7 day test drive booked on Nissan Leaf - questions
Discussion
Hi there,
OK have booked a 7 day test drive on a Nissan Leaf in mid March. I currently do 35,000 miles a year and run a VW diesel.
I live in Staffordshire and spend much of my working week either in the office in Knutsford Cheshire or in central Manchester. I am interested to see if a) The car can cope with my day to day travelling, and b) whether I can live with the car what with having to monitor the battery levels etc.
The lady taking me through the booking asked me about how I would charge the car. I explained it would be charged at home at which point she told me you cannot just unplug the kettle and plug it in to the socket. I pretty much knew this would be the case, but she said if I had a garage then I could plug it in in there.
Now I have a barn at the side of the house (closed space rather than a roof on legs) which has power going to it, she said this should be ok and the only reason they don't advise doing it from normal home sockets is as it can affect the other appliances plugged in. Will the garage socket be ok ?
Also at work we have sockets that regularly take chargers for forklift trucks etc, I assume these will be ok ?
Lastly do I need to do anything in advance of having the car ? I plan to use on street charging in Manchester and also those in places like NCP car parks etc. Will the car come with a card ? or do I need to apply for one to be able to charge it when I am out and about ?
Regards
Tim
Regards
Tim
OK have booked a 7 day test drive on a Nissan Leaf in mid March. I currently do 35,000 miles a year and run a VW diesel.
I live in Staffordshire and spend much of my working week either in the office in Knutsford Cheshire or in central Manchester. I am interested to see if a) The car can cope with my day to day travelling, and b) whether I can live with the car what with having to monitor the battery levels etc.
The lady taking me through the booking asked me about how I would charge the car. I explained it would be charged at home at which point she told me you cannot just unplug the kettle and plug it in to the socket. I pretty much knew this would be the case, but she said if I had a garage then I could plug it in in there.
Now I have a barn at the side of the house (closed space rather than a roof on legs) which has power going to it, she said this should be ok and the only reason they don't advise doing it from normal home sockets is as it can affect the other appliances plugged in. Will the garage socket be ok ?
Also at work we have sockets that regularly take chargers for forklift trucks etc, I assume these will be ok ?
Lastly do I need to do anything in advance of having the car ? I plan to use on street charging in Manchester and also those in places like NCP car parks etc. Will the car come with a card ? or do I need to apply for one to be able to charge it when I am out and about ?
Regards
Tim
Regards
Tim
There was a good thread about a month ago with details of a 7 day loan and managing it
I've also had one recently and my home garage circuit (13 amp socket through 30 amp circuit breaker) was fine for over-night charging
Without risking using the heating or a/c I got a range of more than 60 miles
I think I was quite fortunate in that I did not need to recharge away from home but at a guess any similar socket would do
The charging infrastructure still seems a bit mickey-mouse and I'm glad I did not have to use it (even though contrary to the initial instructions Nissan did lend me a card) particularly as the Nissan uses an older style plug as far as I can tell
I reckon you could do 60 miles there - recharge most of the day - 60 miles back - without too much anxiety BUT it is surprising the times the journey is not that simple and its then you really start to worry eg the detour to the supermarket on the way home or to see a friend for a swift half at that new place just out of town
I've also had one recently and my home garage circuit (13 amp socket through 30 amp circuit breaker) was fine for over-night charging
Without risking using the heating or a/c I got a range of more than 60 miles
I think I was quite fortunate in that I did not need to recharge away from home but at a guess any similar socket would do
The charging infrastructure still seems a bit mickey-mouse and I'm glad I did not have to use it (even though contrary to the initial instructions Nissan did lend me a card) particularly as the Nissan uses an older style plug as far as I can tell
I reckon you could do 60 miles there - recharge most of the day - 60 miles back - without too much anxiety BUT it is surprising the times the journey is not that simple and its then you really start to worry eg the detour to the supermarket on the way home or to see a friend for a swift half at that new place just out of town
Edited by johnnyreggae on Monday 16th February 16:40
The only realistic way you'll achieve 100 miles per day, every day, is to charge overnight and then top up at a rapid charger when the car is at 20% charge or lower.
