"Built BMW Tough" (jwogan)
11/26/2013 at 19:41 • Filed to: None
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"Built BMW Tough" (jwogan)
11/26/2013 at 19:41 • Filed to: None | 2
| 5 |
"Range anxiety."
Those were the first words my boss said to me when I told him my Nissan Leaf customer wanted home delivery. I didn't think there would be a problem; the car's range said 81 miles, and the destination was 68 miles away. The car had a full charge, so what did I have to worry about?
As it turns out, plenty. Around town, the range didn't change much at all. Once I got up to freeway speeds, that's another story. I was skeptical of the cars ability to make it the whole way with all the bells and whistles on, so I left the climate control off. It was pretty nice outside, anyways. I did need my music, and this car blessed my ears with SiriusXM radio. That indulgence may have cost me some miles.
Read the last two sentences again. Listening to music jeopardized my journey.
I need music in my life. If I can't listen to music, I will go slowly insane.
It didn't matter then, as I had no idea that my journey would be affected by such indulgences. I also had no idea that turning on cruise control decreased the range by two or three miles. I carried on, staying true to the right lane so I would be using as little juice as possible. Not like it mattered; the miles to destination eventually surpassed the miles to empty, and the car made that very, very clear.
Thanks, Leaf! I appreciate the heads up! At first it was kind of cute. A futuristic reminder that cars are getting smarter and more advanced. "You're not going to make it, James. Just pull over, plug me in, and....rest." It even went so far as to ask me if I wanted to know where the nearest charging stations were, like I was expected there.
Over time, however, it became annoying. It wasn't just every 30 or even every 15 minutes - it was every ten minutes! The car would make a chiming noise and a voice would come over the speakers and tell me that things weren't going to be okay! I did find it funny that the car turned my electronic music down so a humanoid voice could be heard, but that humor was lost on this soulless little car. It was determined to break my spirits.
Eventually, I had heard enough. But more importantly, I was hungry. I figured, why not charge both our batteries at once? My coworker and I found a quaint Thai place that was gracious enough to let us occupy the only open outlet they had - which happened to be in the only bathroom they had. Very nice of them. We enjoyed lunch, and I went out to check on the car's range.
It hadn't increased. At all .
At that point my accomplice and I asked for permission to use more of the Thai place's electricity, and walked around for a bit. We found a pet store, and inside it were very large snakes:
The pet store wouldn't let me play with the snakes :(
After about an hour (it had been an hour and 45 minutes since we stopped) we decided to head back to the car, unplug it, and be on our way. The dismal truth was that we only gained a mile of range. At this point, we're going for broke.
The range didn't decrease in town, so it gave me confidence. Not enough to turn on the tunes, but enough to stop worrying for about ten minutes. We were 20 miles away from the destination, and the range was 17...wait, 16 miles. Shit.
Five miles away from the final address, battery percentage went to 0%.
There were zero miles the computer said we had left. This was "range anxiety." Our customers would be livid if their new car was stranded on the backroads, with no tow truck or outlet nearby. I didn't think my nerves could get any more shot, until the battery percentage went from zero to "—-%" and the range was "—- miles." This was not fun. I felt like I was in some twisted alternate Top Gear challenge, without the cheeky hijinks and support team.
In the end, I made it. The car was throwing warnings and pleas to stop and plug in during the longest ten minutes I think I've had lately. I was not happy. My coworker was also relieved. We had the customer signed the paperwork, showed him around the car, and he seemed to know exactly what had happened. "That's why I wanted you guys to bring it to me." Sly bastard.
So, how would I rate the Nissan Leaf? It's a pretty cool car. Yes, this journey was almost a disaster, but these cars aren't designed for freeway use. Around town, this car is better than something that consumes gas. It's quiet, its torquey, it has cool gadgets, and it makes spaceship noises at low speeds and in reverse. It's not a good "only" car. In fact, it's terrible at that. Don't even think about it. If you have a gasoline car to take you farther than downtown, then maybe it's not bad. You really, really have to want one to justify the investment though.
Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
> Built BMW Tough
11/26/2013 at 19:57 |
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I know someone who daily drives his black Nissan LEAF to work, he often stays off the highway, so he doesn't lower his range so much. He often parks near an outlet, and uses the opportunity to plug his car in.
The Transporter
> Built BMW Tough
11/26/2013 at 20:20 |
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Shameless plug time?
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
The Leaf represents the problem with EVs that, like that one uncle your mother guilt-tripped you into inviting over for Thanksgiving, just won't go away. You either have a cheap EV that won't get you out of the city, or you have an EV with big range and a big price tag, or you have a heavy, expensive, complex serial hybrid.
If you're a rich treehugger or Justin Bieber, then a Tesla Model S or Fisker Karma is right up your alley. If your EV runs out of charge, you can just call up Jeeves to pick you up in your Lambo. If you're an environmentally conscious family man, or a family man who doesn't want to give any more money than absolutely necessary to the Saudis or Dick Cheney, then a Leaf is a perfect second car. But if you're a poor single person who would like to join the Church of the Exalted EV, then you're shit out of luck, my friend.
If only there was something that you could attach to the Leaf that could extend its range for road trips and put away when you didn't.
Jayhawk Jake
> The Transporter
11/26/2013 at 21:44 |
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That's not necessarily true. Look at the volt: an affordable EV with tons of range.
Besides, batteries are getting cheaper. It may not happen tomorrow, but a long range capable EV for thee Everyman is coming sooner than you'd think
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Built BMW Tough
> The Transporter
11/27/2013 at 11:29 |
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Shameless plug time?
lol PUNNY
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The Transporter
> Built BMW Tough
11/27/2013 at 22:59 |
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Like I said, shameless.