Nissan LEAF - General

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#2915804 18-May-2022 22:35

gzt:
I've used a 2013 now and then with a baby seat in the back. Seems good to me. Larger than average imo. I'd do that. Holidays away is a harder one. Potentially charger planning and a very long day to get where you're going. Not fun with kids. Check the economics of hire cars. Coincidentally I've been looking at close to home stay aways only because we just cant seem to get away lately. It makes a lot of sense.

We've back and forthed tonight between saying screw let's go for the mg, and scaling back down to a second leaf to get the savings without the outlay. I think the phev option is out as the battery elements dmjust don't do enough in our price range to make the savings to merit the outlay. The baby seat is fine as we already have that in the leaf pretty much full time at the moment, but our pram takes up most of the boot, but we think it might be push chair time and with $20k not being spent on an mg I think we could afford a push chair 😂 it was more the stuff that accompanies leaving the house, a trip to the shops needs the pram/push chair, bag and then bags or boxes of shopping that end up precariously balanced on the pram, it'll only be worse with 2 of them. Then again the amount we'll save over our other car we could just chuck the kids in one leaf and collapse the seats in the other if we had a big load to cart around and still come out cheaper than driving the wagon.

Range wise 150km is actually not a bad run to stop and let kids burn off energy. I think with the 40kwh upgrade it would be the limit of what I'd want them to endure in the car in one stint. 320km the mg offers is a long way for them strapped down like they are. Realistically I don't see us doing long range camping trips in the immediate future to need that range.

I've also realized from the above comments I think I need a sparkys advice on what to do with the charging to ensure I'm not over cooking anything, most of what was said has gone a but over my head which doesn't bode well. I could install two evse devices to balance themselves or for now just run one and the other off a wall socket to charge every other day. A few options but something would definitely need to change to be able to charge two of them. Hindsight we should have said yes to that pre wiring they offered in the build process that seemed expensive at the time.

Scott3

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#2915824 19-May-2022 00:16

We have one kid and our (cira 75% health leaf) has never gone on an out of town overnight trip.

Heaps of interior space in the leaf as you have mentioned, but the deal breakers are cargo space and range.

Leaf's boot is respectable, but we manage to fill the larger boot in the SUV.

And our leaf's range isn't enough to take the quickest route to our destination, so we would end up with more driving time + two stops.

Usual solution to cargo space would be a roof box, but when range is also an issue this is not ideal.

Something like this could work, but combined with the cost of a towbar does add cost. Might need rear spring helpers too.:

https://www.theroofrackshop.co.nz/product/533018-thule-transporter-combi-hitch-mount-box

Personally find the cargo space in the leaf fine for around town etc. Mountian buggy fills the bottom of the boot and there is pleanty of room to stack on top of it.

Not much you can do with range but plan stops. We have often taken our leaf on day trips to the Likes of Omaha / Tawharanui from Auckland Which requires a stop each way in walk worth. Sadly the charger's at walkworth are getting pritty congested, which means we have stopped taking that trip in the leaf. Multiple people in the queue is common on the SH1 charger, and we have had to wait multiple times at the paid new world charger. Pity, but the risk of a long wait isn't worth the savings of leaving the SUV at home.

Of course a longer range EV, and less contested route could make it workable.

Other options:

40kWh Leaf + Tow hitch + Hitch mount box. Car about $30k and allow $3k for high mount and box. Range would be over 200km, which would give the freedom to skip over at least one occupied fast charger. Still about $10k cheaper than an MG ZS EV (but no new car warranty...)

BYD E6 Wagon. no idea why this hasn't sold yet, must be some catch, but seems too good to be true: https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/other/other/listing/3439975619

Prius alpha 5 seater. Not a plug in, but 4.6L/100km is very respectable. Interior space and cargo space are massive. both beat my large SUV with ease. $10k. Would defiantly make family road trip's eaisier, and it could do the 50km round trip commute 5 days a week, 58 weeks a year for around $1700 in fuel

steve2222

507 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#2915840 19-May-2022 07:17

Scott3:

.....................

BYD E6 Wagon. no idea why this hasn't sold yet, must be some catch, but seems too good to be true: https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/other/other/listing/3439975619

.................

Maybe because it has done over 300,000 km!

GV27

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#2921171 1-Jun-2022 08:16

Can someone with a 40/62kwh Leaf tell me if they have a foot-brake or an e-brake? Do some have both? Is this on X AND G models or just the X?

