Need A Cheap, Practical And Environmentally-Friendly People Mover?  No, It's Not A Prius

"Torque Affair" (torqueaffair) 09/27/2015 at 16:36 • Filed to: electric vehicle

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In my buddy Chris’ newly purchased Leaf, we tried to grow a tree…and failed... miserably . We couldn’t even get the tree to go half-way up to the top.

This is what it’s really supposed to look like - a full grown tree that Chris built on a different day.

Nissan is being cute here, just like it was with the Cube. Growing a tree in a Leaf means driving so agonizingly slow that you would rather watch a tree grow than to try and build one in a Leaf’s dash. You can also build not just one, but two trees. To do that, however, you will need to spend the majority of the time braking, coasting and preferably have someone push your car instead of you driving it so that you consume the least amount of battery power possible.

Nissan also gives you the option of growing a third tree, but, to do this, you would just have to sell the Leaf and end up walking everywhere instead.

When I first found out that Chris bought the Leaf, I was so disappointed. I always try to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to buy the kind of cars that I would personally love to drive, but with Chris, it didn’t work. I thought he had made the worst car-buying decision ever. Well - not quite the worst - that would’ve meant that he bought a Prius.

I was a Leaf-Hater - like some others I suppose. But I was one of those judgmental people who hated the Leaf without fully comprehending what the Leaf was all about. The Leaf is like kale - you really want to hate it but you can’t because you know that it will double your lifespan.

After spending some time with Chris and his new car, I came to the realization that I was completely right in hating the Leaf. Actually, no, that wasn’t the case. Surprisingly, I liked the Leaf and the reason is that I truly appreciated its value. It turns out that the Leaf can be one of the cheapest, economical and practical new car someone can buy.

It’s not a sexy or glamorous vehicle but if you need a reliable, low-cost method of transportation to get around and keep the air clean while you’re at it ( unlike some cars we have recently found out about...ahem..the German kind.. ), then the Leaf is the car to buy.

At $268 a month, Chris is paying only slightly more for his Leaf every month than I do for gas. You might be wondering how that’s even possible if the car retails for somewhere around $35K. The reason is that Chris obtained some really nice federal and state rebates and after negotiating, he ended up paying roughly $25K.

This might not seem all that cheap but if you factor in how much he’s saving on gas, then the Leaf becomes quite an appealing proposition. Chris only pays a few dollars a month for charging at home as well as in public places. The money he pays in charging the Leaf amounts to summing up the loose change you find around your house, pushing the coin return button on vending machines, and the occasional dollar bills you find crumpled up in the pockets of your freshly washed pants.

Even though the exterior will not inspire any awe or turn any heads, the Leaf functions well for what it was built for: it’s a practical, comfortable, environmentally-friendly family hauler. Inside the Leaf, things are functional and well laid out. It’s relatively spacious and has enough gadgetry to keep you satisfied like bluetooth, text-message readout, navigation, rear-view camera etc.

The coolest tech feature of the Leaf, by far, is the fact that you can turn the A/C on in the car using an app. Because the Leaf is connected to Nissan’s servers, you can control the A/C through your phone although I wish you could do more with it like drive your car using your phone. I’m sure that will be a reality not too long from now considering the pace at which technology is being integrated into new cars.

But for now, just being able to pre-cool the Leaf while it’s a 100+ degrees outside is a great benefit to have in a land, like Texas, where all things burn during the summer.

An Inconvenience Of Sorts

Now this is can be a relatively minor or a major inconvenience depending on your level of patience. You see, you can’t just jump in your Leaf and go. Before each trip, you have to spend some time thinking about the distance you’ll be traveling and how much of your trip will be highways versus city roads. That’s because the range of the Leaf is only about 100 miles which can decrease dramatically if you decide that you want take advantage of the Leaf’s instant torque and beat all the Civics and Corollas you encounter at a stoplight.

You also have to reverse your way of thinking.

