Tag Archives: Electric Vehicles

Colder Temperatures

Last night the temperature dropped to single digits for a span. This prompted several outside activities to prepare for the cold.

I covered the strawberries with leaf mulch and doubled up the row covers. Water hoses were disconnected and covers placed over the spigot.

Buckets and other vessel’s normally filled with water were turned over and their contents spilled out on the lawn.

We had snow the previous week, so much of the preparation was already partially completed.

My LEAF in the air.

The last chore for further cold weather is getting my tires refilled. The cold pressure has reduced the psi in my back tires by nearly 6 points.

The back tires are the new pair I got from the dealership. The mechanic said they didn’t see any signs of leaks and the drop in pressure was just the cold weather.

My next appointment will be in March for tire rotation. Shouldn’t cost more than $25. Then I’ll be set to drive for a good long while.

EV Battery Swaps Have Arrived

An Irish start-up firm in Co Kildare (Range Therapy) has begun offering battery swaps for the Nissan LEAF Mk1 model.

This service is currently priced at 7k Euros (7,212.10 USD), with discounts available if you decide to trade in your old battery.

Nissan LEAF Mk1

Daly brought her old 24kWh Mk1 Leaf to Range Therapy, and shortly afterwards drove back out again with a new 70kWh battery, giving the Leaf a potential range of up to 475km on one charge – something that the 160km ranged original could never have even thought about.

Once removed, the older batteries can be repurposed as an energy storage vessel similar to the power walls found in commercial and residential structures.

Cited article by The Irish Times/Neil Briscoe

https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2025/01/15/dont-scrap-an-older-electric-vehicle-just-upgrade-it/


For US-based consumers, there are options available for replacing older batteries in LEAF vehicles. Models from the 2010s through to 2018s can be upgraded to the extended range 62kw Plus size batteries.

Leo & Sons Auto Repair of Massachusetts is an auto shop that can perform the battery replacement service. The LEAF Facebook group provides a list of shops that can perform the replacement service.

Your options for LEAF battery replacements typically come down to going to a Nissan dealership or working with a battery replacement specialist.

Typically, the 62kw battery packs run for $8k-16k depending on availability.

If you are having difficulty finding an available battery pack, try auto scrap shops. Often when a car is involved in an accident the insurer will write off the vehicle as a total loss when the damage is often only cosmetic.

Cited article by Recurrent/Jon Whitt

https://www.recurrentauto.com/research/nissan-leaf-battery-replacement