Nissan LEAF - General

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Nissan LEAF - General

1 | ... | 183 | 184 | 185 | 186 | 187 | 188 | 189 | 190 | 191 | 192 | 193 | ... | 260

1617 posts

Uber Geek

#2287050 1-Aug-2019 11:40

Shoes2468:
empacher48: Just curious as I am due to replace my current car I use for the commute. So wondering about how a new Leaf or Ioniq would cope. .......

...... Obviously if you were serious you would want to test drive a round trip and when you do make sure to drive it like you were in a hurry, turn all the lights on and run the heater up hot to simulate worse case.....

Test driving is a good idea - the proof is in the driving. There are companies that do weekly hires of EV (although you may have to scratch around for one renting the latest models) as it will take the gamble out of the equation and give you confidence. Just be aware that you will probably get range performance less than expected during your test drive due to years of ingrained piston engine habits from driving ICE, so you don't really need to go too overboard running the heater flat out etc to stress the system - your right foot will be simulating a worse-case scenario just fine.

When I got my EV I initially got fairly poor range/economy due to driving it like an ICE - stuff like zooming up to red lights and jamming on the brakes (not giving the re-gen a chance to recoup energy) and giving it heaps of throttle off the line - everyone does this because ICE engines make no torque down low - but I was not accounting for the massive torque EV's have, and burning extra power to un-necessarily leave all the other cars in my dust like a boy racer.

Also sitting/crawling in traffic does wonders for an EV's range - the positive figures can help lower the stress caused by the traffic!

Also see if you can gently butter up your boss to install staff EV outlets, that will increase your EV options.

Without charging at work you are definitely looking at something in the 40Kw capacity. My 24kw would go flat 1/3 of the way home on such a commute. Don't be tempted by a 30kw that will 'just barely' do the job because it leaves very little head-room for battery deterioration etc.

I can 2nd the above - hi battery temperature is only an issue if you do multiple fast-charges in a day. I regularly do a 170 km open road journey where I do one fast charge along the way and the battery only gets 10-15 deg above ambient - no where near the danger zone.

empacher48

368 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2287651 2-Aug-2019 13:09

tripper1000:
When I got my EV I initially got fairly poor range/economy due to driving it like an ICE - stuff like zooming up to red lights and jamming on the brakes (not giving the re-gen a chance to recoup energy) and giving it heaps of throttle off the line - everyone does this because ICE engines make no torque down low - but I was not accounting for the massive torque EV's have, and burning extra power to un-necessarily leave all the other cars in my dust like a boy racer.

Also sitting/crawling in traffic does wonders for an EV's range - the positive figures can help lower the stress caused by the traffic!

Also see if you can gently butter up your boss to install staff EV outlets, that will increase your EV options.

Without charging at work you are definitely looking at something in the 40Kw capacity. My 24kw would go flat 1/3 of the way home on such a commute. Don't be tempted by a 30kw that will 'just barely' do the job because it leaves very little head-room for battery deterioration etc.

I can 2nd the above - hi battery temperature is only an issue if you do multiple fast-charges in a day. I regularly do a 170 km open road journey where I do one fast charge along the way and the battery only gets 10-15 deg above ambient - no where near the danger zone.

I am looking at the new leaf, no point going second hand. My driving style is pretty relaxed and very soft on the brake pedal; it’s how I can run my current vehicle about 2L/100km less than book figure. (I get 1,300 km per tank of diesel). So my driving style wouldn’t change too much for an EV.

Since we don’t own the car park we use, there is no way we will see charging points installed. Where as over the fence in the public car park there are at least a dozen chargers, which get occasional use - probably says a lot about the cost to park there! “Here get free charging, but you have to pay $50 an hour to park there.”

I’m doing the maths in cost of ownership, and running costs including the RUC for the EV because it’ll be on its way. Especially since it was the last increase in RUC which has now made my diesel vehicle more expensive to run than a petrol vehicle the same engine size.

MarkH67

518 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2287741 2-Aug-2019 15:28

I see no reason to think that EVs will just pay the same RUC as currently charged to diesels. Sure, that might be what happens, but we know the gub'mint wants to encourage changing to EVs. My guess is that they will introduce a new rate for us EV owners to pay.

Even if the RUC is the same as currently charged to diesels, at least I don't have to pay ~$1.40 per litre for diesel. It would still be cheaper to run an EV than all but the most economical petrol cars. My servicing costs are crazy cheap - I just bought new windscreen wipers after 2 years and there are tyres of course - not much else though!

empacher48

368 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2287745 2-Aug-2019 15:35

MarkH67:
I see no reason to think that EVs will just pay the same RUC as currently charged to diesels. Sure, that might be what happens, but we know the gub'mint wants to encourage changing to EVs. My guess is that they will introduce a new rate for us EV owners to pay.