Normally with gas-powered vehicles, you’re better off spending most of your time on highways to increase mileage. This is not the case with the Leaf. If you’re on the freeway with the Leaf, your mileage will dwindle down quickly because the car only has one gear and so the faster you drive, the more energy you’ll use. If you drive at 80 mph, your battery will dead sooner than it takes you to realize that you’re driving at 80 mph.

The Leaf is ideal for city driving, especially in bumper-to-bumper traffic where you have to brake every 1.5 seconds. Not only do you minimize the usage of your battery, the regenerative braking helps recharge the battery. So, if you hop in your car to find out that you only have 10 more miles left, immediately look up Google Maps and pick the darkest shade of red you can find and drive on those roads to arrive at your destination.

Because of the variation of the mileage you get in the Leaf, it can be stressful to just randomly drive around. If you pick the “eco” mode, you can squeeze more miles out of the Leaf but it is also quite a bit slower.

Your range can also change instantly depending on whether or not you have the A/C running. For example, below is difference in the range with the A/C off and then hitting the “A/C” button on with no other changes in between.

I suspect with the Leaf, you’ll be spending the majority of time closely tracking the mileage you have remaining. Remember that it can fluctuate based on different factors so you can’t ever just relax with the Leaf. You have to monitor it constantly like you do with your newborn child.

Charging

Charging isn’t as big of a problem as I would’ve thought - at least in Austin. There is convenient a ChargePoint app that shows you all nearby locations where you can charge the Leaf.

But be careful. When you actually show up to these locations, the charging stations are generally hidden in a dark corner of a parking garage where you’re likely to either get killed or kidnapped for ransom, so charge your Leaf at your own risk.

But don’t worry, being in danger is unlikely since your kidnappers will be dismayed to find out that you’re in a Leaf and not in a Tesla P85D instead.

Fantastic Parking

The Leaf can provide you with a nice benefit: being able to find amazing parking spots at places like Whole Foods.

These spots are located right next to handicapped parking where you can plug in your Leaf 30 feet from the entrance to the store.

Since the majority of Austin’s population is usually camped out at Whole Foods taking up most of the parking, these EV-only spots come in handy. You show up, plug in your EV and walk the three steps to go into Whole Foods. Then you pay three times as much as you would for the exact same bottle of wine at your local grocery store and walk back out to your Leaf..all within minutes.

If you happen to stay at Whole Foods, wandering around the aisles, comparing the nutritional value of organic M&Ms to the non-organic ones, you can glance at an app on your phone to see how much of your Leaf battery is charged. However, after 3 hours of shopping at Whole Foods, you may be disappointed to find out that you were only able to add 5 miles to your total range. It is unfortunate that most of the public chargers are 120V which means that the Leaf charges sloooooowly .

There is an option to charge at 240V, but for now, that is only available at the dealer. But that’s ok if it takes time to charge your vehicle at Whole Foods. That just means you have time to drink a few more beers while you’re carefully picking out overpriced limited edition organic tomatoes. After spending your last paycheck on groceries, you realize that you’re too inebriated to drive, so you take an Uber home. By the time you sober up to come back to pick up your Leaf at Whole Foods, it will be fully charged!

So, in the end, everything works out just fine.

The Leaf is a great car as a daily driver to shuttle you back and forth from work. If you have a day job that’s close to home and have to deal with a bunch of traffic, then the Leaf is a hassle-free and clean way to get around, especially if you can charge your Leaf at work.

It’s great value for the money and you can give yourself a pat on the back every time you drive it for emitting nothing…unless, of course, you just ate a ton of beans.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is about exploring my fascination with cars; I’m always on the lookout for things that interest me in the car world.

Follow !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 16:43

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CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 16:46

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Hm. If I had the money to get an affordable (semi) electric car, I'd get a i3 REX. From the Smoking tire, handling is pretty good, it's RWD, and it's carbon.

jariten1781 > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 16:49

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Don’t mind the leaf...it’s basically a fast, armored, golf cart...and golf carts are cool.

