Nissan Leaf app for Android (hands-on)

Android and BlackBerry versions of the Nissan Leaf app join the iOS version this week. We got our hands on the Android version and poked around in its Demo mode.

The main screen is the Home tab. Here you'll find information about charge state, charge time, and range.

Range and charge time are affected by climate controls and charger type, respectively. The Nissan Leaf app for Android lets you compensate for both of these factors from within the app.

Just because the Leaf is plugged in doesn't mean that it's charging. It may not be scheduled to charge until, for example, nighttime when the power rates are lowest. With the app you can remotely initiate charging off-schedule with the touch of a button.

The Climate screen lets you activate the Leaf's climate control system remotely to heat up or cool off the cabin with power from the grid rather than the battery.

You can also schedule times in the future to activate the climate control system, ensuring that you'll find an appropriately toasty or cool cabin when it's time to drive.

The Nissan Leaf app for Android communicates with the Leaf electric vehicle using Nissan's CarWings network. You can manually trigger updates from this screen.

From the Contact tab, you can quickly initiate calls to Nissan roadside assistance or customer support.

Finally, the Nissan Leaf app for Android includes a legend explaining what all of the various icons used in the app mean.