Am I a candidate for a Nissan Leaf?

[wizeguy]

One way into work.
==================
5 miles at 40 mph, 5.9 miles/kilowatt = .84 used
5 miles at 50 mph, 4.6 miles/kilowatt = 1.08 used
16 miles at 65 mph, 3.6 miles/kilowatt = 4.44 used

Totaling 6.37 kilowatts.

Then turn around and come home same route so 12.74 watts total for the day.



Occasionally I come home like this.
=====================================
24 miles at 70 mph, 3.3 miles/kilowatt = 7.27 used (I could go slower here to save a few watts)
6 miles at 40 mph, 5.9 miles/kilowatt = 1.01 used

Total trip home = 8.28

Trip in plus trip home = 14.65 kilowatts.

Those are both kinda worse case scenario. Generally my long leg home is at 40 mph because rush hour traffic.

Battery = 21kilowatts. So charged at 80% = 16.8 capacity? Plus we need to account for some degration here.

I'm not sure what running the heater does to the battery. Generally my trip in takes ~30mins and my trip home = ~1hr. What do I add for this?

I should also add that I could pay to park in the parking garage and there is a charge station available there but would rather not pay the cost. ($8 to park, $3 to charge) but... on those days when I'd need more range I could do that. But would rather skip it if possible.

So am I a leaf candidate? Oh I live in Western Washington.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I'm not sure what running the heater does to the battery. Generally my trip in takes ~30mins and my trip home = ~1hr. What do I add for this?...
So am I a leaf candidate? Oh I live in Western Washington.

Yes, you are. I recommend a lease only. If you are going to drive over 36,000 miles, I recommend a 24 month / 15,000 miles per year lease to keep you in the warranty period. Otherwise, 36 months at 12,000 miles per year is fine. You can turn in a 39 month lease at 36 months.

The only consideration that you need to make is:

1) LEAF-S with simple resistance heater, or LEAF-SV or -SL with more energy efficient heat pump (you don't have a particularly short commute, and stuffs happens, so I would get the latter)

2) CHAdeMO DC quick charger and 6.6kW charger (in western Washington with the West Coast Electric Highway, I would absolutely have this. This should come with the LEAF-SV or -SL, and be optional on the LEAF-S)

Easy decisions and enjoy the EV grin!

Tony
60,000 electric miles

 

[philipscoggins]

You should be fine with those numbers. The more you drive your LEAF the better you will get at driving efficiency. Now, I'll bet you slow down on the interstate when you see how quickly the KWh drop when flying, but a safe distance behind a big truck really improves my interstate efficiency.

I've had my LEAF 10 months & I drive a lot, 73 miles low weekday & 100 on long weekday (3 kids, schools, etc). I plug in at work (110) for a few hours when I'm worried & I usually plug in for an hour (220) before I pick up my high school student. Sounds scary, but works fine.

Oh & there's no interstate miles involves, but about 40 miles on a highway (55mph). When I get home at night I usually have about 5.1 m/KWh.

Go for it!

 

[wizeguy]

2) CHAdeMO DC quick charger and 6.6kW charger (in western Washington with the West Coast Electric Highway, I would absolutely have this. This should come with the LEAF-SV or -SL, and be optional on the LEAF-S)

I'm assuming this is so I can get home at 6pm, plug it in and have it ready to go at 7am? I'm under the impression that 120 is a no go for me. Right?

Any numbers on running the heater? Just for kicks.

Oh and I'm assuming leasing so I don't have to deal with battery capacity loss? Generally I don't like leases but on a leaf it makes some sense to me.

 

[wizeguy]

You should be fine with those numbers. The more you drive your LEAF the better you will get at driving efficiency. Now, I'll bet you slow down on the interstate when you see how quickly the KWh drop when flying, but a safe distance behind a big truck really improves my interstate efficiency.

I think I'd do the same. Right now this is how I drive (bad I Know!). Again worse case situation here.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I'm assuming this is so I can get home at 6pm, plug it in and have it ready to go at 7am? I'm under the impression that 120 is a no go for me. Right?

Any numbers on running the heater? Just for kicks.

