need un biased opinion

[Luft]

It really depends on several factors. How fast will you be driving the car? Can you charge at work? Will you need to use the heater?

A 27 mile trip is not very far and you can push the car pretty hard and crank the heat up to 90 degrees if you want. But since you will probably want to make the return trip without walking you'll want to drive reasonably.

I have a 2011 LEAF without a cold weather package. I have read that the heated seats and steering wheel really helps. The heater is a real range killer. You will want to preheat the car and use the heater sparingly.

If you don't drive above 60 MPH and use the heater sparingly you will be fine. If you can charge while at work you're golden.

You may want to rent a LEAF for a few days and get a feel for how much battery power your commute will take. It would have been better to do that during the cold weather however.

 

[Rmasu]

Thanks for the input
I really want the leaf. I think I get it and throw caution to the wind. If it doesn't work I will still have a very cool car and be forced to charge at work.
Thank all, I'll report in a couple of months

Doc

 

[DaveEV]

Thanks for the input
I really want the leaf. I think I get it and throw caution to the wind. If it doesn't work I will still have a very cool car and be forced to charge at work.
Thank all, I'll report in a couple of months

Charging at work if possible is really the best solution for longer commutes, especially in winter. Big benefit of charging at work is that it will allow you to charge to 80% both at home and at work which will encourage the battery to last longer. You also can then take advantage of pre-heating/cooling the car which is nice. In cold climates with longer commutes pre-heating can be a must as it lets you pre-heat the car reducing HVAC energy use on at least half of your commute.

 

[dgpcolorado]

its all in what your are comfortable with and what you are willing to do to make it work. my comfort level is 70 miles in Winter, 85 miles in Summer...

I was surprised to see that because your numbers are pretty much the same as mine. I think that there are two major differences here, as opposed where you live, which pretty much cancel out:

• My long drives involve 2500 feet of elevation change, which decreases range somewhat.
• All of my driving is at high altitude and the thin air increases range quite a bit.

Thanks for the input
I really want the leaf. I think I get it and throw caution to the wind. If it doesn't work I will still have a very cool car and be forced to charge at work.
Thank all, I'll report in a couple of months

Doc

I think that it will work out ok for you unless you have a lot of vertical in your commute. Are you driving over/through the Pali? (I grew up in Kailua and remember when the first tunnels were built—yes, that means I'm old. Prior to that, driving over the Pali was an adventure, especially when the wind was strong. But it sure was pretty.)

Good luck!

 

[Nubo]

Thanks for the input
I really want the leaf. I think I get it and throw caution to the wind. If it doesn't work I will still have a very cool car and be forced to charge at work.
Thank all, I'll report in a couple of months

Doc

You Fool!

:lol:

Just kidding

From what you've posted, I think you'll be pleased.

 

[ksnogas2112]

So, my 2 cents which depending on where you live is worth something (8cents/kWh). So I live in Kansas City (north eastern Kansas). Just took the dealer's demo Leaf for one last test drive. Combined driving was 32 miles. Highway, parkways, streets and school zones. The SOC was about 80% when I got there and was just under 40% when I dropped it off.

That's stepping hard on the accelerator to go 35-60 mph because of an idiot and again 60-70mph to get up to highway speed. Using normal Drive on highway and to get out of the parking lots into traffic but rest of it was eco mode with the a/c on the whole time since it was 90*.

I checked the energy history (car's got 450miles on it) and it showed avg 3.9 miles/kWh for the history and the dealer takes it on interstates to test the range.

It's not exactly flat here like my experience in L.A. or N.Y. or Budapest, Hungary, but it's not hilly like Denver =)

I will admit to bias, I've wanted an electric car for years. I wanted an Aptera until they went under and seriously considered a Volt. But with my driving and the fact I can get across town and back home on a 80% charge, the Leaf really fits me better and it's 100% electric. Heck, I can even make it up to the airport and back if I charge to 100%. Just wish the electricity wasn't 99% coal based. The only incentive here is the Federal $7500 so here's hoping for a larger than normal tax liability for 2012.

No, it won't have a third car to use but my wife's selling her Corolla and getting a Prius V after I get my Leaf so there's still some gas being used. Hope this helps.

 

[surfingslovak]

Just wish the electricity wasn't 99% coal based.

Can you put a few solar panels on your roof? SolarCity is offering some good incentives, and so does Real Goods Solar, which is based in Colorado. I have fond memories of KC, it's good to see Leafs there.

 

[Rmasu]

Hey former Kailua !
Thanks for input my elevation change is 1500 to sea level then back to 1500
Traffic is normally heavy but on sat is non existent and 60 mph all the way. I gotta run ac in humid hot Hawaii and no heater. I live up Waialae niu ridge and commute to Wahiawa h1 all the way.
Hope this works charging at office will be a pain to have plugs installed.
Total trip is 57 miles round trip avg speed on tundra computer is 26mph that's about 15 miles of 60-65 and 12 10-20. My home is on a steep hill 1500ft in 2 miles. Then a gradual 10 miles up hill 1500 ft to office . Basically it's like home steep down 15 flat then 12 gradual uphill to 1500ft again.