Kale is awful though. Straight up terrible...I’m not a deer.

M54B30 > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:08

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I’ve looked at a few on carmax and an genuinely surprised at how cheap they are. It’d be perfect for is - work is 5 miles away and the only town is 10 - well within its range.

And since electricity is included in our rent, charging it would be free.

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:08

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If i were to go semi-electric, I would go Audi Sportback e-tron. Hybrid wagon with decent performance. Nuff said.

jalop1991 > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:12

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The fact remains, a Prius is still a better choice. It’s ubiquitous, easy to find used for much cheaper than the Leaf is new, and—most importantly here—you’re not stuck with that nagging question, “can I make it there and back?” on every drive.

Because the Prius is a gasoline car that simply manages the energy in the gasoline better than other cars. And we all know that gasoline is everywhere.

Used Prius (hell, maybe new, I don’t know) plus gasoline is cheaper than new Leaf plus charging, AND eliminates range anxiety.

Unless you get off on constantly having range anxiety. Maybe you’re into S&M, I dunno.

protodad > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:13

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Thoughts compared to the 500e? Local dealership has them on lease for about $60 a month after all the rebates and a couple grand down payment. You are stuck at 10k mi a year but it is unlikely you are grabbing a cheap electric to do major commuting in. A buddy traded in his truck for one and even with it completely paid off he paid less per month than filling his truck with gas. If my car (Fit) wasn’t paid off it would be seriously worth considering.

Urambo Tauro > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:14

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If you’re on the freeway with the Leaf, your mileage will dwindle down quickly because the car only has one gear and so the faster you drive, the more energy you’ll use.

Seems like a transmission would solve that issue. Can someone remind me why electric cars like the Leaf don’t have one?

Aldairion > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:20

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Both my mom and dad each have LEAFs, and I think they’re on their third set actually. Started off with a lease and just kept turning them over every year or two for the next model-year up for the same payments. If you just need transportation and your commute is within range, I really don’t know why you’d buy anything else. The car rides well, it’s available with a great set of features, and there are absolutely ZERO running costs.

I’m blown away by how popular LEAFs are in that area (Alpharetta/Duluth/Suwanee, Georgia). Can’t go a day without seeing at least ten LEAFs on the road. Then again, my parents are Indian and there’s a huge Indian population in that area, and Indians are notoriously cost-conscious people.

I like how closely I can relate to this write-up, and it’s even funnier considering that my dad’s last car before his LEAF was a Golf TDI, which I now have.

Diavel in Hawaii > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:23

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I owned one of these and range anxiety is a real and stressful thing. Also, depending on where you live, the electricity can cost you more then gasoline. I know that sounds insane but between 3 and 8pm on a day ending in “y”, i pay 44 cents per kilowatt hour. My electric bill went up almost $300 with the leaf. This was plugging it in during the “cheaper” times as well. To be fair, my commute is 60 miles round trip..which isnt much until you add in the 4000ft climb which happens over 7 miles of that drive. It’s brutal on any vehicle. Leaving the house with 100% and getting home with 10% was a normal trip and going to costco required 2 hours of charging at the local Target just to have enough power to make it home.

I loved the car, but I’m one of the few that simply can’t use one due to distance and the outrageous cost of electricity here. What i miss most is not feeling like I was using a finite resource every day. Every explosion in my engine shortens the life of the vehicle. I never felt that with the Leaf.

ramajastang > M54B30 09/27/2015 at 17:23

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I saw some really well equipped top trim models in the 2012-2013 range that were under $13k.. I was really surprised as well.. My biggest problem with the leaf is I live 26 miles from work, so that’s 52 miles round trip, maybe in traffic, maybe not, depends on how that day is going. We have alot of chargers at work, so I could charge it at work.. and I’ve driven it and it’s not a bad car but I just like a little more fun from my vehicles.

Torque Affair > Aldairion 09/27/2015 at 17:24

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Exactly right! Great, cheap DDs.