I'm resigned to not being able to rip handbrake turns like a sicko but I really don't want to deal with a foot brake if I can avoid it - but if they're both in there no matter what I'll just have to suck it up.

everettpsycho

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#2921221 1-Jun-2022 09:25

We caved and have now got a second leaf held and in transit from hvs. We'll see if it's the right decision for us as a family but money wise we will be saving a fortune on our commutes until the ruc changes come in. Our logic is the money we are saving if we decide to go far on a family holiday at Christmas we should have more than enough to rent a car or maybe swap with some friends who'd like to try the ev lifestyle. So far in 6 months of owning our first one we have only done 1 trip that we needed fast charging on and the couple of trips we used the old wagon for space we could probably get whatever we needed in a leaf with the back seats down, or again pester a friend to borrow a Ute for half an hour.

Next challenge is I have a few weeks to work out the evse situation otherwise we'll end up with 2 8A chargers, one from the garage to outside and another from the kitchen in to the garage which isn't ideal at all. I'm leaning towards the ev power dbc boxes that don't need a full type B rcd which will bring costs down a bit. If anyone knows a good sparky in Christchurch that has experience installing ev chargers I'm open to suggestions as I can't seem to get the suggested guy to quote that fast.

tripper1000

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#2921232 1-Jun-2022 09:41

GV27: Can someone with a 40/62kwh Leaf tell me if they have a foot-brake or an e-brake? Do some have both? Is this on X AND G models or just the X?

I'm resigned to not being able to rip handbrake turns like a sicko but I really don't want to deal with a foot brake if I can avoid it - but if they're both in there no matter what I'll just have to suck it up.

May I ask what's the issue with the pedal variant?

Leaf's have hill-start assist and it works really well - so you only use the 'hand-brake' for parking (and even then I'm sure some people won't use it, as it is a back-up for the transmission parking-pawl which automatically locks the wheels when you turn the ignition off).

(unable to answer your question sorry - mines a 2013).

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al8565

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#2921287 1-Jun-2022 09:53

GV27:

Can someone with a 40/62kwh Leaf tell me if they have a foot-brake or an e-brake? Do some have both? Is this on X AND G models or just the X?

I'm resigned to not being able to rip handbrake turns like a sicko but I really don't want to deal with a foot brake if I can avoid it - but if they're both in there no matter what I'll just have to suck it up.

Our 40kWh has a foot brake, but I have seen them with an e-brake too. Seen on X & G's, but no idea if standard or an option in Japan.

redfiat

57 posts

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#2921294 1-Jun-2022 10:06

GV27:

Can someone with a 40/62kwh Leaf tell me if they have a foot-brake or an e-brake? Do some have both? Is this on X AND G models or just the X?

I'm resigned to not being able to rip handbrake turns like a sicko but I really don't want to deal with a foot brake if I can avoid it - but if they're both in there no matter what I'll just have to suck it up.

I've a 40 G spec. push button brake only. You can either release it by pressing the button again or just drive off and it auto releases.

GV27

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#2921314 1-Jun-2022 10:33

tripper1000:

May I ask what's the issue with the pedal variant?

Personal preference, I guess. I've always found footwells with them slightly cramped too but apparently the Leaf's seating position is more upright so it may be a non-event.

I'd much rather have an e-brake with the little button than the clunky pedal set-up though.

tripper1000

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#2921345 1-Jun-2022 11:33

I see. Well the 'advantage' of the mechanical pedal is than the computer can't stop you applying it while moving, so if you still want to do hand-brake slides, the pedal is the way to go! 😁

SaltyNZ

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#2921361 1-Jun-2022 11:48

tripper1000:

I see. Well the 'advantage' of the mechanical pedal is than the computer can't stop you applying it while moving, so if you still want to do hand-brake slides, the pedal is the way to go! 😁

Handbrake slides in a Leaf, wooooooooo!

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quickymart

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#2921365 1-Jun-2022 11:56

This guy had major issues after getting his Leaf: https://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/128804511/owning-an-ev-went-from-a-dream-to-a-nightmare-a-cautionary-tale

Batman

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#2921373 1-Jun-2022 12:10

SaltyNZ:
tripper1000:

I see. Well the 'advantage' of the mechanical pedal is than the computer can't stop you applying it while moving, so if you still want to do hand-brake slides, the pedal is the way to go! 😁

Handbrake slides in a Leaf, wooooooooo!

You are so wrong