51 mile (82km) commute

[peteInLeaf]

Hi all,

I'm considering buying a Leaf but I'm wondering if its range will be sufficient for my situation. I know that hills and highway speed kill the range and I have plenty of those.
Here is my daily commute:
Total round trip: 51 miles (82 km)
composed of:
- Highway driving : flat 31mi (50km) at 75mph (120 km/h).
- Uphill: 7.5mi (12km) at 30-60mph (50-80 km/h). From cca. 1150 ft - 2750 ft in altitude (350-840m)
- Downhill: the same as uphill since it's a round trip (I actually start my commute by the downhill stretch)
- City driving : 5mi (8 km)

As for my driving style, I own a hybrid now so I'm used to taking advantage of the regen brakes and I try to maximize my mileage where practical. However I don't want to drive much below 75mph (120kph) on the highway.
I would like to use the car the whole year, which for me means in the range of 20F to 100 F (-5C to 38C).
Is the Leaf for me :?:

Thanks a lot

 

[TomT]

It would be helpful to know where you are... You can update your profile to reflect that...

 

[TonyWilliams]

It would be helpful to know where you are... You can update your profile to reflect that...

Exactly. There's a big difference to 100F once a year, and 100F for many months like Palm Springs, Phoenix, etc.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

And snow? How much of that per year?

If you're buying, that commute will be a stretch in a couple years, especially on those 20 degree days with snow. Plus, you might need to make side trips to run an errand?

If you can charge at work you'd be OK.

Knowing your location would indicate weather there's any QC near you.

Have you considered leasing?

 

[peteInLeaf]

Sorry, just signed up on here (although I did go through the forum very diligently to see if there's someone else in my situation .
I updated my profile - I'm in Switzerland, we do get snow here but not as much as you'd think.
I don't run errands during my work time so I wouldn't need much spare. I don't think charging during work hours would be an option for me...
Here are the temperature averages for my location: http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Geneva-weather-averages/CH.aspx
And yes, I did consider leasing. That is the most likely option for me actually.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I don't think that you'll have enough long term exposure to high temperatures to get accelerated battery degradation like what we have observed in Phoenix (where it can be over 40C / 104F degrees for months).

In the cold parts of the winter, at 120kmh / 75mph, that will be marginal to have any reserve. I'm not saying that you could not do it, but you may have to stop using the cabin heater to extend range, or slow down a bit on the motorways.

I would lease the car, so that you can get a new car with a new battery in three years.

 

[dgpcolorado]

...If you can charge at work you'd be OK...

I agree with that. Otherwise the combination of very high speeds (120 km/hr), elevation change, and winter weather make that commute difficult, especially as the battery ages and loses capacity. If the OP were willing to slow down it might be possible to do that commute for several years. I do longer trips routinely in sometimes colder weather and with more elevation change but I don't need the heater except for defrosting the windshield, I don't do them when it is snowing, I never drive over 100 kph (and only at that speed for part of the trip), and I live at much higher elevation (2400 m) so I have less aerodynamic drag to contend with.

Without reliable workplace charging I wouldn't get the LEAF. A plug-in hybrid or an EV with longer range would be better. IMHO.

 

[abasile]

Without reliable workplace charging I wouldn't get the LEAF. A plug-in hybrid or an EV with longer range would be better. IMHO.

+1. With daily workplace charging, a LEAF could work quite well in your situation. Otherwise, my recommendation would be to keep driving the hybrid until you can afford a Tesla Model S and go ICE-free.

 

[RonDawg]

If you can keep your speed down to 100 km/hr rather than 120, that will go a long way in ensuring you have sufficient range for your commute, especially in winter. From Tony's range chart, slowing down by 20 km/hr yields around a 30% increase in range.

 

[harryjpowell]

Don't buy a leaf if you want to continue to do that distance with the 75 mph segment.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

I don't see many stations listed on PlugShare around Geneva. One home station and a QC in Granges-Paccot. But maybe there are different station locators there?

 

[smkettner]

51 mile commute.... I recommend against owning the vehicle. Two year lease max.
Even then you may need to adjust some habits at times.

You need more range or the ability to charge at work. JMHO.
60 Kwh Tesla would work fine

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

Here's a link to a guy's LEAF in the Alps: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14539" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, the home station owner on Plugshare lives near Geneva.

 

[kmp647]

Don't buy

 

[CMYK4Life]

Are you a patient person? Are the people who might ride with you also patient?

Knowing what I know about the Leaf... dont get this car if its your only car. Your commute and environment appear to be at the edge of this car's ability.

Get a plug in hybrid, Tesla, or wait for a significant increase in range.

I love this car... I drive it everyday. But if I got a new job and it was 51 miles round trip with no charging at work... I wouldn't do it.

 

[peteInLeaf]

Thanks all for their honest advice. I'm glad I went here first to ask this question and not to a Nissan dealership...

I see that Tesla gets recommended for my situation and believe me, I would LOVE to get that car. My wife thinks I secretly work for Tesla because I talk about the Model S (and X) all the time :lol: There's just that small issue of price...
I have also my sights set on the Mercedes B class electric which, judging by the answers I got here, might just have the range I need. Although it might be a while till that car comes to this part of the world and they haven't officially set its price yet.
This would be a second car (in addition to the hybrid we own) and I'd like to go ICE-free with it. I guess I will just have to wait a little while more... :roll:

 

[EatsShootsandLeafs]

51 mile commute.... I recommend against owning the vehicle. Two year lease max.
Even then you may need to adjust some habits at times.

You need more range or the ability to charge at work. JMHO.
60 Kwh Tesla would work fine

Seconded.

 

[XeonPony]

can ya do it one way? Yes it will do that
Will you have heat? No, can not use any heat to get that range,onle either the steering wheel or the seat but not both.
Can you go fast? No



My commute is 64Km, at a steady speed of 80KmpH I just barely make it in winter (-30c to -15c) once a bit warmer, any thing over -15 I make it with 50% battery soc and still no heat.

So as others said this is not the car for you based off your real world needs