That rapid charge will take about 30 minutes to get you back up to around 85-90% charge.
As long as you can be flexible about when during the day the rapid charge happens, or when you cover your miles, then I don't see a problem.
In the warmer months you'll manage almost 100 miles on a charge without difficulty, though again a top-up will help.
As for plugging in at home, well it's just about being on a circuit that isn't already pulling loads of power. That's why the home charging points are wired into their own fuse/circuit.
If I were covering 35k miles I'd certainly have a home charge point installed professionally, to do otherwise would be a mistake I think.
Of course this is all a little inconvenient, but equally if you can cope with that then the fuel cost savings will be pretty big.
p.s - It's a great car, though not particularly well liked on PH.
That rapid charge will take about 30 minutes to get you back up to around 85-90% charge.
As long as you can be flexible about when during the day the rapid charge happens, or when you cover your miles, then I don't see a problem.
In the warmer months you'll manage almost 100 miles on a charge without difficulty, though again a top-up will help.
As for plugging in at home, well it's just about being on a circuit that isn't already pulling loads of power. That's why the home charging points are wired into their own fuse/circuit.
If I were covering 35k miles I'd certainly have a home charge point installed professionally, to do otherwise would be a mistake I think.
Of course this is all a little inconvenient, but equally if you can cope with that then the fuel cost savings will be pretty big.
p.s - It's a great car, though not particularly well liked on PH.
Hi there,
Thanks Guys for the answers so far.
The whole idea of trying the car will be with a view that if I was to buy one I would have a charger professionally installed at home (ideally for overnight charges) and a second charger at the office (a fast charger).
My office is 45 miles from home, and then Central Manchester is around 20 miles from the office. With quite a few chargers on the streets in Manchester then I reckon I should have it covered. Helped by the fact I pass two M6 service stations on the way to the office and three in total if I go to straight from home to Manchester for emergencies.
At the moment the VW is doing 35,000 miles a year. At 50mpg then we buy 700 gallons of fuel a year. At an average of £1.15 a litre approx then we spend around £3600 per annum on fuel.
As a company purchase is there any tax advantages and what is the average cost in electricity per charge ?
Regards
Tim
Thanks Guys for the answers so far.
The whole idea of trying the car will be with a view that if I was to buy one I would have a charger professionally installed at home (ideally for overnight charges) and a second charger at the office (a fast charger).
My office is 45 miles from home, and then Central Manchester is around 20 miles from the office. With quite a few chargers on the streets in Manchester then I reckon I should have it covered. Helped by the fact I pass two M6 service stations on the way to the office and three in total if I go to straight from home to Manchester for emergencies.
At the moment the VW is doing 35,000 miles a year. At 50mpg then we buy 700 gallons of fuel a year. At an average of £1.15 a litre approx then we spend around £3600 per annum on fuel.
As a company purchase is there any tax advantages and what is the average cost in electricity per charge ?
Regards
Tim
I think that you're edging towards impractical there. None of what you've written sounds unreasonable but I think the 45 mile drive home will cause some grief. You'll be committed to having to charge at the office, and on cold nights with the highest demand on the battery you could be waiting for the car to charge to at least 80%.
Having said that, if it was always the case that you'd be back in the office for an hour before returning home, and the fast charger at the office would always be available to you, then it might be OK.
I doubt a fast charger install is cheap though, and a quick Google suggests around £7k:
https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/el...
Factor in the cost of electricity and I'll wager it would be at least three years before you're saving any money.
Having said that, if it was always the case that you'd be back in the office for an hour before returning home, and the fast charger at the office would always be available to you, then it might be OK.
I doubt a fast charger install is cheap though, and a quick Google suggests around £7k:
https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/el...
Factor in the cost of electricity and I'll wager it would be at least three years before you're saving any money.
You can get a fast charger from https://evconnectors.com/electric-vehicle-chargers... for £625. Then there's the install on top. It took my installer 2 hours to fit my fast Rolec charger at home.
