Nissan Leaf - checking it out tonight

Hmmm... I need to get a 2nd car and was waiting for LEAF, but if this is case, now I might just get a 2nd Prius~..

I don't know~~~ Being in East Coast at times like this is NG (No Good)

Daniel, what do you think? Is it still worth trying to work things out with getting LEAF while living in NJ?

 

If you can hold off until late 2011, that's when it goes national. Otherwise you'll pay for shipping and have no local warranty service. If I get my Leaf, I'll sell you my Xebra.

 

Daniel, thanks for the offer but, I work is 40 miles total and also need to go on HWY - need to go at 65 mph-70 mph. So Xebra won't work.
Do you have a pic of the car?

I might lease Prius 2010 now.
The lease deal used to be $179 in March. I see that its $189/month now...

 

Ah, but the Xebra is so much FUN to drive!!!

 

DH and I were discussing EVs today -- -- okay, I confess, I was pontificating about how I think EVs should be developed, and he was smiling and nodding -- I think that it would be so much better if car makers would focus on making EVs for the kind of driving that EV would be best for - local, short commute, urban driving. In other words, how about an EV Smart Car? Something with a 50 - 60 mile range, a top speed of 50 mph, that is small, easy to park, reduces city traffic congestion and eliminates emissions. These companies that are building EVs that are sports cars, or big-assed cars (Volt), or that have ranges of over 100 miles, etc., are really doing this backwards. Get the cheaper, smaller, really beneficial kind of EV out there, get people onboard for EV with little commuter cars, and THEN go for extending the EV family to something for longer trips, the sports car enthusiast, etc. Just my opinion. YMMV. Thanks for listening. Back to your regularly scheduled thread now.

 

RaeVynn, that's what the Leaf is designed for, the commuter. Many commuters need to drive on the highway, so the car must be capable of going 60MPH, and it must have a decent range, hence the 100mile range... Commuters are the target market for most mass produced EVs, that is the "sweet spot" for most mfrs.

 

. . . and, with a fast charge infrastructure going up, if you DO have to make additional plans, you won't be caught w/ your shorts down ... though many on this forum don't mind that as a matter of every day life.




.

 

As Mitch says, it's got to be freeway capable for most Americans. Otherwise the Zap Xebra would have been a bigger success.

It would make sense for big car companies to offer an EV Smart Car or something like it. But the Big Three are so tied to Big Oil that they are fighting electric tooth and nail. Toyota forced them to move into hybrids because the Prius is such a market success, and perhaps Nissan will make them look seriously at EVs.

As for the Tesla Roadster, that's simply the only market where a small start-up company can compete.

 

a "mid range" EV that does only 50 miles would be great if the charge infrastructure was more mature. right now, we need to demonstrate that an EV can become if not mainstream, at least fill a significant niche.

look at what the Prius did. it started a new class of car and has become a runaway (if hard to duplicate) success. every manufacturer is trying to develop what Toyota has. a car that has become the de facto standard for hybrid technology.

Nissan being first to market with a consumer priced EV, if successful, will encourage further development. dont be surprised to see Nissan or an aftermarket company marketing a 250 mile pack within 2 years. i think at long last, we will finally, finally, FINALLY!!! see a continuation of what GM's EV1 started (and ended) a decade ago

 

If the Leaf has inadequate range for his needs, the Volt will probably burn more gasoline overall than a Prius would. And the Prius is a bigger car with a lot more capacity and storage flexibility.

The only person who would do better with a Volt than a Prius is someone who never drives more than 25 miles a day (the likely real-world EV range) and for that, the Leaf is a better choice at 3/4 the cost of a Volt.

 

I have a 220V outlet in my garage, not more than 5 ft from where the car would be parked. So....can I just plug the Leaf in there, or do I have to purchase the $2200 charger?

 

it really looks like the $2200 charger is nothing more than a surge protector, and also probably has logic to set the maximum charging current based on the 240V circuit you connect it to (likely settings are 20A, 30A or 40A, perhaps even 50A/60A/70A). The "charger" itself is built into the car, but for 240 you need the $2200 piece.

If you look up, the connector (link below) is rated at 70A max, so it might even be possible to use higher amperage circuits (thus reducing the charging time)

Keep in mind, if you have time, you can also plug the car into a standard 120V outlet, and slow charge that way.... so you don't HAVE to buy the 240V charger.

Connector:
[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_J1772[/ame]

Also, these people will be the ones selling and installing the "chargers"
http://www.avinc.com/ev_charging/fleet and http://www.avinc.com/plugin

movie: http://www.avinc.com/video/evmicrosite/homechargingmadeeasy.mov

found this too, a picture of the Nissan charger:
http://www.avinc.com/downloads/EVSE_home_streamline_Nissan_AV0110.jpg

Press release announcing AeroVironment as the Nissan Leaf home charger installation company: http://www.avinc.com/downloads/Nissan_AeroVironment_Final_011110.pdf

AVs FAQ: http://www.avinc.com/plugin/faq

 

As Mitch says, the "charger" (really a surge protector) is required. But if you have the 220-v outlet in your garage you'll pay less for installation than will someone who does not.

I suspect this is to protect both car and house wiring from possible inadequate 220-v service in some homes. Also, a part of the process is to inspect your wiring to make sure it and the fuse or circuit breaker are adequate.

 

ya, maybe. how much you want to bet that as we speak, GM is frantically recomputing the MSRP on the Volt to make it competitive???

after all, pricing was announced so long ago and market forces are at work. i applaud Nissan for being realistic in knowing that Li will come down due to volume and acceptance.

as far as GM, have not really listened to them in years and have no reason to start now

 

No. I just don't trust GM. I'm not fighting the Volt. I've said I hope it is a success. I'm fighting the lies and deception that GM is infamous for. Nissan has given us no reason not to believe them, and with no ties to Big Oil they have a real incentive to build an EV. GM has a 70-year (or longer) history of criminal activity, and is run by people who profit as much or more from oil as from cars, and have a vested interest in opposing electric.

I'm not against the Volt! If they'd built it 4 years ago (as well they could have done!!!) I'd have bought one. It's the criminals running GM I'm against.

 

drees, they have posted a brochure of the Leaf. including interior shots, specs, options, accessories, etc. they have a set in stone manufacture date. they are breaking ground on a 1.4 Billion dollar plant in less than 40 days devoted to building this car.

**disclaimer** i never thought GM was serious about the Volt especially after several mis-statements and restatements waaaay back in the beginning when the Volt was first announced and i quit following the updates after that. the only thing i know is what i pick up here and there, so i may not be qualified to make the following statement

so when is the release date for the Volt? have they narrowed it down to a year yet?? where is it being made? what will it look like? AFAIK, only prototypes are out on the streets now and "may not" resemble the actual production model which means they are not set in stone... more like freshly poured concrete...