Even if the RUC is the same as currently charged to diesels, at least I don't have to pay ~$1.40 per litre for diesel. It would still be cheaper to run an EV than all but the most economical petrol cars. My servicing costs are crazy cheap - I just bought new windscreen wipers after 2 years and there are tyres of course - not much else though!

Maybe, but the government had said all along that they won’t add an extra RUC level for small diesels either because NZTA would loose too much funding. Sorry, I am cynical about changes to RUC because since I’ve been paying them, there have been at least 5 reviews and all they have done is change nothing and increased the price people pay. I’ll gladly eat my hat if they actually change anything this time round. I guess it depends if the NZTA is anymore adequately funded....

I’ve always bought new cars and the length I own them for barely gets them out of the free servicing I get from the dealer anyway. It usually only three 10,000km services in the last year of ownership and then its traded in something else. So I don’t really include servicing in my costs.

SaltyNZ

8225 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

2degrees

Lifetime subscriber

#2287749 2-Aug-2019 15:42

MarkH67:

I see no reason to think that EVs will just pay the same RUC as currently charged to diesels. Sure, that might be what happens, but we know the gub'mint wants to encourage changing to EVs. My guess is that they will introduce a new rate for us EV owners to pay.

I'd love to share your optimism but I would have thought that if they intended to do that, then they would have said so in the clean car strategy document instead of just saying that the RUC exemption will expire.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

wellygary

8315 posts

Uber Geek

#2287794 2-Aug-2019 16:56

MarkH67:

I see no reason to think that EVs will just pay the same RUC as currently charged to diesels. Sure, that might be what happens, but we know the gub'mint wants to encourage changing to EVs. My guess is that they will introduce a new rate for us EV owners to pay.

Even if the RUC is the same as currently charged to diesels, at least I don't have to pay ~$1.40 per litre for diesel. It would still be cheaper to run an EV than all but the most economical petrol cars. My servicing costs are crazy cheap - I just bought new windscreen wipers after 2 years and there are tyres of course - not much else though!

Wait and see, but as it stands, unless something is actively done RUC for EVs will kick in at the end of 2021 at the regular sub 3.5 tonne rate

Reading between the lines of the cabinet papers and MoT docs from when the existing exemption was introduced, its seems clear it was a political decision and officials opposed the removal of RUCs ,

I suspect they had been itching to reimpose RUCs on EVs; and whether they just snuck it in or managed to convince ministers that it was a good thing ( its only mentioned very briefly in the papers for the new fee-bate scheme) they seem to have got their wish....

GV27

5896 posts

Uber Geek

#2290037 5-Aug-2019 09:35

Has anyone gone the "import your own" route with the Leaf?

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

afe66

3181 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2290117 5-Aug-2019 11:21

empacher48:
tripper1000:
When I got my EV I initially got fairly poor range/economy due to driving it like an ICE - stuff like zooming up to red lights and jamming on the brakes (not giving the re-gen a chance to recoup energy) and giving it heaps of throttle off the line - everyone does this because ICE engines make no torque down low - but I was not accounting for the massive torque EV's have, and burning extra power to un-necessarily leave all the other cars in my dust like a boy racer.

Also sitting/crawling in traffic does wonders for an EV's range - the positive figures can help lower the stress caused by the traffic!

Also see if you can gently butter up your boss to install staff EV outlets, that will increase your EV options.

Without charging at work you are definitely looking at something in the 40Kw capacity. My 24kw would go flat 1/3 of the way home on such a commute. Don't be tempted by a 30kw that will 'just barely' do the job because it leaves very little head-room for battery deterioration etc.

I can 2nd the above - hi battery temperature is only an issue if you do multiple fast-charges in a day. I regularly do a 170 km open road journey where I do one fast charge along the way and the battery only gets 10-15 deg above ambient - no where near the danger zone.

I am looking at the new leaf, no point going second hand. My driving style is pretty relaxed and very soft on the brake pedal; it’s how I can run my current vehicle about 2L/100km less than book figure. (I get 1,300 km per tank of diesel). So my driving style wouldn’t change too much for an EV.

Since we don’t own the car park we use, there is no way we will see charging points installed. Where as over the fence in the public car park there are at least a dozen chargers, which get occasional use - probably says a lot about the cost to park there! “Here get free charging, but you have to pay $50 an hour to park there.”

I’m doing the maths in cost of ownership, and running costs including the RUC for the EV because it’ll be on its way. Especially since it was the last increase in RUC which has now made my diesel vehicle more expensive to run than a petrol vehicle the same engine size.

