Will a leaf work for me? Range in pouring rain?

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joem

Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
6
I want to buy a leaf but I'm worried that I'm just outside its range. My commute is 80 miles rt @ 70MPH from zip code 97049 to 97216 for a visual on google. Elevation change of 1,000' via 2 4% hills and wintertime conditions almost always with temperatures in the 40F range and pouring rain- does the leaf kick in the AC pump when the defrosters are turned on? I would simply blow cold air on the window to de-fog. I also have no chance of charging at work :( Most leaf owners tell me zero chance of making it home but I want to check in here before looking at a plug in hybrid.
Thanks guys! Joe
 
Do you need to buy something right away?

If you can wait, there are rumors of 40kWh batteries for the MY17's, not sure on price though.

The 30kWh should be able to do it but it would be very tight and probably just too stressful to make it worth it. Might not make it after some period of time depending on your year round climate though so that's probably reason enough to not get it.
 
The Bolt EV would be a better fit. If you don't mind reducing the speed then the Leaf will work. Much less power required at 60mph vs 70. If you can charge at work, even 120V outlet then you'll be fine. Considering have a folding bike, electric bike or electric skateboard to travel from charging place to work.
Is it true you get free electricity?
https://www.pacificpower.net/ya/po/otou/ooh.html
 
I'm off portand general electric @ 6 cents a kw. I sure wish one could buy a 40kw battery for the older leaf's as I keep seeing my13;s for under 8K
 
FYP:
joem said:
I'm off portand general electric @ 6 cents a kWh. I sure wish one could buy a 40 kWh battery for the older leaf's as I keep seeing my13;s for under 8K
kw and kWh are totally different metrics. See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=417386#p417386 (which was written before the 30 kWh Leaf ('16 SV and SL) began shipping).
 
A new 2016 SV or SL might work for you because the 30 kWh battery would give you more range than the 24 kWh battery in the older Leafs or in the 2016 S. The added rolling resistance from rain and energy consumed by HVAC use for defrost means you would be arriving home with almost no energy left. You will not make the round trip without charging once the battery deteriorates enough to reduce range (may take several years in your climate, but will happen eventually). Since you cannot charge at work, a 24 kWh Leaf is not feasible. Although a 30 kWh Leaf might work, a PHEV would be a better choice unless you can wait for the next generation of EVs with larger batteries and claimed 200-mile range.

Gerry
 
Flat out unless you plan to charge at work a 24 KW/h LEAF will not work for you. My commute is 42 miles to work and 50 miles in the evening because I make a change for traffic and a daycare stop. I use my heat, A/C, and or defrost all the time. And let's be realistic anyone who says they won't use the climate control is either way to optimistic or is super hard core enough that they almost aren't human. (At least in the south during the summer.). I cap my speed at 75 but majority of the trip I am doing less than that because of the max speed of traffic flow. I average 3.9 miles per KW/h and I show around 80 miles on the dash from fully charged with the A/C on. My trip this time of year in July with temps around 75 in the morning gets me to work with right at 50% left on the battery. During the winter with temps around 15 I got to work with as little as 33%. Before I had my stock charger upgraded to level 2 at work I charged on 120V and regained as much as 85% and as little as 75% depending on weather and what I came in on. I get to work at 7am and after upgrading my charger I charge on 208V and 20 amps and now am charged by 10 to 11 am and can go somewhere for lunch and then plug back in and be fully charged by the time I'm off at 3:30. My trip seems to be more downhill on my way to work. Coming home I drive 50 miles and I get to work with Approximately 35 percent left. For me this seems to be year around. In the winter it's colder but it's the warmest part of the day so I tend to not use the heat as much when coming home. Plus I'm usually wearing a jacket. But at 3:30 in the summer I'm rocking that A/C.

In my opinion without charging at work and at those speeds it's just too tight even for me and I have 12 bars on both my LEAFs. Your options are 1. Charge at work or near work everyday religiously and then charge again at home. 2. Buy a new LEAF that has the 30 KW/h battery and even then as the battery degrades it will one day be tight and prolly not make it. It depends on how often you care to drop a 6 to 7k battery in your LEAF. 3. Drive a newer alternative model EV that's coming out which has more range. I.E. The Bolt, the Tesla 3, 2017 E-Golf. 4. Get either an ICE or a bi-fuel vehicle such as a Chevy Volt.

Sorry man. I wouldn't want to hear this but I'd be even more upset if I bought the car and it didn't work for me. Especially if I was upside down in it.
 
branflakes104 said:
Flat out unless you plan to charge at work a 24 KW/h LEAF will not work for you.
It is not "KW/h". It is kWh.

https://solarpowerrocks.com/solar-technology/what-the-hell-is-the-difference-between-a-kilowatt-kw-and-a-kilowatt-hour-kwh/ is an example of an explanation and why (kilo)Watts per hour makes no sense.
 
joem said:
I want to buy a leaf but I'm worried that I'm just outside its range. My commute is 80 miles rt @ 70MPH from zip code 97049 to 97216 for a visual on google. Elevation change of 1,000' via 2 4% hills and wintertime conditions almost always with temperatures in the 40F range and pouring rain- does the leaf kick in the AC pump when the defrosters are turned on? I would simply blow cold air on the window to de-fog. I also have no chance of charging at work :( Most leaf owners tell me zero chance of making it home but I want to check in here before looking at a plug in hybrid.
Thanks guys! Joe

Are you taking US 26? Looks like 55mph.
 
cwerdna said:
branflakes104 said:
Flat out unless you plan to charge at work a 24 KW/h LEAF will not work for you.
It is not "KW/h". It is kWh.

https://solarpowerrocks.com/solar-technology/what-the-hell-is-the-difference-between-a-kilowatt-kw-and-a-kilowatt-hour-kwh/ is an example of an explanation and why (kilo)Watts per hour makes no sense.


