Electric Vehicles

My Nissan Leaf is currently bricked because a charging station sent the wrong communication messages (or the right messages in the wrong order, still don't know exactly what happened).

The car thinks there is a cable still plugged in (when there isn't), so it won't go into drive. It also won't recognise a new cable being plugged in, so it won't charge. It doesn't think there is a charging session ongoing, so there is no way to stop it. There are no fault codes and no errors. The car is behaving perfectly normally except that it won't start.

Nissan has no idea what the problem is. Multiple experts has tried with success to find anything wrong. It's been 3 months and the best option so far is to start replacing modules (for more than the value of the car) until we accidentally replace the correct module.

The vast majority of the problems we're having is caused by a lack of information and communication from Nissan. They don't provide circuit diagrams, or diagnostic manuals, and they don't even permit people to buy the diagnostic tools they use.

An open source, repairable car would be really nice about now.

It's absolutely absurd that that isn't the norm.

Making a prototype electric car is actually surprisingly simple for what it is, the problem is adding all the required active and passive security systems and passing the safety inspection for selling in the EU, not to say the usual about supply chain, manufacturing, etc, which will probably be quite difficult given this goes against every automotive company's interests.

A simple, repairable EV would be my dream car but unfortunately I don't see it happening soon in Europe.

We have customers that can’t figure out how to turn their headlights on, or fill the washer fluid. “Repair yourself” needs to be a pretty low bar.

General Motors: *purchases all related IP, disappears it forever*

General Motors: Oh! Sorry squire! I’ve scratched the record

The main reason I am not buying into electric vehicles is the state of reliability and repairability and the immense black box which those vehicles are nowadays. What I would like to see is pretty much exactly that prototype as a commercially available and street legal product. Where everything can be modified and improved or repaired by anyone. Just like in the "good old days"...

I would buy it. :)

Story: I drive a Mitsubishi electric car of generation 0 (MIEV). They have a typical error: a high voltage comparator on the motor controller breaks, stopping the car. The fix involves 1 resistor, and works (you just need dwarves with titanium hands to reach the correct part in less than a whole day). The resistor costs cents. Authorized representatives propose swapping in a 5000 euro motor controller (the remaining value of the car is about 1000 euros).

Easy maintenance is an absolute requirement. Otherwise expensive cars become junk.

The should create a system of interchangeable parts! A breakthrough

Are there plans to produce ARIA commercially? (All i saw in the article is about the prototype) Looks like a DIY Honda CR-Z, in a good way.

There was a cool Sono Sion project, a smallish boxy EV that comes with a repair manual, solar panels for topping off the battery, and power-sharing mechanic to power another EV or a home. But they either ran out of money or could not set up manufacturing.