Help - On the fence about Leaf purchase!!! Range Question

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martindfw

Member
Joined
May 10, 2011
Messages
5
First of all let me start out by saying hi! I'm new here, however, I've been lurking for awhile before I registered and have read numerous threads on this site. I even test drove the Leaf when they had the Leaf Experience tour here in the DFW area and fell in love with the little EV that is the Leaf.

That said, I'm torn as to whether or not the Leaf is for me due to my commute needs - 72 miles round-trip. The commute is about 30 miles interstate with the rest being on surface streets with no real fluctuations in elevation. Additionally, I will not have any way to charge the Leaf at the courthouse and I sure as heck don't anticipate an EV charging station coming on-line anytime soon. So that said is the Leaf for me??? What do you current owners think: will the Leaf make my commute, or am I asking for trouble?

Thanks in advance.
 
I think you'd be OK initially, particularly if you use ECO mode, stay at 60-65 on the freeway and don't drive around much once you get to work. However, there is the big unknown of battery capacity loss over time. You may not be OK in the future... Though if there's a 120v outlet available you could trickle charge at work and I think you'd definitely be OK with that extra comfort zone.
 
My commute is similar in distance; 74 miles round trip, of which about 70 are freeway, rest surface streets. If I stay below 65 MPH on the fwy and take it easy on the street, I can make the round trip with no issues. Since your commute includes more street driving than mine, I think you should be fine since energy consumption is lower at lower speeds. As long as you don't plan on driving faster than 65 on the fwy, I think you should be fine. The only unknown is battery capacity loss over time.
 
It is doable. It would be an easier decision if there is a Nissan dealer on route where you could use their charger if something unusual came up.
 
jjssd said:
It is doable. It would be an easier decision if there is a Nissan dealer on route where you could use their charger if something unusual came up.

No luck there as I'm commuting out of the DFW area into the less populated surrounding counties which are solely the domain of Ford and GM dealers.
 
My commute is normally short, but I have taken the LEAF on 70+ mile freeway junkets. ECO mode helps a lot and the heater makes a much bigger difference than the A/C does.
 
You didn't mention climate changes. We're getting some hot days in Fresno. A/C isn't taking up much power, but the heater takes a good 10% when in use.

Other than that, if you keep it below 65 mph, I think you can do it. I've gone 92 miles on even elevaton at a mix of 45-60 mph and had two bars left when I got home. The fact that you don't have hills to climb means you can control your range easily by just slowing down if you have to. As you've read in other posts, the range difference between going 45 and 60 is amazing.

Maybe a lease?
 
I don't recommend the Leaf to regular people I talk to in San Diego who do regular driving unless their roundtrip is 50 miles or less w/no extreme elevation changes. There's a lot to take into consideration and you're right at the EPA's recommended range with your stated commute. A key factor will be how flat your off-highway commute really is.. and how fast you go off-highway. Can you hypermile it and make it? Likely.

You also don't state whether it's 30miles each way on the freeway + 6 miles on surface streets each way --- or 30 miles total on the freeway out of your 72. That makes a big difference.
 
martindfw said:
First of all let me start out by saying hi! I'm new here, however, I've been lurking for awhile before I registered and have read numerous threads on this site. I'm torn as to whether or not the Leaf is for me due to my commute needs - 72 miles round-trip.
Hi Martin, Welcome.

When I'm asked, I say my LEAF gets about 70 freeway miles at 68 mph from 100% charge (after 4 months and 4,000 miles). That allows for any amount of use of climate control (which I run almost ALL the time), lights, wipers, and let's not forget... music (the heater burns through more juice than the AC does). I'd say it might work for you since more than half of your trip is not at freeway speeds. Edmunds.com drove it in the flat desert to dead stop after 132 miles at a constant 35 mph. Over time we know where the battery capacity is headed but it might work fine for you. If your crazy about owning and driving one I say go for it. I'm crazy, I own one, and am loving it (34 mi/day, 85% freeway, nightly charging to 80%). Very smooth freeway ride (stereo is terrible so Randy and I beefed up the sound system with a pair of bazooka woofers in the trunk - search for Randy's thread on this subject).

Malcolm :geek:
 
As the battery loses some capacity over several years, you might have trouble, especially in cold, rain, or snow.

Charging options:
1. At work is ideal, since you are there for some time. Depending upon where you are able to park, there will be different options. You might be able to rent a space at a nearby parking lot/structure where they are open to providing you with a place to plug in. Installing an EVSE for you is not really necessary (see below).

