Which model - SV or SL in Houston TX?

Hi:

I'm new to this forum and would greatly appreciate anyone pointing me toward the appropriate message thread(s):

We live in Houston TX and we're about to purchase our Leaf. We're trying to decide whether to get the SV or SL model. The SV seems fine for most purposes, except I'm wondering if I should get the SL so I can get the 480V charger ($1600 for SL upgrade & charger).

A couple of facts about our situation:
-The Leaf will be our 2nd vehicle; we don't plan to drive the Leaf outside of the Houston area
-However, if we did drive out of Houston, Austin is 160 miles away and we'd have to stop for a charge 1/2 way.
-Nissan dealer's sales pitch: the car will be more valuable if you sell the car down the road (once infrastructure is
developed)
-Since the Leaf range will get shorter over the long-term, will that make the 480V charger more important even when driving within the Houston area?

Thoughts appreciated,
Rob

rhallen645 said:

Hi:I'm new to this forum and would greatly appreciate anyone pointing me toward the appropriate message thread(s):
We live in Houston TX and we're about to purchase our Leaf. We're trying to decide whether to get the SV or SL model. The SV seems fine for most purposes, except I'm wondering if I should get the SL so I can get the 480V charger ($1600 for SL upgrade & charger).
A couple of facts about our situation:
-The Leaf will be our 2nd vehicle; we don't plan to drive the Leaf outside of the Houston area
-However, if we did drive out of Houston, Austin is 160 miles away and we'd have to stop for a charge 1/2 way.
-Nissan dealer's sales pitch: the car will be more valuable if you sell the car down the road (once infrastructure is
developed)
-Since the Leaf range will get shorter over the long-term, will that make the 480V charger more important even when driving within the Houston area?
Thoughts appreciated,
Rob

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If it were me, I would definitely opt for the SL with the DC fast charger port. When the fast chargers are installed on the interstates, I plan to take some long trips. Also included with the SL are fog lights, auto headlights (on/off), rear view cam, Homelink (garage door opener remote), pv panel (will trickle charge your 12V aux battery), and cargo cover.

I like the features of the SL but see no reason to have the QC port. Since you are considering the SV I think you may as well save the $1600. I am not going to buy a car to have the right options for the next owner. Cars drop in value and that $1600 spent might be worth $500 or $0 depending on if any QC stations actually get built by the time you trade it in. You can always lease and not have any worries. all JMHO.

Considering that Houston has 50 or more L3 quick charge stations planned for the near future, I would go with the QC option, even if you don't sign up for eVgo- you never know what will happen in the future. On an almost 30K investment, the additional $ is just like an insurance policy. You may never need to use it, but will feel alot better knowing that it is there.

SL for sure! It is a hot smoldering place you live (no joke) and the solar roof will be very handy when you pre-cool on a regular basis. I use this AC feature alot more than I thought I would.

I will settle it this way. The nice thing about the QC port is say you did not plan to go out again after you get home from work or your across town and instead of going home with a dead battery and switching to your other ICE car you just stop for a 7 minute charge which with the fast charge 480vdc you can drive about 20 more miles in only 7 minutes of charging I call that a no brainier.

rhallen645 said:

We live in Houston TX and we're about to purchase our Leaf. We're trying to decide whether to get the SV or SL model. The SV seems fine for most purposes, except I'm wondering if I should get the SL so I can get the 480V charger ($1600 for SL upgrade & charger).

Click to expand...

I was under the impression that one can order the optional 50 kW DC fast charging ("quick charge") port independently of the trim level. The Nissan LEAF "features" page lists the fast charge port separately, not under one of the "SL model includes SV features plus:" set of bullet points. Are you sure you have to get SL trim to get the fast charge port?

aqn said:

rhallen645 said:

We live in Houston TX and we're about to purchase our Leaf. We're trying to decide whether to get the SV or SL model. The SV seems fine for most purposes, except I'm wondering if I should get the SL so I can get the 480V charger ($1600 for SL upgrade & charger).

Click to expand...

I was under the impression that one can order the optional 50 kW DC fast charging ("quick charge") port independently of the trim level. The Nissan LEAF "features" page lists the fast charge port separately, not under one of the "SL model includes SV features plus:" set of bullet points. Are you sure you have to get SL trim to get the fast charge port?

Click to expand...

Must have the SL-

aqn said:

I was under the impression that one can order the optional 50 kW DC fast charging ("quick charge") port independently of the trim level. The Nissan LEAF "features" page lists the fast charge port separately, not under one of the "SL model includes SV features plus:" set of bullet points. Are you sure you have to get SL trim to get the fast charge port?

Click to expand...

EVDRIVER is right. Regardless of what their goofy website may say, you will find when you actually order that you do not have the QC option available to you if you choose the SV trim.

