The video provides an on‑site walkthrough and test drive of the 2010 Nissan LEAF, the first mass‑produced electric car. The tour begins in the battery room, explaining that the LEAF stores energy in 48 sealed lithium‑ion modules (4 cells each) mounted under the floor, giving a low centre of gravity and spacious cabin. The presenters demonstrate Nissan’s CarWings system, showing how a smartphone app can remotely start charging, monitor state‑of‑charge, and pre‑condition cabin temperature, with a full 100‑mile charge taking about 4.5 hours. They discuss the vehicle’s 12 V auxiliary battery, coolant loops for the charger, inverter and high‑rpm motor, and the overall thermal‑management architecture. Inside the car, they walk through seat‑adjustment levers, the starter button, voice‑enabled Windows Embedded infotainment, and the lack of engine noise at idle. During the test drive, they compare Drive and Eco modes, noting Eco adds roughly 10 % more range (55 mi vs 50 mi) and feels less aggressive. Handling is described as smooth with easy electric steering, four disc brakes, and an automatic speed‑lock at 15 mph. Participants share impressions of the car’s quietness, responsiveness, and suitability for city driving, while also mentioning reservation logistics and future availability. The video ends with casual exploration of accessories, voice control, and the overall user experience.
Chapters
Their big showing in South Center. All the cars driving around out there. Lots of people in here. All right. People test driving.
So this is the battery room. This microphone is working sporadically. My name is Dylan. I will be giving you your short 8-12 minute tour because I do know you want to get to that test drive. This is a fantastic experience for a select few individuals to actually test drive the first mass-produced electric vehicle from Nissan. What you're looking at here is the battery pack, so it's hermetically sealed inside this container. You'll probably never see this again because it's stored underneath the floor of your Nissan LEAF. So take a good look, take pictures, put it on your Christmas card. We've got a quick video of the LEAF right here, so this will explain some of the battery technology in the vehicle. Watch carefully, there is a quiz after this, young man.
Nissan LEAF stores its energy in 48 lithium-ion battery modules. Inside each module are 4 battery cells. Their advanced laminated design allows them to fit snugly under the LEAF floorboards. This doesn't just optimize cabin space, it also gives the Leaf a low center of gravity for seriously fun handling.
The next to come in are the iPhones. The iPhones have an app, of course we have an app for that. The CarWing system, which is our telecommunication system on every Leaf, allows the Leaf to communicate with the internet. Essentially, you can communicate with your car via an internet connection. So if you have a phone that has a web-enabled phone, you can actually communicate with your car. You can program your car to start charging, to stop charging, to start heating up, to start cooling down from an internet connection. If you don't have an internet connection, if you're a Luddite, you can simply program the car to do this from the navigation screen. Okay, so you have a couple options of doing that. So the iPhone right now has an app that tells you basically your vital statistics of the car. Right now it looks like how many miles do you have before it's out of charge.
Um, 46 miles.
Excellent.
How long is it going to take to reach its 100%, 100-mile charge? 4 hours and 30 minutes. Excellent. Fantastic. So that's basically your vital information there. Now, if you wanted to set the climate control, you can see how the fan is now spinning. While your car is plugged in, or even if it's not plugged in, you can actually set the heater or the climate control to turn on. So in anticipation of a brisk morning, you can warm your car up while it's plugged in in your garage. That way when you unplug it, you've got 100 miles and the car's already warmed up. Alright? So by using electricity from the grid while the car's plugged in, you're extending your range. So you use electricity to heat the car up, you unplug it, you've got 100 miles. It's a lot easier to maintain that cabin temperature than it is to warm it up after you've unplugged. You can also do this while the car is in the parking lot without being plugged in, but what's going to supply the energy to heat the car at that point?
Batteries. Walking out to the car, finally. They'll have California license plates on them.
—see some of the functionality. It allows you to slide the seat forward and backward.
So you put down— pull up on that lever, slide the seat forward or backward.
If you want to adjust the recline or reclining part, it's important to pull this lever to the left of the driver's seat. You can lock it back into place. To turn the car on, this is important, put your foot on the brake, You see that white button right there? There's a white button that's the starter button. Press that once. The car is now on.
The car is on.
You hear that? Say no. It's because there's nothing to hear. The engine isn't spinning. At idle, the car isn't using any electricity.
Coming in DC, coming into it, you need something to cool down that high power.
So we've got coolant going around the charger. Of course. The inverter, high-power electric going through a small area, so that is also cooling.
So there's pumps for that and there's probably heat exchangers for that.
Yes, and also the motor. You're at such a high RPM when that motor is spinning, you need a coolant jacket around the motor to help cool that down.