Just make sure you get a Leaf with the 6.6kW charger installed if charging time is important to you.
Just make sure you get a Leaf with the 6.6kW charger installed if charging time is important to you.
I reckon if you have a pretty much set routine then you'll be ok.
That is, if you charge the car overnight at home, then travel less than 6-70 miles to your place of work, guarantee that you can then charge it at work on a 32A supply for 4 hours of 8 hours on a 16A supply then drive home again.
If you have any exceptions to this, like potential diversions, unexpected journeys to other places etc then you might find it all a bit too logistically frustrating or even impossible.
That is, if you charge the car overnight at home, then travel less than 6-70 miles to your place of work, guarantee that you can then charge it at work on a 32A supply for 4 hours of 8 hours on a 16A supply then drive home again.
If you have any exceptions to this, like potential diversions, unexpected journeys to other places etc then you might find it all a bit too logistically frustrating or even impossible.
I have a Leaf and do a 60 mile round trip every day with no opportunity to charge. I don't hang about either ("motorway speed"). Usually get home with 20% battery left (i.e another 10-20 miles). That's in the current cold weather which is bad for range - and I have the heated seats + wheel on of course.
Make sure you get the 6.6kW version as that will charge from empty in four hours on a 7kW post (£400 from here : http://nuworldenergy.co.uk/shop/ev-charge-points.h...
Home Charge Point will be free, work one you will have to pay for.
Ignore the Visia Leaf and get an Accenta or Tekna, so you will get both types of charge port. The AC port is a "Type 1 J1772" socket. De facto standard in Japan. Replaced by the "Type 2 Mennekes" in Europe which is exactly the same electrically but has a different shape. Luckily you can buy "Type 2 to Type 1" cables for £150 from the same place as the charge point I linked to.
For Rapid DC charging the Leaf uses the "CHAdeMO" connector which is the de-facto standard in Japan and the USA. And the UK as it happens. The Germans are playing catch up and have lobbied the EU to make their new CCS standard mandatory in Europe, however, as they have proven unable to make the blasted thing work it's not really happened. The services generally have 2 CHAdeMO points, 1 AC point and 1 CCS point. The CHAdeMO points are usually working. The CCS one, not so much (as BMW i3 drivers will tell you to their chagrin). Latest news is that the legislation "mandating" CCS has been canned since all the Japanese cars are still being fitted with CHAdeMO (Leaf, Outlander, iMiev etc).
Personally on your usage profile I would avoid the Rapid charging anyway and just use the home + workplace charging. As noted, your trip home with be the annoying one if you don't get a top-up in Manchester, but based on my mileage you should be okay with 65 miles.
You will want to order some cards in advance, the UK network is a mess as noted. No credit cards accepted.
http://ev.tfgm.com/
and
https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/for-the-road/registra...
should do you.
Don't worry about the Nissan lady's comments. The EVSE that comes with the car (the "brick") only draws 10A. I have never used it, it's like filling your petrol car up with a straw. Or to put it another way, it places only a 10 amp load on the circuit into which it is plugged, 2.4kW. If the circuit can tolerate a fan heater going full tilt all day then it will tolerate the Leaf. But you will get bored waiting for a charge.
Make sure you get the 6.6kW version as that will charge from empty in four hours on a 7kW post (£400 from here : http://nuworldenergy.co.uk/shop/ev-charge-points.h...
Home Charge Point will be free, work one you will have to pay for.
Ignore the Visia Leaf and get an Accenta or Tekna, so you will get both types of charge port. The AC port is a "Type 1 J1772" socket. De facto standard in Japan. Replaced by the "Type 2 Mennekes" in Europe which is exactly the same electrically but has a different shape. Luckily you can buy "Type 2 to Type 1" cables for £150 from the same place as the charge point I linked to.
