DanCar
Well-known member
Pay $5K extra and lug around an addition 600 lbs that I may never use?JasonT said:I feel like I'm missing something here - if you want a gasoline range extender, why not just go with the Volt instead?
Pay $5K extra and lug around an addition 600 lbs that I may never use?JasonT said:I feel like I'm missing something here - if you want a gasoline range extender, why not just go with the Volt instead?
Renting a trailer would be as much of a hassle as renting a car, but proportionally more expensive because there are so few EVs that very few rental places would have them. The trailers themselves would be more expensive because the market is so small. Not every EV owner would want one, and there are so few EVs. And by the time there are enough EVs on the road to provide a market for trailers, there will be fast-charging stations along all the major routes, and only the minor roads would not have them, so there would still be only a tiny market for trailers, and they would be expensive and hard to find for rent.DanCar said:I think many people, like myself have a personal attachment to their car. The rental process is a pain including the visual inspection. I would think picking up a trailer would be easier, or even easier if a few neighbors shared one.LTLFTcomposite said:For a longer weekend trip wouldn't it be easier to just rent a regular car?
I believe Nissan has said the Leaf is not capable of towing a trailer. At least, they are recommending against it, which means that if you damage the power train by towing a trailer (perhaps overheat something on a long uphill pull) you might void the warranty.DanCar said:Hopefully the OEM makes it easy to add one by having a power socket on the back, trailer hitch, and computer connection.
My feelings exactly!!!JasonT said:Do I wish the Leaf had more range? Certainly. But I wouldn't dream of hitching a gas engine to it - I'm getting the Leaf to get away from a gas engine!
daniel said:There's a story about a knife thrower in a circus. His wife was cheating on him, and he knew it, and she knew that he knew it. But she knew that he was incapable of hurting or killing her in the ring, not because he loved her, which he no longer did, but because it would be a violation of his art.
daniel said:Renting a trailer would be as much of a hassle as renting a car, but proportionally more expensive because there are so few EVs that very few rental places would have them. The trailers themselves would be more expensive because the market is so small.
Not every EV owner would want one, and there are so few EVs.
And by the time there are enough EVs on the road to provide a market for trailers, there will be fast-charging stations along all the major routes
As for sharing a trailer among several families, consider: Most people want to take their family vacation in summer during the school holidays. Such a collective of owners would certainly find themselves quarreling over who gets to use the trailer during the most popular holiday dates.
I believe Nissan has said the Leaf is not capable of towing a trailer. At least, they are recommending against it, which means that if you damage the power train by towing a trailer (perhaps overheat something on a long uphill pull) you might void the warranty.
Q: Can the Nissan LEAF tow a small boat or garden trailer?
A: At this point, we don’t recommend towing. Longer-term, we hope to provide options for specific needs like yours.
You're absolutely right - with 100 mile range (and I'm guessing much less at freeway speeds), this won't work.evnow said:I'm not sure 30 minute charges work for longer trips. You would have to have a break nearly every 60-90 minutes depending on the speed for 30 minutes. Doesn't work in practice. Just to go from St Louis to Chicago, you would need 3 recharges.
30 minute charger is good for someone to drive to a place that is 5o to 80 or so miles away & come back - like one of the nearby ski resorts for us.
I don't understand this at all - why would one person have to wait instead of everyone in the car? Maybe I'm not getting your vision.DanCar said:30 minute charges aren't as good as renting a trailer because if you rent a trailer then only 1 person has to wait, but if you go the 30 minute charger route, then everyone in the car has to wait.
I rent the trailer with 300 mile range and fill it up. I have to wait. I go an pick up the passengers and head out. None of them have to wait for the refill.I don't understand this at all - why would one person have to wait instead of everyone in the car? Maybe I'm not getting your vision.DanCar said:30 minute charges aren't as good as renting a trailer because if you rent a trailer then only 1 person has to wait, but if you go the 30 minute charger route, then everyone in the car has to wait.
What if it is only a few times a year?I completely admit, I just don't understand the whole push for this - I accept the limitations of this car, and embrace it. If I wanted to go cross-country, or even Tucson <-> Phoenix on a regular basis, I would not buy this car.
You are assuming that the genset is as efficient and as clean as a Prius. I strongly doubt this would be the case. The genset would have none of the technological sophistication of the Prius.evnow said:One more important thing.
Let us say I want to take a week's holiday in SanFrancisco, like we have done before. The route from Seattle, through highway 1/101 is scenic - almost a "must see". I'd like to go in my EV since I can use that as an EV in SFO. My total emissions using EV + generator would be less than if I rent a prius for my trip.
We have to decide what is the ultimate aim - EV for the sake of it or emission/oil use reduction.
daniel said:You are assuming that the genset is as efficient and as clean as a Prius. I strongly doubt this would be the case. The genset would have none of the technological sophistication of the Prius.
... I see the trailer as addressing a problem that is going to be with us only a few more years.
I really don't think of the Leaf as the car for extended road trips, and given how bigger batteries are going to come on line, and fast charging is going to come on line (probably 10 to 15 minutes, rather than 30) I see the trailer as addressing a problem that is going to be with us only a few more years.
Ah, I see. I wasn't looking so far ahead (hacking of the software [assuming software is the only limitation], some sort of rewiring for this generator), and just figured you would still have to stop and charge, just with your own generator instead of a charging station. Anyone willing to go through all that - I commend them. I thought the people attempting plug-in mods to their Prius were impressive too - crazy, but impressiveDanCar said:I rent the trailer with 300 mile range and fill it up. I have to wait. I go an pick up the passengers and head out. None of them have to wait for the refill.
I am in a two car household, and this car is only replacing one of them. However, even if I only had access to one car, I would first see if there are any friends that would swap cars for a day (and I'm guessing I would have no problem finding someone willing to do that). If that wasn't available for me when I wanted to take the trip I would go the rental option.DanCar said:What if it is only a few times a year?JasonT said:If I wanted to go cross-country, or even Tucson <-> Phoenix on a regular basis, I would not buy this car.
The long ranger used a motorcycle engine. Getting a small engine like this to run cleanly is very hard.evnow said:I'd like to go in my EV since I can use that as an EV in SFO. My total emissions using EV + generator would be less than if I rent a prius for my trip.
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