Fellow Leafers!
Finally, some good news on range and battery health!
But first some background:
I took possession of my 2012 Leaf in January of 2012
I live in metro Denver, CO (Minimal - 400 ft elevation between home & work |up, heading to work / down, home|)
40 mile RT commute: 24 City (Av. 45 mph) / 16 Hwy (Av. 60 mph)
For the majority of this year, I've charged (L2) to 80% each evening.
No Start Timer set. End Timer set to 1/2 hour before my departure on weekdays. 8:00am weekends.
I drive primarily in ECO mode.
Longterm Average miles/kWh: 5.0
I use A/C liberally, but Heater/Defrost - especially because I was an early Leaf adopter who took possession of the car in January - very sparingly.
I've logged 9,900 miles
All 12 capacity bars remaining.
Today, I had a welcomed surprise! I made my commute using just 4 fuel bars - a feat I had not experienced since the early days of ownership.
The only factors I can identify are cooler weather - and perhaps a battery balance this weekend.
We're finally seeing consistent nighttime temperatures in the 40s, and this past weekend I didn't drive the Leaf at all - a first since pulling out of the dealership 10 months ago. I plugged in Friday evening at 6PM, and unplugged Monday morning at 7AM.
Note: I have the Aerovironment EVSE and do not have a GID meter, so I cannot confirm that the battery balance took place, but I can only assume it did. Normally, I arrive home with 3-4 bars remaining - around 25 miles on the GOM. Today: 6 bars remaining and 40 miles on the GOM. I was tickled!!
We hit 7 bars on the battery temp gauge in mid-summer, but since the start of October, 5 bars are the norm.
I've had nothing but joy behind the wheel of this car! It has performed exactly as I had hoped it would.
All I wanted was a reliable car to get me safely to work and home. For that task, it's passed with flying colors.
But any decently made new car can accomplish that.
I bought the Leaf because I wanted to prove to the world that an electric vehicle can get the job done. Everytime I push the start button, I grin at the fact that not a drop of oil was used to move me on my way. Certainly, I'm contributing to GHG emissions, but not as much as an ICE, and the energy used was produced domestically.
Environmental benefits aside, this car is a blast to drive! Quiet as a whisper, smooth as glass, and pull-your-cheeks-back fast off the line!
Many posters have had real concerns with battery health, and those concerns are troubling for all of us who own or lease a Leaf. I simply hope my post may let other potential Leaf owners know that if the climate is right and your driving needs fall within the cars - comfortable 60 - 70 mile range - the Leaf is a truly remarkable vehicle.
Take the plunge with your eyes opened. This forum is an invaluable resource. I read for weeks before making my final decision. I truly believe that the future of transportation is electric, and for me, that future cannot come quickly enough.
Happy driving!
Finally, some good news on range and battery health!
But first some background:
I took possession of my 2012 Leaf in January of 2012
I live in metro Denver, CO (Minimal - 400 ft elevation between home & work |up, heading to work / down, home|)
40 mile RT commute: 24 City (Av. 45 mph) / 16 Hwy (Av. 60 mph)
For the majority of this year, I've charged (L2) to 80% each evening.
No Start Timer set. End Timer set to 1/2 hour before my departure on weekdays. 8:00am weekends.
I drive primarily in ECO mode.
Longterm Average miles/kWh: 5.0
I use A/C liberally, but Heater/Defrost - especially because I was an early Leaf adopter who took possession of the car in January - very sparingly.
I've logged 9,900 miles
All 12 capacity bars remaining.
Today, I had a welcomed surprise! I made my commute using just 4 fuel bars - a feat I had not experienced since the early days of ownership.
The only factors I can identify are cooler weather - and perhaps a battery balance this weekend.
We're finally seeing consistent nighttime temperatures in the 40s, and this past weekend I didn't drive the Leaf at all - a first since pulling out of the dealership 10 months ago. I plugged in Friday evening at 6PM, and unplugged Monday morning at 7AM.
Note: I have the Aerovironment EVSE and do not have a GID meter, so I cannot confirm that the battery balance took place, but I can only assume it did. Normally, I arrive home with 3-4 bars remaining - around 25 miles on the GOM. Today: 6 bars remaining and 40 miles on the GOM. I was tickled!!
We hit 7 bars on the battery temp gauge in mid-summer, but since the start of October, 5 bars are the norm.
I've had nothing but joy behind the wheel of this car! It has performed exactly as I had hoped it would.
All I wanted was a reliable car to get me safely to work and home. For that task, it's passed with flying colors.
But any decently made new car can accomplish that.
I bought the Leaf because I wanted to prove to the world that an electric vehicle can get the job done. Everytime I push the start button, I grin at the fact that not a drop of oil was used to move me on my way. Certainly, I'm contributing to GHG emissions, but not as much as an ICE, and the energy used was produced domestically.
Environmental benefits aside, this car is a blast to drive! Quiet as a whisper, smooth as glass, and pull-your-cheeks-back fast off the line!
Many posters have had real concerns with battery health, and those concerns are troubling for all of us who own or lease a Leaf. I simply hope my post may let other potential Leaf owners know that if the climate is right and your driving needs fall within the cars - comfortable 60 - 70 mile range - the Leaf is a truly remarkable vehicle.
Take the plunge with your eyes opened. This forum is an invaluable resource. I read for weeks before making my final decision. I truly believe that the future of transportation is electric, and for me, that future cannot come quickly enough.
Happy driving!