Nissan Leaf replacement battery with heat-resistant chemistry: $5,500 US

Credit: Nissan/MIT Technology Review

Unlike some others, Nissan Leaf electric vehicles have air cooled batteries. This has been blamed for the the relatively high loss of range in Leafs operating in the hottest parts of the USA.

Nissan has responded by:
● developing a battery with heat resistant chemistry
● offering it as a replacement to existing owners at the surprisingly low price indicated in the headline

This will have the effect of:
● supporting the value of used Leafs
● silencing the nay-sayers who claimed that: "After a few years, an electric car will need a new battery costing tens of thousands of dollars."

Notice too, that Nissan wants the old battery. Persumably this is for reuse as grid storage or other second-life purposes.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092983_nissan-leaf-battery-cost-5500-for-replacement-with-heat-resistant-chemistry

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/09/01/nissan-testing-heat-resistant-battery-adding-two-more-ev-models/ / Nissan Leaf went on saleannounced cost of a replacement lithium-ion battery pack electric car EV low $5,499 $1,000 credit turning in the old pack which is required plus installation fees tax 3 hours of labor lithium-ion lithium ion LiIon battery pack cells assembled into modules replacement pack $225 installation kit new battery backward compatible earliest Leaf models 24 kilowatt hour packs more heat-tolerant battery chemistry reduces capacity loss very high temperatures potential plans higher-capacity replacement batteries announcement buyer of a used Nissan Leaf certainty certain cost replace battery energy capacity fall to 70 percent of the original figure potential potentially electric cars longer life than previously thought Nissan's aggressive pricing losing money initially on low initial demand for replacement packs future economies of scale battery making sales of its battery-electric vehicles continue to rise pack-replacement cost post on the MyNissanLeaf forum Brian Brockman senior manager of corporate communications at Nissan 24 hours post generated more than 125 comments earlier lease plan for replacement batteries capacity loss extremely hot cities Phoenix Arizona financing plan for the replacement battery replacement process recycled secondary usage energy storage /

Qwerkywriter - the keyboard inspired by vintage mechanical typewriters (video)

To quote the developer, "Both fun to type on, & beautiful to look at."

Can't actually confirm the, "fun to type on", but, "beautiful to look at" — just look at the pictures.



Qwerkywriter is a Kickstarter project.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/954250822/the-qwerkywriter-typewriter-inspired-mechanical-ke?ref=nav_search

http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/qwerkywriter-typewriter-inspired-mechanical-keyboard-05-06-2014/ / 84 key USB vintage typewriter inspired mechanical keyboard fun to type on beautiful to look at Qwerkywriter 84 key USB typewriter inspired mechanical keyboard simulates tactile clicky feel vintage typewriter classic custom typewriter inspired keycaps integrated tablet stand detachable USB cable mini-usb port Mini USB early hand built proof of concept prototype final shipping version CAD engineered machine tooled factory built mechanical keyboard modern switch emulates typewriter clicky feel features beautiful chrome accented round keycaps vintage typewriter inspired frame tablet stand accommodate a wide range of tablets up to 5/8 inches thick integrate Bluetooth wireless support stretch goal chrome return bar platen knobs function programmable macro function key blank keycaps upon request font fonts user replaceable Windows WIN MAC OSX Macintosh layout supported $289 price point machine tools cost of the mechanical key switches highest quality mech keyboards custom moulded 3 piece keycap narrow tolerance specs specifications beautiful hybrid metal plastic frame tier supporting ISO layout popular demand $295 pledge supporting international languages compact form factor emulate vintage typewriter footprint dedicated arrow function keys ANSI US layout exceed our funding beautiful occupy my workspace ugly tactile feed back Cherry MX Bluesclicky mechanical switch vintage keycaps metal chrome accented clear top common relegendable keycaps tablet stand wireless WiFi Bluetooth transceiver return bar platen roller programmable macro key knobs platen roller /