Body panels are all steel? Yes.
Seems strange that you got a 12-volt battery in there instead of a DC-to-DC off the main pack.
Not at all, because solar panel charges this battery and all your low voltage comes off DC. Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, I only need 2, right? Right. I mean, he could go off the G and be like, um, you know, you need some to be extended testing. I think my biggest concern is what's going to happen to the range with this.
Yeah, that's right.
Johnny? Johnny?
Rob?
Hi. Oh, I saw people take it off, so I took it off already. Yeah, just—
are you driving first?
No, no, he is.
It doesn't matter, both of them could go then. Okay, yeah, just give me yours too. Yeah, you're—
you're Dana.
All righty.
And Rob, she's gonna drive after me.
Okay, so if, uh, you can get in the driver's seat and then Dana in the back seat.
Thank you, sir. Yep. So you're our Nissan Sherpa. There you go, leading us up the electric hill.
So the drive is down, right?
Yeah, your way and then down. There you go. Can you release?
So how can I tell when it's set to go forward? Uh, D.
Got the D up there? D, or—
okay.
Yep. Okay, so then you release the brake and start coasting towards start.
That's a smooth ride.
Yep, the vehicle automatically locks at 15 mph. Oh, cool. Yeah, you notice the steering turns very easily. It's electric steering, uh-huh. And then the brakes are quite grabby. There are 4 disc brakes.
Wow, yeah, you're right, that is— that's really good.
It's got—
it's, it's quick, you can tell.
Let's take a right coming out of here. Let's just maintain speed in the parking lot. Sure. Security doesn't like it. He's speeding. Yeah, I know. And then we'll go on the road and I'll— you'll have an opportunity to give it some juice. Okay, cool.
I've been waiting to drive one of these for a long time.
Yeah, it's a nice car.
You get to ride in them all day. I know.
So at this stop you're going to get to you're going straight. Okay. And I'll put it in eco mode for you right now. So it's just copying the same direction you did in drive. So it's a toggle. If I do it again, it's going to go back and drive. It's a shift on the go. I just did it for you so I don't distract you. So that's the eco mode right there.
Okay, so it just starts up slower, right?
Well, it just gives you— yeah, just keep on going and take a right at the stop. It gives you retention and it gives you about 10% more miles. Oh.
Oh, it does.
If I switch it back to drive, you can drop down to 50 miles from 55, and you can kind of lead foot the accelerator.
Okay, so I've got a range of—
right there, 50 miles. And I put it in eco, it goes to 55. Okay, that's— I switch it back, it goes to drive.
Okay, that's a couple miles. Yep.
So if you want to give us some juice here when you take off, if you would like me to.
Yeah, that's good. Yeah, that's all you need.
So the Eco mode, you'll just feel it— yeah, it's just less kicks back.
Yeah, it's just less power.
Yeah, and it generates a little bit more, just like our—
we have a hybrid. Yeah.
Um, then you let all the computerization come on, and then normally you'd wait for the OK and the decline, and then you're going to press OK on the navigation right there. Nice. That brings that up. Okay.
Oh, this is so exciting.
And then with your foot on the brake, you pull this your way and back and release it. And then release it. That puts it in D. You got a light there and also a drive, a D over there. Oh yes.
Yep.
And then let's proceed for the start before this guy goes. Yeah, I'll wait for red.
Wow, I just I just love it.
So people that are test driving today that are not on that reservation list, or, uh, yeah, walk-ins, there is— oh, is there?
There's people that just like, oh, we just saw it, let's pull in. But the reservation people are the ones who are lucky because they're actually getting it.
Yes, so they say like December, it's gonna start coming out in December. Yeah, it was Do you have yours all settled or are you just— Mine? You're not ready.
I didn't get it. I didn't get a chance. I'd be interested just because I don't do that much city driving. Yeah, these are great for city driving. Oh yeah, I live more out towards, uh, the, you know, where you need to drive a little bit more.
So are you Washington? Are you— you travel with me? Drive electric tour.
Very cool.
Rob turned on the stereo.
Playing around with all the accessories, just see how they all work. So I wonder what this is. Off. Dim, light dim on the dash.
And the off sound is the next one over. Oh, it's the sound maybe that the vehicle makes. Oh, the car makes.
You can turn it off. I like that.
What's that? That looks like a plug. Is it an electrical outlet? Trip?
Oh, okay, so that changes your trip meter.
What kind of devices do you have on the steering wheel here?
You got voice.
Would you like to access phone or navigation? Phone.
There is no phone connected.
Push the phone switch to connect a phone.
Oh wow.
Get a green light. Interesting. Nice pleasant voice.