 

[Alric]

Just wish the electricity wasn't 99% coal based.

Can you put a few solar panels on your roof? SolarCity is offering some good incentives, and so does Real Goods Solar, which is based in Colorado. I have fond memories of KC, it's good to see Leafs there.

Or you can offset your charging electricity with renewables by paying a little extra to your power company. I buy this energy offset from my local electricity provider

http://db.tt/4CrA7sFW" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Alric]

Going back to the OP. You can always use the table in this post:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4295" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It looks like you are covered.

 

[Nubo]

Hey former Kailua !
Thanks for input my elevation change is 1500 to sea level then back to 1500
Traffic is normally heavy but on sat is non existent and 60 mph all the way. I gotta run ac in humid hot Hawaii and no heater. I live up Waialae niu ridge and commute to Wahiawa h1 all the way.
Hope this works charging at office will be a pain to have plugs installed.
Total trip is 57 miles round trip avg speed on tundra computer is 26mph that's about 15 miles of 60-65 and 12 10-20. My home is on a steep hill 1500ft in 2 miles. Then a gradual 10 miles up hill 1500 ft to office . Basically it's like home steep down 15 flat then 12 gradual uphill to 1500ft again.

That 12 miles @10-20 is going to help your range for sure. You will regain some of the energy in that 1500 ft climb to work, on the way home. The only thing that may be worrisome at first is that hill at the end but I think you'll soon learn how much of a reserve you need before you start that climb, and then you can adjust the rest of your commute speed and route if necessary to hit that mark.

Not sure I understand your route but a quick look at the map suggests something like Rte 99 could be an alternate if inclement weather is reducing your range, you had a long lunch trip, errands, etc...

There are other folks here who live at the tops of hills who may have more advice. You could pick up some regen on the way down by not charging to 100%, thus reclaiming some of the energy it took to climb that hill the previous day. But I don't think you can pick up 20% so you may have to adjust and find ways to charge to around 90% as some people do in your situation. Then again, you may eventually find that 80% charge with that 1500ft of regen added in the morning, is enough.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Hey former Kailua !
Thanks for input my elevation change is 1500 to sea level then back to 1500
Traffic is normally heavy but on sat is non existent and 60 mph all the way. I gotta run ac in humid hot Hawaii and no heater. I live up Waialae niu ridge and commute to Wahiawa h1 all the way.
Hope this works charging at office will be a pain to have plugs installed.
Total trip is 57 miles round trip avg speed on tundra computer is 26mph that's about 15 miles of 60-65 and 12 10-20. My home is on a steep hill 1500ft in 2 miles. Then a gradual 10 miles up hill 1500 ft to office . Basically it's like home steep down 15 flat then 12 gradual uphill to 1500ft again.

Waialae to Wahiawa is a long haul by O'ahu standards. But you ought to be able to do that commute and may have some extra range for small side trips during the day. Slow traffic on H1 should increase your range compared to doing it in light traffic at 60-65 mph.

The problem you will face is that if you are at 100% charge you will have no regenerative braking in the morning as you descend your steep hill. That means riding the brakes the whole way down, and losing all that energy. It would be best to charge to 80% to 90% so that you can get some regen to help with the descent. You will add charge as you go downhill.

You will need to experiment to determine what the best charge level is for your commute. If 80% works then that is easy because the car timer will charge to that level. If 90% works better you will need to charge to 80 and then do a timed charge to add the extra; that takes practice and experimentation. My guess is that a very steep 1500 foot descent will work best with 80% charge or even a bit less. You must descend the hill in the "Eco" shifter position to get the maximum "A" pedal regen. You will still be using the brakes but getting a lot of regen as well, depending on how you feather the brake pedal. Descending steep curvy hills in a LEAF takes some practice to be efficient and, most of all, safe. No low gears or engine braking in the LEAF! I enjoy playing with my steep hill descents to try to optimize them; I hope that you will also.

My father grew up in Wahiawa; my grandfather was a pineapple plantation manager for Dole, back when they still grew pineapples, not houses.

 

[GRA]

<snip>

My father grew up in Wahiawa; my grandfather was a pineapple plantation manager for Dole, back when they still grew pineapples, not houses.

Aha, you descendant of capitalist exploiters! :lol: My grandmother and her parents were some of the serfs, imported from Madeira when the Japanese got uppity and started demanding better pay and working conditions in the cane fields.

 

[Rmasu]

My father grew up in Wahiawa; my grandfather was a pineapple plantation manager for Dole, back when they still grew pineapples, not houses.[/quote]

Very Cool, My father grew up in Wahiawa too, one of seven kids of a plantation worker from Japan!
My grandfather came from Japan to work for Dole. He was one of the Japanese workers asking for more money! :lol:

 

[Alric]

Just looked at the iOS app "Leaf Energy" and it will calculate your energy use using google maps and taking into account elevation, temp, etc.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/leaf-energy/id517173149?mt=8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe someone has mentioned it already.

 

[Rmasu]

cool app, is it accurate, anyone here, since i dont have a leaf use it and compare to real milaege?