No, you don't want 120 volts. Get the stock charge cord that comes with the car modified to 240 volts by http://www.EVSEupgrade.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; up to 20 amps. Have you electrician put a 30 amp circuit breaker and an L6-30R socket in the wall where you want to charge at home. Electrician, a few hundred bucks maybe. About $300 to EVSEupgrade.

You're going to set the timer on the LEAF so that it ends the charge and also warms up the cabin at 7am. It will diminish how much heat you need on the road. Don't forget to set the timer to warm up the car for the return trip also!

The base resistance heater is a 6kW Denso, so it can pull up to 6kW at least for a short while. They can settle in to any number after that... 1.5kW to 4.5kW. I have the same unit in my Toyota Rav4 EV, but I rarely use a heater in San Diego. The electric seat heaters work good in both the LEAF and Rav4.

Here's where you can go with CHAdeMO:

http://westcoastgreenhighway.com/electrichighway.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[wizeguy]

It looks like the Electric heater draws 3 kilowatts per hour (I'm just looking for a number here) vs 1.5 kilowatts for the heat pump. Close enough?

Using those numbers my typical commute with the electric heater running would put me at 15kilowatts/16 kilowatts. Charging to 80% should be just fine. Heck if I'm leasing why not just charge to 100% everyday?

The heatpump would put me at 14kilowatts round trip.

Thanks for working with me. Its looking like this should work. I just need to convince myself.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Quick Charge is an option on the SV and standard on the SL. However, you don't need it and it may not even be available on your route. The cars can all accept a 240 volt level 2 charge as well as the 120 volt L-1, and that is quite enough. Only pay more for QC if you know for a fact that you can use it regularly.

 

[uwskier20]

I live in western Washington, and drive a 50-mile commute daily. Piece of cake. At 42,300 miles in, I have experienced some battery degradation, but still have no problems with my commute. Should add that I am an aggressive driver, so range will be extended with conservative driving habits.

I purchased my '11. Arguably a mistake. Definitely recommend Tony's leasing advice.

In addition, there is a "Seattle Nissan LEAF Owners" group on Facebook. You're welcome to join!

Welcome to the revolution!

 

[wizeguy]

Quick Charge is an option on the SV and standard on the SL. However, you don't need it and it may not even be available on your route. The cars can all accept a 240 volt level 2 charge as well as the 120 volt L-1, and that is quite enough. Only pay more for QC if you know for a fact that you can use it regularly.

'

I don't foresee needing a quick charge. My wife would be driving a gas car and I could always switch with her on the event that I need go further.

I'm pretty boring. I'd assume the latest I'd plug in would be 10pm and rolling out at 7am (9hrs at home). Generally though I'm home at 6pm out at 7am (13hrs at home).

 

[uwskier20]

I don't foresee needing a quick charge. My wife would be driving a gas car and I could always switch with her on the event that I need go further.

I've have more than one instance where I was glad to have the option to quick charge. Never discount the unforseeable. (and my life is pretty boring too! )

 

[Berlino]

My wife would be driving a gas car.

There have been numerous documented cases of spouses trying out the LEAF, then inventing every possible excuse to leave their ICE vehicle at home and borrow the LEAF.

 

[uwskier20]

There have been numerous documented cases of spouses trying out the LEAF, then inventing every possible excuse to leave their ICE vehicle at home and borrow the LEAF.

+1

 

[wizeguy]

Thanks again for putting up with me. Just to make sure I understand correctly.

The 2011-2012 and 2013 S models all came with a 3.3kw charger. Which... can be charged with 120 volt (long ass time) or 220 volt (16 amp?). This is what EVSEupgrade uses.

The 6.0kw is standard on the SL and SV models (optional on the S) and would allow for me to do the quick charge thing. Not in the home via the EVSEupgrade but on the occasion that I need a quick charge at a station on the road and need to get somewhere.

In my case I wouldn't require the 6.0kw, but would be damn handy if I were going somewhere?

Do I have the right? I think I just about understand all of this business.

 

[uwskier20]

So, the 6.6 kW is twice as fast as what I have in my 2011, and will work both at home and on the road with any "Level 2" EVSE. The EVSEUpgrade can deliver up to 5 kW, I believe.

