat their packs while charging, etc.), but I've never had a problem and don't really even think about it much. Like everything else, I got used to what it took to keep everything functional and the cost savings, especially over the last couple of years, have really helped pay for my EV and system (part of which is simple, grid-tied solar panels that offset much of my charging costs). The Leaf automatically starts heating its battery pack as temperatures approach zero. I only do fast-charging when I need to do some extra errand running, but that also helps to warm up the battery pack and results in a little more cold-weather range.

@@WTFUSERNAM44 If you don’t want to charge it right after sitting but drive first, it won’t be an issue. And the problem here was a drained 12V battery that was probably also pretty old - this could’ve happened to a gas car as well. If you have to charge it right after work when it’s been sitting for hours, you’re right though.

I am SO glad I didn’t but into all the EV hype; until it’s parts are replaced, that Nissan is DOA- Dead On it’s Axles!

@@chrismayer3919 Ummm...just like an ICE car, you mean? I have never been stranded in winter by an EV, but I have been by a pickup I used to drive when the battery died in a cold snap.

It’s the column airbags. Some Toyotas have the same problem.

How much range does it get? Also do they still have the same type of charging port 81 years in the future?

@@Sophia-vk5bq My 2013 started with about 85 and now gets about 70. We bought it new and are the only owners. 40K miles.

It’s the same way on 2018+ LEAF. I hate that!

@@spacingguild that's a pretty big drop considering it started at 85. It's about 20% right? My 2017 Bolt had a big side Blindspot too. I'd have to lean out of my seat just to see at one intersection.

Lifepo4 batteries are worse for cold weather

@@lesstevens2370 True, but would make for good content, right?

@Dave Dee yes it would be good content....if the battery is warm preconditioned lifepo4 batteries aren't bad they last hell of alot longer then standard nmc batteries 300-600 cycles vs 3000-5000 cycles just at the expense of actual range but I would take the loss for a longer life span battery but some people get in there head they need 300 miles because thats what they drive everyday up hill in minus 40 both ways 😉

Here's a good question Did you ever even look at your gas cars actual range I never did except for my 99 dodge Durango tow 6000 lbs it had the 360 5.9 in it I got 300km a tank but I only cared because gas was 2$ a liter and it had a 120 liter tank it was cost prohibited to tow anywhere with that thing just a good old family camp trip would cost 1000$... I live in Canada

So by that logic, a significant number of Norway LEAFs would have had thermal runaway events by now. I haven't heard of a single one...

@@geopomoco There is nothing preventing a system from warming the batteries prior to them charging, perhaps this one was faulty, but regardless everything I have said is a fact, feel free to read that study and the studies it references. I would link it but youtube doesn't allow direct links.

Happy new year 🎉

You live in the southern hemisphere, what do you expect?

He lost it

I've had a LEAF for 7 years, and just wanted to concur with you. They are awesome machines, brilliant design, and reliable as hell. We all know the CCS, battery thermal mgmt issues but whatever. I love them too. 💚

I think RU-vid revenue might have something to do with it!

Odd since with gasoline you would be completely depending on public infrastructures whereas with an EV you can fuel up using your own solar panels.

If this was your only reason, you probably should get one.

Nope like everything in life fast pace I can't be sitting 8 hours 4 hours 3 hours at a charger

@@stevem7508 You don't have to sit, you can sleep. It's called a home charger.

Unfortunately some people don't have that luxury, And I am sticking to gas,

@@stevem7508 Good for you. More EVs for the rest of us.

Does the first gen Leaf have a battery heater?

@@anzew88 Depends on the model, but most do.

@@silvy7394 how does it work? The battery has no liquid to transfer the heat. I haven't noticed anything going on in my 30kWh Leaf when it was cold. It drove normally, no regen, but because I'm trying to preserve the battery I kept it at high SOC and charged it with at least 2 or 3 temp bars...

@@anzew88 Its heating element strips (essentially) that make contact with the cells. Its only 300 watts and turns on around 0F. 0F is when you have NO bars of temperature on the dash. Its not enough to keep the pack warm or to really warm it up much, only to keep it from dipping any cooler

@@silvy7394 thanks Didn't know that and I haven't found that information anywhere

I would highly suggest driving the car to warm the car first, since the GV60 charging controller doesn't seem to be protecting the battery. You are running a very high risk of 'plating' and permanent loss of capacity with such high charging at such low temperatures.

Is actually a bad thing to charge an icy cold battery at that rate.