Vic788 > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:25

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Also watch out for those NRG charge points, this might end up costing as much as prius plug in when doing the math, if you got a good place to charge thats a + but when you start looking for a place to charge make sure you do not pick a hostile spot as you might get into a confrontation with a charging spot. One Feature for those who live in hot climates, leaf has an option that lets you turn the car a/c on before you get to a hot car.........

M54B30 > ramajastang 09/27/2015 at 17:26

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Literally all our gas it go to work or to the stores, whatever, and can be done for free with an electric car. Just have a gas burning car for long trips

TriggerTX > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:34

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Thank you. So many people hate on them but most have never even been in one.

I came close to picking one up last year when rebates and such were at their highest. I’d have been in one at around $200/month. With my 3 mile commute it would be perfect. My car friends thought I was insane for even looking at them. I caught so much shit for it. Once you actually drove it though and thought about what it was to be used for it made lots of sense. It was quiet, comfortable, loaded with gadgets, and cheap.

I bought an Abarth instead. :D I only went to try out a base model Fiat but the deal was too good.

P.S. Now that you drove the ultimate in fuel saving vehicles, the offer to drop by and drive an 8MPG, 50+ year old T-Bird is still open.

TriggerTX > protodad 09/27/2015 at 17:35

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Sadly, the 500e is only available in California. And, I think, Oregon. I seem to remember the Fiat CEO saying they lose money on every one they sell.

OneMoreTimeAgainandAgain > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:38

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California has amazing deals on the 500e right now. I friend just leased one for $200 a month, which is less than they were paying for gas previously.

If I had a commute that I drove to, I’d get one. Also, there’s so much public charging (which is actually just premium parking) in the Bay Area. One of the Google lots has at least 100 spots in it (I consult with them from time to time).

dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 17:40

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What’s more, they can be had ridiculously cheap second hand. Like $10k for <100k miles.

The Ghost of ¯\_()_/¯ AKA BabySteps > Aldairion 09/27/2015 at 17:54

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After reading most of the article and your comment I have to say that I am impressed. If I were the kind of person with money enough to purchase a couple of cars (well three because if I had that kind of money my other two would be a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT and a Golf R (or something like that)) I would certainly look into getting this for around town — back and forth to work — driving.

YumYumOfTheYum > Aldairion 09/27/2015 at 18:02

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I present you another alternative.

Doctor-G-and-the-wagen > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 18:10

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Don’t judge me, car; fuck you.

ramajastang > M54B30 09/27/2015 at 18:10

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Yeah if my commute was much shorter I would consider a leaf as my daily.

MTY19855 > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 18:10

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Even if you do luck out on the tax rebates and get one for $25,000, a Sentra is still $8,000 less which at $2/gal will take you 126,000 miles. And replenishing the fuel supply takes two minutes, not ten hours. And it can be done at any well lit gas station, not sketchy parking decks where you risk having somebody who just smoked bath salts try to eat your face off.

If people like these electric things because they’re interesting gadgets, that’s fine. “Because it’s cool and I like it” is a line of reasoning I’ve used on many a purchase. But if you’re looking at practicality and price, these things just don’t add up.

MTY19855 > Aldairion 09/27/2015 at 18:11

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If they were as cost conscious as you say, they wouldn’t be buying Leafs, and they wouldn’t be turning them over into new loans every couple years.

Boss9 > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 18:13

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The only good thing about whole foods is that they allow dogs and it pisses some people off so much. Other than COTA, making people mad at whole foods is my favorite thing about Austin

Torque Affair > Boss9 09/27/2015 at 18:20

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hahah...Whole Foods is more about being trendy these days than actually wanting to be healthy.

True > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 18:23

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How does that zero emissions badge reconcile with the source of most electric power?

Dake > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 18:27

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Great write up and I admit to always being curious about these. So, mileage truly may vary, but could one reasonable say you could always get fifty miles on a charge? Thirty? What’s the cut off? Let’s say middle of summer, full AC and full-on, danger-to-manifold acceleration between every stop light with a couple of miles of Texas highway in between and the usual 80 mph. Could you say with some assurance that you could count on a certain amount of minimum miles, or could you really see something as low as the teens?