Ray

Gonewild said:

I will settle it this way. The nice thing about the QC port is say you did not plan to go out again after you get home from work or your across town and instead of going home with a dead battery and switching to your other ICE car you just stop for a 7 minute charge which with the fast charge 480vdc you can drive about 20 more miles in only 7 minutes of charging I call that a no brainier.

Click to expand...

Good point, also note that eventually you will be able to buy a DC fast charger to use at home.. obviously not 50kw but it easily could be 14kw running on a standard 240V service. This would be a true charger, not the fancy extension cords EVSE that are sold today.

aqn said:

I was under the impression that one can order the optional 50 kW DC fast charging ("quick charge") port independently of the trim level. The Nissan LEAF "features" page lists the fast charge port separately, not under one of the "SL model includes SV features plus:" set of bullet points. Are you sure you have to get SL trim to get the fast charge port?

Click to expand...

planet4ever said:

EVDRIVER is right. Regardless of what their goofy website may say, you will find when you actually order that you do not have the QC option available to you if you choose the SV trim.

Ray

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Hmmm. Somebody is confused! The Nissan Leaf VIN and Delivery Google spreadsheet shows one SV with QC. I have a PM out to that person verifying his order, that he did order an SV with a QC port.

aqn said:

The Nissan Leaf VIN and Delivery Google spreadsheet shows one SV with QC. I have a PM out to that person verifying his order, that he did order an SV with a QC port.

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I heard back from that person. He ordered a SL with a QC port, not a SV.

I have a similar question to the original poster's, but my context is North Carolina--where there are currently NO Level 3 EVSEs installed anywhere in the state. I've no idea what (if any) plans there are for installing them, but if they are installed using San Diego's ratio (twenty Level 2 EVSEs for every one Level 3 EVSE) there will be VERY few indeed. I understand the pitch for buying "the most advanced/capable technology" and "preparing for the future", but I'm thinking that the Level 3 EVSE future is too distant here in N.C. to make purchasing an SL worthwhile. (For the 2012 SL's, Level 3 Quick Charging capability is standard.) My partner strongly disagrees with me. Any thoughts?

Registered 4/21/2010
Ordering ability opened 7/25/2011
but unable to agree on SV or SL

leafingout said:

I have a similar question to the original poster's, but my context is North Carolina--where there are currently NO Level 3 EVSEs installed anywhere in the state. I've no idea what (if any) plans there are for installing them, but if they are installed using San Diego's ratio (twenty Level 2 EVSEs for every one Level 3 EVSE) there will be VERY few indeed. I understand the pitch for buying "the most advanced/capable technology" and "preparing for the future", but I'm thinking that the Level 3 EVSE future is too distant here in N.C. to make purchasing an SL worthwhile. (For the 2012 SL's, Level 3 Quick Charging capability is standard.) My partner strongly disagrees with me. Any thoughts?

Registered 4/21/2010
Ordering ability opened 7/25/2011
but unable to agree on SV or SL

Click to expand...

Points to consider:

How long do you plan on keeping the LEAF, versus how long you think it'll take for quick-charge stations to become pervasive. If quick-charge stations become common place in your locale in the very near future, LEAF's not having a QC port may be at a disadvantage in resale.

The SAE is proposing a competing quick-charge standard:
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/compatability-questions-loom-for-high-voltage-e-v-charging/

Whether 120V charging, or 240V charging, is sufficient for your needs.



Me: SV, no QC, charging on 120V only so far. I drive 7500 miles a year, have a commute of 4.5 miles each way; so far, 120V charging works perfect for me.

TRONZ said:

It is a hot smoldering place you live (no joke) and the solar roof will be very handy when you pre-cool on a regular basis. I use this AC feature alot more than I thought I would.

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This is not true: the solar roof panel does NOT power the A/C (or heater) in the car. I really don't get the obsession with many of SL features, including the QC port. If the main function of the car is strictly "around town" driving (like the original poster indicated), then there should be no need for quick-charging. I chose the SV model based on these same assumptions (and I also live in Texas).

It depends on your "around town" driving. Here in Dallas-Fort Worth, I live on the south side, I CANNOT make it to the north side and back on one full charge, yet many places are specific to the north side only and my friends and family that are here live on that side. Having a QC port was a must, period. If I lived in a downtown area, I could probably make it to any place and back, but if I was in dallas, I couldn't make it to fort worth and back, etc. It really depends on the size or your "town" area you frequent. I lived in Houston for awhile and visited people many times from my apartment on westheimer to the northeast side up on US 59, it took me an hour of highway driving and I never left the city of Houston!!! The Houston area is BIG and you will never be able to traverse it and back without charging. To me, this qualified the leaf as a "half town car" for those areas

With the town being as large as it is AND with the guarentee that QC stations are coming (and are already built), I see no reason to pass it up. The value would be greater if you didn't if you ever thought about resaling, and unless you are smack dead center in Houston, you wouldn't be able to make it certain places because the Houston area is too big.