is 75 miles daily commute doable?

Hi everyone, I would love to buy a Leaf but I have concerns regarding the range. My daily commutes is about 75miles (37m each way) mostly freeway in SF bay area. I won't be able to charge at work so I was wondering if the Leaf could handle this commute without any problem or if I just should forget it. I couldn't get any clear answer from the dealership on this point. Thanks for your help and feedback.

C

A 2017 SV or SL could probably handle it when new (or a 2017 S with minimal heat use in Winter), but there isn't much extra margin at those speeds, and as the car aged you might find yourself regretting it. How fast exactly would you be driving?

My vote is for new leaf with 30 kWh battery should do that easy, for multiple years. A previously owned leaf 24 kWh, probably not.

LeftieBiker said:

How fast exactly would you be driving?

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Traffic is pretty heavy and I usually, during this commute, barely go over 65 and when it happens, it never last more than 5-10 minutes. I would say average speed is about 55mph.

cedman said:

LeftieBiker said:

How fast exactly would you be driving?

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Traffic is pretty heavy and I usually, during this commute, barely go over 65 and when it happens, it never last more than 5-10 minutes. I would say average speed is about 55mph.

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In that case a 2017 SV or SL is what you want. The S would also work, but you'd be getting low on range in cold weather.

While a LEAF with the 30kWh battery can handle it, you will need a level 2 charging solution at home to be able to charge the car each night. You will get home each with very little range remaining and so you might feel acute range anxiety. A good analogy is to think of the LEAF like a car that gets 30mpg with only a 3 gallon gas tank, and where it takes almost 5 hours to fill that tank. Would you be willing to drive 75 miles on a nearly empty tank?

While the commute is definitely doable, you might have a hard time not feeling anxious about it. (for instance, I know I would be fine with it, but I know my wife wouldn't be).

cedman said:

My daily commutes is about 75miles (37m each way) mostly freeway in SF bay area. I won't be able to charge at work so I was wondering if the Leaf could handle this commute without any problem or if I just should forget it. I couldn't get any clear answer from the dealership on this point. Thanks for your help and feedback.

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I'd say forget it..

Yes, technically, a new Leaf could do that..
But when you start turning on the heater and then getting some degradation of the battery over time???

I'm down 1 bar (probably almost 2.. soon I think) and can't get 60 miles in the winter with the heater on on my '12. That's highway speeds mostly (60-ish).
Yes, a new Leaf has a bigger pack, but at the speeds you are looking at (Freeway in CA...) and SF can get cold...

If you don't have work charging, I'd wait for something that can do at least a realistic 120, and more if you expect to keep the car 5+ years.

Just my thoughts...

desiv

The Hyundai Ionic BEV would probably work for the OP, or maybe the new 125 mile e-Golf (a Bolt would work for at least a decade, but costing considerably more up front). As others have said, a 2017 LEAF SV/SL would work okay for a few years, but it might be getting a bit dicey after 3 or so, even with the slower speeds in heavy freeway traffic (in the HOV lane until 1/1/2019) that are typical during the commute. In the Bay Area I consider a heat pump (that the LEAF SV/SL have) almost mandatory, because it never gets cold enough to need the resistive heater, so why suck all those extra electrons any time you use the heater, and take the range hit?

+1 on having an L2 charger at home and/or work to make this reasonable, regardless of the type of BEV.

I'm down 1 bar (probably almost 2.. soon I think) and can't get 60 miles in the winter with the heater on on my '12. That's highway speeds mostly (60-ish).
Yes, a new Leaf has a bigger pack, but at the speeds you are looking at (Freeway in CA...) and SF can get cold...

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You don't have the heatpump, or nearly as much capacity.

cedman said:

I won't be able to charge at work so I was wondering if the Leaf could handle this commute without any problem or if I just should forget it.
C

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This is what is upsetting to me.

So for about $0.50 in electricity per work day, you're having to eliminate the LEAF. I don't see why there couldn't be some attempt at figuring something out with an equitable solution. Even paying $1 per work day to charge on 120V would result in a profit to the employer with absolutely no upfront cost, and a happy employee too.

I would think too, out in California and there in SanFrancisco, shouldn't there be a public charger somewhere close where the LEAF could charge at least for a couple of hours?

Hi everyone thanks for all your answer. It sounds like I will have to pass on the Leaf then. I test drive a Chevy Bolt today and I have to say I was really impressed and range is more than double of the Leaf Down side is the price point.

If you can wait until, say, Memorial Day weekend, the Bolt's price will probably drop by then. Bolt leases should improve, at least.

The OP stated:

I won't be able to charge at work so I was wondering if the Leaf could handle this commute without any problem or if I just should forget it

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FWIW: if it were me, and I fully appreciate that it's not I would stop by at one of the many L3 chargers enroute - either while commuting to work or on the way back home. A QCDC should easily add 6 - 8kwh of charge in 15 mins, when the remaining battery pack charge is in the 40% - 60% range (i.e. low enough to add 6-8 kwh).

Given the mild SF climate, that 15 min QC should bump up the range by at least 25 miles and thereby make a 75 mile commute practical (even after losing a couple of capacity bars). Of course, not everyone is OK with spending 15 mins waiting for a QC charge when in the middle of a commute.

BTW, seeing all those quick chargers in the Bay area makes me so envious :mrgreen: I wish Vancouver had even half that many!

cedman said:

I test drive a Chevy Bolt today and I have to say I was really impressed and range is more than double of the Leaf Down side is the price point.

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Yes, the most impressive part of the Bolt is the price. Gives new meaning to the term "economy car".