The "quick charging" you refer to actually charges at up to 60 kW, delivered at ~480V, and is delivered to your car through a separate port (CHAdeMO). It gets you from 0% to 80% in roughly 30 minutes, and is very handy for extending your range, as well as unplanned situations.

I should clarify by saying, that in the case of 110/220V charging, the "charger" is actually built into the car, while power is supplied by an EVSE. In the case of "quick" charging, the power is delivered directly to the battery, and the charger itself is external.

I strongly recommend both 6.6 kW charging and getting the quick-charge port. The region has plentiful infrastructure to take advantage of both charging technologies.

 

[GRA]

I'm not sure what running the heater does to the battery. Generally my trip in takes ~30mins and my trip home = ~1hr. What do I add for this?...
So am I a leaf candidate? Oh I live in Western Washington.

Yes, you are. I recommend a lease only. If you are going to drive over 36,000 miles, I recommend a 24 month / 15,000 miles per year lease to keep you in the warranty period. Otherwise, 36 months at 12,000 miles per year is fine. You can turn in a 39 month lease at 36 months.
<snip>

Tony
60,000 electric miles

Tony, wizeguy's basic commute (52 miles R/T) is going to run up almost 12,500 miles/year, assuming 48 weeks of commuting and no other use. So I think he'll need a 15k mile/year lease, for however many years he chooses. Concur on the SV/SL for the heat pump and 6.0kW charger, and personally I'd opt for the QC for the flexibility, even if he doesn't need it for his daily routine. Western WA's got too many CHAdeMOs to pass up the opportunity.

 

[planet4ever]

The "quick charging" you refer to actually charges at up to 60 kW, delivered at ~480V

Slight correction, not really significant: I believe the max rate is 48 kW, and the average may be closer to 30 kW. The voltage varies during the charge, but is up to about 400v.

The 6.0kw is standard on the SL and SV models (optional on the S) and would allow for me to do the quick charge thing.

uwskier20 addressed this, but just to emphasize: Quick Charge has nothing to do with whether the on-board charger maxes out at 3.3 kW or 6 kW. Quick Charge depends on a very different type of charging station with a very different connection to the car. The port for that connection is standard on the SL, optional on the S and SV. The 6 kW on-board charger is standard on the SV and SL, optional on the S. It happens that Nissan has bundled the two features on the S in a "Charge Package". On the SV they have (rather curiously) bundled the QC with some lighting improvements.

Ray

 

[LeftieBiker]

Thanks again for putting up with me. Just to make sure I understand correctly.

The 2011-2012 and 2013 S models all came with a 3.3kw charger. Which... can be charged with 120 volt (long ass time) or 220 volt (16 amp?). This is what EVSEupgrade uses.

The 6.0kw is standard on the SL and SV models (optional on the S) and would allow for me to do the quick charge thing. Not in the home via the EVSEupgrade but on the occasion that I need a quick charge at a station on the road and need to get somewhere.

In my case I wouldn't require the 6.0kw, but would be damn handy if I were going somewhere?

Do I have the right? I think I just about understand all of this business.

Quick Charge is only standard on the SL model. On the S and SV models you have to find a car with it installed at the factory, and pay more. So a 2013 SV model lets you charge at 120 volts at about 1kw, or 240 volts (in less than half the time) at 6.6kw, but if you want QC (which requires a special charging station that is not nearly as common as dealers would have you believe in most areas) that is not standard on the S or SV.

 

[uwskier20]

One thing to consider, being from Seattle and having a 52-mile commute, is topography. To/from where are you commuting? I come from East Everett, and maybe have a net elevation gain of 600' over the course of my commute. This poses no problem to my range. However, if you are coming from a higher-elevation locale, like Snoqualmie or North Bend, a similar-length commute may eat up more juice. Just a thought. If you can charge at work, even at 110V, that can help to overcome such issues.

 

[uwskier20]

Slight correction, not really significant: I believe the max rate is 48 kW, and the average may be closer to 30 kW. The voltage varies during the charge, but is up to about 400v.

Thanks, Ray. I recall reading that at some time in the past. I stand corrected!