Nissan is testing a new battery pack for its Leaf electric car that the brand says can perform the same as the current battery when exposed to sustained high-heat conditions.
Currently, many Leaf owners complain that high temperatures can reduce the range of their vehicles, so Nissan is experimenting with its lithium-ion cell chemistry to try and avoid this issue. If Nissan does indeed devise a new heat-resistant battery pack, it hopes to have them available by April, 2014.
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The company has not yet decided if every Leaf will get a new battery, or if the new pack will be reserved for owners who need a battery replacement as a result of loss of range. So far, Nissan has only replaced 22 batteries in the United States due to high temperatures affecting range.
Nissan has been testing the new batteries at a consistent temperature of 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). So far, the engineers have found that the loss of capacity at these high temperatures is on par with what the standard battery loses at more temperate climates.
[Source: Green Car Reports]
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