Torque Affair > Doctor-G-and-the-wagen 09/27/2015 at 18:28

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lol

Torque Affair > True 09/27/2015 at 18:28

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Oh yea...that’s a whole other topic of discussion.

Ken Moromisato > Urambo Tauro 09/27/2015 at 18:31

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Transmission means less range and more maintenance.

Torque Affair > dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter 09/27/2015 at 18:31

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Whoa, that’s insane! I’m assuming it’s because of a pricey battery replacement scenario since it’s out of warranty?

Ken Moromisato > jalop1991 09/27/2015 at 18:33

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Is there any gas station that you use that is Hand pumped?

Torque Affair > OneMoreTimeAgainandAgain 09/27/2015 at 18:34

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Yeah, it’s really the gas costs where you see the benefit of owning an EV. I can imagine the Bay Area parking lots being filled with chargers - Austin’s not nearly at the same level but I imagine it’ll catch up in the coming years.

drewcrosby > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 18:34

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Shopping at Whole Foods is a prerequisite to owning a Leaf.

Rick Cavaretti > True 09/27/2015 at 18:36

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That topic will never go away, will it? So, those solar panels on my roof...that's what they're for. Clean and cheap recharging.

dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 18:42

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Battery is warrantied until 100k miles, IIRC.

Torque Affair > Dake 09/27/2015 at 18:42

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That’s a great question. I feel like the mileage could really tank with the kind of scenario you brought up - I should test that out with Chris and get back to you. Teens sound too low - 30 sounds reasonable though..

Velofog > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 18:46

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I will add how great having a cheap electric car is. I have a Fiat 500e that is a blast to drive and only costs $155/month with a 3 year lease. It's quiet, torquey, and so much fun to drive around San Francisco.

Tvrtko-Kamen > Urambo Tauro 09/27/2015 at 18:47

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Well, they don’t actually need one. Torque is available through the entire rpm range. Gearbox would only incur more losses to the drivetrain.

Unfortunately Leaf does have relatively weak battery, because it was designed to be city car, so its efficiency depends on low speeds and frequent regenerative braking.

Urambo Tauro > Ken Moromisato 09/27/2015 at 18:48

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Transmission means less range and more maintenance.

The transmission in my car increases its range. It doesn’t require any maintenance except periodic fluid changes.

KURKOS__DR > True 09/27/2015 at 18:53

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I am surprised by how many Jalops ignore that production of gasoline, LPG or diesel produces emissions too. Have you ever passed by a refinery? It has chimneys with open flames lit on top and the air smells horrible. Burning the fuel releases more emissions, unlike EVs where the vehicle is emission-free. And some countries in the EU produce a great deal of theur electricity using nuclear or renewables.

GLiddy > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 18:56

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What I got out of this is a new ad slogan ala Don Draper:

“Leaf: The car for people who don’t value their time.”

An electric needs to get at least 200 miles range so you can figure that you can drive around the entire day and make it home. Back in the early 70’s my mom had a Cadillac Sedan deVille. That car had a 512 ci engine and a 25 gallon tank. As God as my witness, the range of that car was 125 miles. Doing any travel at all was painful, and figure that we stopped only for 20 minutes at a time.

I’ve looked at a Leaf, but I need a minimum of 150 miles per charge before I’d even consider it. I don’t want to charge at work, or at the mall, or at Whole Foods. Just get me from point A to B to C to D to A again before a charge and I’ll consider it.

chaboud > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 18:59

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“This is not the case with the Leaf. If you’re on the freeway with the Leaf, your mileage will dwindle down quickly because the car only has one gear and so the faster you drive, the more energy you’ll use. If you drive at 80 mph, your battery will dead sooner than it takes you to realize that you’re driving at 80 mph.”