@@vigneshie Just with some background this is my 3rd Hyundai EV and have driven them in several severe Canadian winters over 100,000 km driven. The modern Hyundai EVs have high content nickel/cadmium NCM chemistry that are very tolerant to safe cold weather charging. At least in Canada most e-gmp EVs come with 6kW resistive PTC battery heaters that thermoregulate the pack and can precondition prior and during DC charging in severe cold. Driving the car does not add significant heat, I have monitored battery temps fairly extensively to comfortable state that. The BMS programming will allow the car to get as cold as -15C before it self protects itself with the PTC battery heater. Even at -15C pack temperature the BMS allow fairly reasonable regenerative breaking, it all comes down to the battery chemistry and I strongly believe cold weather charging is one of the strong advantages over the Tesla's and Nissan EV approaches with no real concern over battery longevity.

my friends in Germany have told me there are a few of these chargers over there ,One they say is in Frankfurt , Berlin and Hamburg , there neighbour who told them about this said the bottom of the battery pack and the face of the charging pad have to be clean otherwise the charging session is very poor, I am glad that i still drive an older Volvo for now, Here in Winnipeg talking to a few Model 3 owners told me the cars are good, our climate on the other hand beats the daylights out of her battery, her is a Model 3 Long range RWD , your temps of -18 f is cold , not bad that is more of a mild day for us win the dead of winter, the lady says she's averages about 55-60% of battery use in our temps and figures the battery in her car will need replacing in 6 to 7 yrs according to the dealer, it is charged mostly at home in a insulated heated garage , I guess that has got to help to some extinct , great review , get gloves no excuses, I've had frostbitten hands a few times, it sucks and have nerve damage from the last time it happened about 8 yrs ago and are cold sensitive anytime in the winter even if its mild, Happy new year and keep the great videos coming 👍

Wireless charging is quite inefficient. When thinking about just how much energy we're talking about, trying to wireless at 250kW sounds nuts actually.

Not efficient enough, however perhaps making enclosed chargers should be more common. That way the enclosed space could be kept warmer than outside, like say, -5 or so. If your car is too cold to charge it would also help speed up the battery warmer process up process. They also need to make the actual charge handshake process simpler. Get rid of all the app stuff, it should just take a credit card swipe and then immediately work.

@@redsquirrelftw While I would appreciate a covering over a charger and the back of the car, enclosures wouldn't really make much of a difference because air is a poor conductor of heat. Garage doors would be a new way for the things to fail. Vandals would have lots of fun with the doors. I can imagine homeless would start camping in them as well. With fast chargers a car really shouldn't be showing up in a frozen state anyway. (Excepting apartment dwellers/street parkers, but I figure such folks being early adopters at this stage in the EV game know what they are getting into and have accepted it) When you are road tripping the pack would realistically be at or near the ideal temperature by the time you make it too a charger, even if it began the day's drive as an ice cube. Apps are used instead of cards for consumer protection. Even though chip readers are the norm, card skimmers haven't gone away, they've gotten more sophisticated.

@@dorvinion I think the chip reader should still be an option . Allow the customer to take that risk if he chooses. There have been a few cases where I’ve completely forgotten my phone. But I had my wallet with me. In that case, A credit card swipe option should be available.

50F is very cold!😮

@@Agent77X 50F is a sping day in Edmonton. A coupe weeks ago we hit -50C with the windchill. This week is -1 to -9 daytime highs and it feels warm after that cold spell.

I had to read it twice,, 10c plus,,, 😅🤣😂 try -35c with a 60k wind during the day here in Saskatchewan,,, -45 at night but at least the wind dies down to a respectable 20k,, so its only -60c to 70c wind-chill at night

Remember that this is a pointless test. You either have the car parked overnight on a charger in which case it will heat the car and charge so its ready to go or you have driven a long distance drained the battery and need to recharge with the system already heated. Its very unlikely you will drain the battery, stop, not charge the car for hours then try to charge it.

@@meta0269not pointless at all actually, for people that drive infrequently and park outside this is good to see

@@Ryantagcoffee True but if they drive infrequently and own an ev they have much bigger problems.

Good to know - thanks!

Maybe these EV cars should stick to temperate climates where rust is nil.

It’s not typical to park a car next to a charger for two days and cold-soak it in sub-zero temps. Even if you can’t charge at home, you would have to drive to the charger and driving warms the battery by default. 80% of new cars in Norway are electric so they do work in cold climates.

These recent videos seem to be more of an extreme example of what not to do and showing you that you aren't necessarily stuck (unless it eats your 12v battery), but you will need to be patient.

Sadly some people are obsessed with finding ANYTHING wrong with EV's to pander to the Fossil Fuel heads and oil companies, and those who will loose their jobs with a EV future.

@@8skellerns It's going to be 50 years before EV's take over. The energy in the grid is nowhere near handling 150,000,000 people coming home from work and plugging in a 240 volt, 50 amp (or more) charger. We'll need to more than double energy production.

@@TheBandit7613 Thing is the energy saved from not producing as much oil could power all these EV's. Petrol and Diesel production and refinement is very energy intensive

@@8skellerns They don't use electric from the grid to refine oil. They use gas from the oil they are refining. Haven't you ever seen an oil refinery? They have so much excess gas, they have huge flames as they vent it. If we don't start building nuke plants right now, there will not be enough power to charge batteries.