For Rapid DC charging the Leaf uses the "CHAdeMO" connector which is the de-facto standard in Japan and the USA. And the UK as it happens. The Germans are playing catch up and have lobbied the EU to make their new CCS standard mandatory in Europe, however, as they have proven unable to make the blasted thing work it's not really happened. The services generally have 2 CHAdeMO points, 1 AC point and 1 CCS point. The CHAdeMO points are usually working. The CCS one, not so much (as BMW i3 drivers will tell you to their chagrin). Latest news is that the legislation "mandating" CCS has been canned since all the Japanese cars are still being fitted with CHAdeMO (Leaf, Outlander, iMiev etc).
Personally on your usage profile I would avoid the Rapid charging anyway and just use the home + workplace charging. As noted, your trip home with be the annoying one if you don't get a top-up in Manchester, but based on my mileage you should be okay with 65 miles.
You will want to order some cards in advance, the UK network is a mess as noted. No credit cards accepted.
http://ev.tfgm.com/
and
https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/for-the-road/registra...
should do you.
Don't worry about the Nissan lady's comments. The EVSE that comes with the car (the "brick") only draws 10A. I have never used it, it's like filling your petrol car up with a straw. Or to put it another way, it places only a 10 amp load on the circuit into which it is plugged, 2.4kW. If the circuit can tolerate a fan heater going full tilt all day then it will tolerate the Leaf. But you will get bored waiting for a charge.
Edited by pboyall on Tuesday 17th February 22:06
I have a 2014 Leaf Accenta
My daily commute is approx 40 miles each way of which about 28 miles is Motorway, Speed varies from 70-80 for 10 miles and 40-70 for the other 18. Starting from home with a 100% charge I usually arrive with approx 40% battery left and high 30's on the guessometer.
I have a 32a charger at home but only 3.3kw on the car. I use the pre-heat timer before leaving so the car is defrosted and toastie ready to use at 7am.
I always seem to have cold feet so the heater stays on 26 for the journey in this weather, rarely use the HRW or the A/c, although the A/c has little effect on power usage in winter, only had the car since mid November so yet to have the summer experience.
I charge at work for the return trip using a fast charger to about 80%.
The drive home is a little more relaxed, I usually take a slighty shorter route of about 37 miles which replaces 11 miles of M/way and 6 miles of A Road with about 14 miles of A road. I usually arrive home with about 30% charge.
Today was an unexpected day off for family reasons which meant above normal use of the car.
17 miles to pick up my Mum, 17 miles to Hospital to visit my Dad, 17 miles back to Mum's and 17 miles home so 68 miles give or take. Should be okay but having never been that far before in one trip decided to detour on the Hospital run and go an extra 7 miles (14 return) to the nearby M/way Services for a mid trip fast boost.
On arrival another Leaf was on charge however as I got out the car the driver re-appeared and told me they were charged and ready for the off. The bad news was they also told me that the charger hadn't accepted their card and they'd had to wait 20 minutes for Ecotriciy to reset it. Oh Joy...
It wouldn't accept my card either so a rang them up hoping for a quick fix, the lady couldn't log onto the unit due to comms issues between the unit and their server (the same reason it wouldn't take my card)so suggested I get a coffee and wait 20 mins for a reboot. With my Mum sat in the car waiting I decided to chance it and head off to the Hospital.
Having gone the extra 14 miles without topping getting home the last 17 miles were looking risky and not wanting to sit at my Mum's for a couple of hours while the brick charger did its bit I decided to go to plan B.
Each 17 mile stint of the round trip meant passing my Brothers home where my Petrol car just happens to be parked after I lent it to him so I was able to swap cars there, drop Mum home and then swap back later.
Cutting out about 20 miles saved the day, I arrived home in the Leaf with 7% charge, lots of warnings and 3 dashes on the guessometer, 6 miles left according to the APP, total distance travelled 71.1 miles.
Things learnt today.
70 miles is about it in Winter for the Leaf.
Petrol Cars are really noisy.
Battery power does have it limits, great for the daily commute but when the unexpected happens it could go very wrong.
I'll stick with the Leaf for now, well until November 2016
I also had to buy Petrol, 1st time I've done that since November.
My daily commute is approx 40 miles each way of which about 28 miles is Motorway, Speed varies from 70-80 for 10 miles and 40-70 for the other 18. Starting from home with a 100% charge I usually arrive with approx 40% battery left and high 30's on the guessometer.