My bad... ya'll know what I meant and got the gist.
 
Thanks everyone! I'll stuff a new timing belt into my 40mpg civic for now and check out what is on the horizon for longer range. I already added a 50A outlet in my garage so I'm prepped and ready when things get a tad more mainstream. Yes the highway I travel is posted 55 but if your going slower than 65 your the slowest person on the road- and it would take me forever to get anywhere. I am amazed that EV's are not more common as all my coworkers could easily make do with a EV and if I lived in town I surly would have at least one!
Take care! see you guys as soon as that larger battery comes out :cool:
 
It is not doable with 24kWh battery. You need at least 30kWh. You need tires that are specifically good in rain.
Tires with one direction of travel are usually better at this. Thread should be more than 50% to minimize
aquaplaning possibility. Driving up to 60mph in average rainfall is safe. Up to 40mph in rainstorm.

With 30kWh battery you have a 15% buffer in good weather and 5% buffer in awful weather.
That 5% buffer will diminish after 2 years of battery degradation. Reducing speed 2-5mph will resolve everything.

I would recommend to try and rent a 30kWh Leaf for one day in rainy chilly weather. Start with full battery
and return after 10 minutes of waiting (so cabin will cool down).
You have to have at least 5%-8% left in worse than average weather. Then you can consider buying/leasing.
 
cwerdna said:
branflakes104 said:
Flat out unless you plan to charge at work a 24 KW/h LEAF will not work for you.
It is not "KW/h". It is kWh.

https://solarpowerrocks.com/solar-technology/what-the-hell-is-the-difference-between-a-kilowatt-kw-and-a-kilowatt-hour-kwh/ is an example of an explanation and why (kilo)Watts per hour makes no sense.


You frequent fliers need to stop correcting posters about their scientific notation crap errors. I and everyone who reads this understood what the guy said...

stop being the high school physics teacher and chill out.
 
powersurge said:
cwerdna said:
branflakes104 said:
Flat out unless you plan to charge at work a 24 KW/h LEAF will not work for you.
It is not "KW/h". It is kWh.

https://solarpowerrocks.com/solar-technology/what-the-hell-is-the-difference-between-a-kilowatt-kw-and-a-kilowatt-hour-kwh/ is an example of an explanation and why (kilo)Watts per hour makes no sense.


You frequent fliers need to stop correcting posters about their scientific notation crap errors. I and everyone who reads this understood what the guy said...

stop being the high school physics teacher and chill out.
See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=20385&p=457600#p457600, which (funny enough) was a response to you.

If long time EV drivers and/or enthusiasts can't get it right, this will lead to further confusion and propagation of incorrect info. I posted a "street encounter" with this Model S driver of at least 3 years: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=460701#p460701 at free public charging which has 8 level 2 30 amp EVSEs.
 
You are obviously a hardcore enthusiast in this area. I think you need to accept that not everyone will be as knowledgeable as you. They also a have right to enjoy making posts on this forum at whatever level of expertise they are at. Some may only be interested in plugging in, and pressing the button, and go...

As in any conversation, the important part is being able to understand each other. Your unsolicited correcting of people on the terms and formulas they use is the equivalent of correcting another person's grammar when you are speaking to someone in person... That would be crude and insensitive.. So consider that you are doing the same thing here, and it may not be welcome, starting with me...
 
powersurge said:
You are obviously a hardcore enthusiast in this area. I think you need to accept that not everyone will be as knowledgeable as you. They also a have right to enjoy making posts on this forum at whatever level of expertise they are at. Some may only be interested in plugging in, and pressing the button, and go...

As in any conversation, the important part is being able to understand each other. Your unsolicited correcting of people on the terms and formulas they use is the equivalent of correcting another person's grammar when you are speaking to someone in person... That would be crude and insensitive.. So consider that you are doing the same thing here, and it may not be welcome, starting with me...
Mixing up kwh and kw or kw/h is fundamental to what you're talking about. It could be considered unfortunate that the terms look similar but what they relate to is enormously different and should be corrected when used incorrectly. No one would let slide equivalent mis-statements of terms related to gasoline vehicles, no reason to think it should be ok here. Very easy to come up with a non-sensical statement which says nothing, or worse can be interpreted incorrectly and cause some serious consequence.

No one would say how many miles per gallon it takes to go to work, or advertise that a car gets 30 gallons fuel efficiency, or that you're going to fill up at a rate of 30 gallons.
 
powersurge said:
As in any conversation, the important part is being able to understand each other. Your unsolicited correcting of people on the terms and formulas they use is the equivalent of correcting another person's grammar when you are speaking to someone in person... That would be crude and insensitive.. So consider that you are doing the same thing here, and it may not be welcome, starting with me...
+1 :)
 
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