If you dont have a way of charging at home or guaranteed at work, I wouldnt recommend getting an ev unless you are really keen. Stand alone chargers are expensive to use in time/money and would become a hassle very quickly....

Delphinus

611 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2290145 5-Aug-2019 12:32

afe66:

If you dont have a way of charging at home or guaranteed at work, I wouldnt recommend getting an ev unless you are really keen. Stand alone chargers are expensive to use in time/money and would become a hassle very quickly....

I interpreted empacher48's post as saying they couldn't charge at work (don't own the carpark) but would be able to charge at home. So need an EV that has a range of home to work to home again.

k14

629 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2290146 5-Aug-2019 12:32

GV27:

Has anyone gone the "import your own" route with the Leaf?

Yes, I imported one coming up two years ago through beforward. It depends on your risk appetite as to whether it is the right option for you. I had previously imported a couple of other large items (car/caravan) so was comfortable with the higher risk I was taking on by going down that path. And being quite practical I wasn't worried about having to do some things myself. The end result was great though. Nearly 2 years and close to 20000km later my leaf is still going strong and still is worth about what I paid for it back then, (maybe decreased in value by 5-10%). I'm actually currently looking at importing a 30Kwh one, although 50/50 if I should wait to see what the subsidies end up doing to the market.

empacher48

368 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2290148 5-Aug-2019 12:35

Delphinus:
afe66:

If you dont have a way of charging at home or guaranteed at work, I wouldnt recommend getting an ev unless you are really keen. Stand alone chargers are expensive to use in time/money and would become a hassle very quickly....

I interpreted empacher48's post as saying they couldn't charge at work (don't own the carpark) but would be able to charge at home. So need an EV that has a range of home to work to home again.

Yep that’s it, I own my own place and will be installing a charge point in the garage to charge at home. But won’t be able to charge at work.

GV27

5896 posts

Uber Geek

#2290212 5-Aug-2019 15:05

k14:

GV27:

Has anyone gone the "import your own" route with the Leaf?

Yes, I imported one coming up two years ago through beforward. It depends on your risk appetite as to whether it is the right option for you. I had previously imported a couple of other large items (car/caravan) so was comfortable with the higher risk I was taking on by going down that path. And being quite practical I wasn't worried about having to do some things myself. The end result was great though. Nearly 2 years and close to 20000km later my leaf is still going strong and still is worth about what I paid for it back then, (maybe decreased in value by 5-10%). I'm actually currently looking at importing a 30Kwh one, although 50/50 if I should wait to see what the subsidies end up doing to the market.

Neat, thanks. Have already played the import game a couple of times so sizing it up as an option to replace a Suzuki Swift that's currently costing us $350 a month in gas before any other costs. Hard to model as we would use that car even more if it was only costing us a fraction of what our Swift does instead of using our 2nd car that is relatively cheaper but still not EV cheap (thinking trips to visit parents, to shops, etc).

yankal

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#2291754 7-Aug-2019 15:32

Yes i imported my car through a company called 'Import your Car'

GV27:

Has anyone gone the "import your own" route with the Leaf?

Morgenmuffel

631 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2293520 10-Aug-2019 13:59

Ok, Very dumb question coming up.

Just got a 2013 leaf a few days ago, plugged it in at home to charge, went back to check two hours later and charge hadn't increased, So i got into the menus and played with the charge timer settings and it seems to have started charging, will go and check shortly just want to give it a bit more time so i will actually see progress.

These relate to home charging

My question is

1) how do I get it to start charging straightaway and not wait for the timer, i do want to use the timer normally but occasionally i will want to start straight away

2) what is the visual indication that the car is charging, is it just the 3 blue lights on the top of the dash?

'We love to buy books because we believe we’re buying the time to read them.' WARREN ZEVON

afe66

3181 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2293525 10-Aug-2019 14:21

The three lights on dashboard tell you how far charged your battery is. Each is about a third. When charging they flash.
Ie one solid and one flashing means you are charging a battery that between 33% and 66%.

When you plug the leaf in it should beep and you might hear a clunky noise. And the dash lights light up to show your charging and current state of battery.

If this isn't happening check the charge timer isn't on and that your current is running. You can turn off the charge timers from the dash menu which you access with buttons to right of steering wheel.

Charge speed from domestic wall socket is slow.

Check what the percentage battery is on the dash and then come back an hour later and the number should have increased.

1 | ... | 183 | 184 | 185 | 186 | 187 | 188 | 189 | 190 | 191 | 192 | 193 | ... | 260