2. Someplace closer to work, up to maybe halfway home. Even a friend's house, or anywhere you could count on using a 240v socket (or two opposite-phase 120v sockets) for an hour or so if/when you need it.

If not at first in good weather, but later, perhaps in cold, windy, or bad weather, you will need some "Plan B" to get some extra charging. If you cannot arrange that in some way, you will probably (rarely) not quite make it.

Stores, a friendly mechanic, somebody's home, ... a Volt dealer, ... there are many possibilities, but you should find one/some.

The L1 (120v) EVSE that comes with the LEAF will add maybe 4 miles per hour of charging. Upgrade it to accept 240v also, and you get about 8 miles per hour of charging (when plugged into a 240v source).

If you are not up to the "charging challenge", it might not be right for you long term.
 
garygid said:
As the battery loses some capacity over several years, you might have trouble, especially in cold, rain, or snow.

I wouldn't worry about battery capacity loss in several years because we will definitely have DC fast chargers by then that will make up for any loss of capacity.
 
LEAFfan said:
garygid said:
As the battery loses some capacity over several years, you might have trouble, especially in cold, rain, or snow.

I wouldn't worry about battery capacity loss in several years because we will definitely have DC fast chargers by then that will make up for any loss of capacity.

We can't even get Ecotality to install level 2 chargers, I am highly skeptical of any fast chargers arriving...

-Matt
 
martindfw said:
First of all let me start out by saying hi! I'm new here, however, I've been lurking for awhile before I registered and have read numerous threads on this site. I even test drove the Leaf when they had the Leaf Experience tour here in the DFW area and fell in love with the little EV that is the Leaf.

That said, I'm torn as to whether or not the Leaf is for me due to my commute needs - 72 miles round-trip. The commute is about 30 miles interstate with the rest being on surface streets with no real fluctuations in elevation. Additionally, I will not have any way to charge the Leaf at the courthouse and I sure as heck don't anticipate an EV charging station coming on-line anytime soon. So that said is the Leaf for me??? What do you current owners think: will the Leaf make my commute, or am I asking for trouble?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Martin,

After driving my Leaf for a month, I think the EPA estimate is a little low (maybe 10%?) but in the ball park. My commute is ~57 miles round trip with a mix of conditions similar to yours. I'm making the trip and usually have between 27-32 miles left at the end of the day. This includes running the AC on a regular basis and keeping the car in ECO all the time. However, 4 things may affect you:

1) Rain - any rain will drop your range some, very heavy rain will drop your range significantly. The drag, I guess.
2) Heater - Puts at least a 10% dent in your range if you run it all the time. More if you get stuck in traffic. Not a problem in the morning where you can pre-heat but it will be a bigger deal when you are driving home.
3) Losing discipline on the freeway. A good song comes on the radio and suddenly you are cruising along at 75 or 80 instead of 65... This impacts your range, especially if you don't catch it quickly.
4) And the great unknown - what happens to the battery in 4 or 5 years.

If you can find a way to charge at work, it's a no-brainer. If not, you are right at the borderline. I would say most days you will make the trip without any problems but rain will be an issue occasionally -- and a heavy rain would probably leave you stranded on the way home. Also, you might not be able to run the heater on your commute home.
 
I would suggest you will suffer a lot of frustration, plus cycling the battery 100% everyday will shorten its life.. probably a good idea to lease. A Volt or the coming plug-in Prius will be a better option for you.

How many miles do you drive in a year?
 
Herm said:
How many miles do you drive in a year?

Since the Leaf would be a commute only car for the most part I figure about 18,000 which would seem to kill the idea of a lease.

Oh and for clarifications sake I should have stated that the 30 miles interstate is each way, so that works out to be 60 interstate miles a day with the balance, about 12 miles, being on city streets.

Thanks for all the answers so far!!!
 
martindfw said:
Herm said:
How many miles do you drive in a year?

Since the Leaf would be a commute only car for the most part I figure about 18,000 which would seem to kill the idea of a lease.

Oh and for clarifications sake I should have stated that the 30 miles interstate is each way, so that works out to be 60 interstate miles a day with the balance, about 12 miles, being on city streets.

Thanks for all the answers so far!!!

You should be able to do it, just remember it will limit any side trips during lunch or before/after work.
 
Another question to consider is multi-car household makeup... for example if the Leaf turned out to be problematic for your use could your spouse use it and you use her car? Or would you be forced to sell the Leaf or terminate the lease early, potentially taking a loss?
 
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