I have a 32a charger at home but only 3.3kw on the car. I use the pre-heat timer before leaving so the car is defrosted and toastie ready to use at 7am.
I always seem to have cold feet so the heater stays on 26 for the journey in this weather, rarely use the HRW or the A/c, although the A/c has little effect on power usage in winter, only had the car since mid November so yet to have the summer experience.
I charge at work for the return trip using a fast charger to about 80%.
The drive home is a little more relaxed, I usually take a slighty shorter route of about 37 miles which replaces 11 miles of M/way and 6 miles of A Road with about 14 miles of A road. I usually arrive home with about 30% charge.
Today was an unexpected day off for family reasons which meant above normal use of the car.
17 miles to pick up my Mum, 17 miles to Hospital to visit my Dad, 17 miles back to Mum's and 17 miles home so 68 miles give or take. Should be okay but having never been that far before in one trip decided to detour on the Hospital run and go an extra 7 miles (14 return) to the nearby M/way Services for a mid trip fast boost.
On arrival another Leaf was on charge however as I got out the car the driver re-appeared and told me they were charged and ready for the off. The bad news was they also told me that the charger hadn't accepted their card and they'd had to wait 20 minutes for Ecotriciy to reset it. Oh Joy...
It wouldn't accept my card either so a rang them up hoping for a quick fix, the lady couldn't log onto the unit due to comms issues between the unit and their server (the same reason it wouldn't take my card)so suggested I get a coffee and wait 20 mins for a reboot. With my Mum sat in the car waiting I decided to chance it and head off to the Hospital.
Having gone the extra 14 miles without topping getting home the last 17 miles were looking risky and not wanting to sit at my Mum's for a couple of hours while the brick charger did its bit I decided to go to plan B.
Each 17 mile stint of the round trip meant passing my Brothers home where my Petrol car just happens to be parked after I lent it to him so I was able to swap cars there, drop Mum home and then swap back later.
Cutting out about 20 miles saved the day, I arrived home in the Leaf with 7% charge, lots of warnings and 3 dashes on the guessometer, 6 miles left according to the APP, total distance travelled 71.1 miles.
Things learnt today.
70 miles is about it in Winter for the Leaf.
Petrol Cars are really noisy.
Battery power does have it limits, great for the daily commute but when the unexpected happens it could go very wrong.
I'll stick with the Leaf for now, well until November 2016
I also had to buy Petrol, 1st time I've done that since November.
Hi there,
Thanks guys some great replies especially the last two from Leaf owners.
Really looking forward to my test drive now and I reckon with some careful planning from day to day (which I have to do anyway for my job) then I should be ok.
Will be writing a full daily blog once the car arrives so future prospective owners have something to look at.
Regards
Tim
Thanks guys some great replies especially the last two from Leaf owners.
Really looking forward to my test drive now and I reckon with some careful planning from day to day (which I have to do anyway for my job) then I should be ok.
Will be writing a full daily blog once the car arrives so future prospective owners have something to look at.
Regards
Tim
Meant to add I've used the brick charger that comes with the car, it does the job perfectly well just takes longer, overnight should be fine.
Extension leads are not approved due to the current draw. I'd think twice about using one overnight in a garage, especially one from Happy Shopper, other elcheapo shops are available.
One made decent cable bought from an Electrical Wholesaler should be okay.
The lead on brick charger is about 5m long but too thick to go under a household door. I found that out when I had my overnight demo, had to put the lead via the window in my downstairs loo, luckly you need to be very small to crawl through it so I was able to leave it open overnight.
Extension leads are not approved due to the current draw. I'd think twice about using one overnight in a garage, especially one from Happy Shopper, other elcheapo shops are available.
One made decent cable bought from an Electrical Wholesaler should be okay.
The lead on brick charger is about 5m long but too thick to go under a household door. I found that out when I had my overnight demo, had to put the lead via the window in my downstairs loo, luckly you need to be very small to crawl through it so I was able to leave it open overnight.
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