I have an '05 coupe that I'm only looking to replace for a 4-door now that I've got a new baby girl. I'm going through the typical debates between gas and hybrid (trunk space, run-flat tires, initial cost, fuel savings, extra maintenance cost/depreciation). I drive 10-12K mixed miles/year and plan to keep this for hopefully 10 years. One of the tangents I've been following is a problem I haven't seen anybody here mention yet.
Li-Ion batteries don't do well in extreme temps. In particular heat really degrades the capacity (starting at 86F), and that's a problem in Texas and much of the South with long stretches of 100+ degree days. I haven't been able to find much on the Q50, but looking at the M35h and assuming it's similar based on the wording, it appears there's a vent on the rear shelf and I think there's just a fan that pulls cabin air in and exhausts it outside. But, this only really helps while your in it, and doesn't do anything while it's out in the parking lot baking in the sun. Alternatively, Tesla and the Chevy Volt use an active cooling system to protect their batteries.
After expanding my search to the Nissan umbrella, I found that Leaf owners in Arizona and Texas are actually experiencing the problem. It sounds like they're using similar, if not the same "laminated-cell configuration that enhances battery cooling".
Nissan Leaf Owners Hope For The Best, Fear The Worst - HybridCars.com
There's also a forum here, and a wiki they're collecting data on:
My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - Early Capacity Losses-Was(Lost a bar...down to 11)
Battery Capacity Loss - MyNissanLeaf
Unforunately, it doesn't sound like Nissan is doing a whole lot (Nissan unfazed by Leaf battery loss in heat won't change cooling system - MSN Autos). They're sticking to their existing 'cooling' system and stating in their warranty "the company will fix or replace the battery if its capacity drops by more than 30 percent within five years or 60,000 miles". That sounds ok, I'm just afraid I'd end up right on the borderline. (Not sure what Infiniti's says other than 8 years/100k for the hybrid related items).
I realize, at least in a hybrid it's not as large being the only fuel source as in a strictly electric vehicle like the Leaf, but it's still a critical and costly component. I don't mean to scare anybody else, in the end it just comes down to money. The battery is sort-of a consumable, and you got to pay to play if you want the extra performance. It's just another argument steering me towards traditional gas since it's starting to seem less smart based on where I live. (Now, if only I could get remote start and cooled seats even Ford is offering now).
Does anybody happen to have any information more specifically about the Infiniti Q50 Li-Ion hybrid battery, warranty, and/or cooling?
Li-Ion batteries don't do well in extreme temps. In particular heat really degrades the capacity (starting at 86F), and that's a problem in Texas and much of the South with long stretches of 100+ degree days. I haven't been able to find much on the Q50, but looking at the M35h and assuming it's similar based on the wording, it appears there's a vent on the rear shelf and I think there's just a fan that pulls cabin air in and exhausts it outside. But, this only really helps while your in it, and doesn't do anything while it's out in the parking lot baking in the sun. Alternatively, Tesla and the Chevy Volt use an active cooling system to protect their batteries.
After expanding my search to the Nissan umbrella, I found that Leaf owners in Arizona and Texas are actually experiencing the problem. It sounds like they're using similar, if not the same "laminated-cell configuration that enhances battery cooling".
Nissan Leaf Owners Hope For The Best, Fear The Worst - HybridCars.com
There's also a forum here, and a wiki they're collecting data on:
My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - Early Capacity Losses-Was(Lost a bar...down to 11)
Battery Capacity Loss - MyNissanLeaf
Unforunately, it doesn't sound like Nissan is doing a whole lot (Nissan unfazed by Leaf battery loss in heat won't change cooling system - MSN Autos). They're sticking to their existing 'cooling' system and stating in their warranty "the company will fix or replace the battery if its capacity drops by more than 30 percent within five years or 60,000 miles". That sounds ok, I'm just afraid I'd end up right on the borderline. (Not sure what Infiniti's says other than 8 years/100k for the hybrid related items).
I realize, at least in a hybrid it's not as large being the only fuel source as in a strictly electric vehicle like the Leaf, but it's still a critical and costly component. I don't mean to scare anybody else, in the end it just comes down to money. The battery is sort-of a consumable, and you got to pay to play if you want the extra performance. It's just another argument steering me towards traditional gas since it's starting to seem less smart based on where I live. (Now, if only I could get remote start and cooled seats even Ford is offering now).
Does anybody happen to have any information more specifically about the Infiniti Q50 Li-Ion hybrid battery, warranty, and/or cooling?