This is just wrong. At least, the reasoning is. The Leaf does worse at highway speeds because *all cars* do worse at highway speeds. Air resistance increases with the square of the speed. It’s why a Veyron needs ~1000 bhp to go 253mph. If you drove around at a constant 30mph, your mileage would rock in your gas car.

So why does the Leaf do better in the city? Why not gas cars? The Leaf uses regenerative breaking to reclaim energy used to speed up the car. Your (and my) bonfire-mobile just scrubs off that considerable energy as heat generated by frictive brakes.

It has nothing to do with gearing until you run into wildly inefficient motor rates. If that ends up being the case, you’ll see that lost energy converted to heat in the motor. You don’t, because the motor is still efficient at speed. It just has to overcome much more air resistance.

Darth William > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 19:08

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Whole foods chargers are typically 240v 6.6kw. I put 20 miles back on while shopping for 40 minutes.

Also trees aren’t that hard to make, just drive and you will make them.

Timeforjeans > MTY19855 09/27/2015 at 19:11

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Except that cheap lease rates and a healthy $5000 state tax credit does wonders for their cost per mile. I also work in that area of Georgia and see these things all over the place. I actually thought about one but the limited distance doesn’t work with my extra curricular activities. However literally everyone else in Forsyth county owns one.

jeremy.akers > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 19:15

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LEAF Owner here, I have one major correction to make to this article:

“

However, after 3 hours of shopping at Whole Foods, you may be disappointed to find out that you were only able to add 5 miles to your total range. It is unfortunate that most of the public chargers are 120V which means that the Leaf charges sloooooowly

”

I have to point out how untrue this is. Any/All charging stations that use the standard J1772 charging plug are nearly always 240 volt/30 amp. Which add about 24 miles of range per hour. Even from a completely dead battery 3 hours at whole foods will bring you to nearly 100%. I can attest as I have personally done this at Whole Foods myself.

Pretty much the only way to charge at 120 volts is to use the 120 volt charger that comes with the LEAF and plug into a standard wall outlet.

Itsajelly > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 19:18

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Only downside i have experienced is tires. On 2nd set of fronts here b/c I drive it like all of you guys would....ELECTRIC TORQUE! My commute is ~20 round trip, so the lease payment is less than gas. Mine is an “s” model without the fancy wheels and connected app deal, but thats the economic reality. Like most if you I used to keep a beater around for commuting/grocery getting (high mile mk2 16v gti’s etc) but the leaf is really a whole new way of thinking about mobility. Its not slow, and if you use the eco mode as I do, its like engine braking, as the throttle still allows full power. Two other huge benefits, solo HOV lane and zero NVH. Really dig both.

Jon > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 19:23

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$5k for replacement plus 2-3hrs labor. the new leaf has 8 year 100k warranty on the battery

Jon > Urambo Tauro 09/27/2015 at 19:25

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Having a second motor with different gearing is more efficient. Also AWD

Jon > YumYumOfTheYum 09/27/2015 at 19:27

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That is half the cost but cost 3x as much to run not including the maintenance.

PS9 > Urambo Tauro 09/27/2015 at 19:33

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Because efficiency is not related to RPM in an electric motor the way it is with ICE. A rate of efficiency independent of RPM + completely flat torque curve = marginal or non-existent gains for reducing RPM relative to wheel speed, and a closer relationship between power draw and overall vehicle speed.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Urambo Tauro 09/27/2015 at 19:34

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Piston engines (especially diesels) have a relatively narrow rpm band where they run efficiently. That’s not the case with modern electric motors. An electric motor often will have a usable power band ranging from 0 - 15,000rpm... and you get a dyno chart that’s something like this:

On top of that, electric motors stay far more efficient for a far greater part of that rev range. For example... here is the efficiency chart for the Leaf:

Notice how efficiency is never below 85%? And notice how from about 2000-10,000 rpm, efficiency is at or above 90%?

At the other end of the scale is the VW 1.9L TDI:

As you can see, the sweet efficiency spot is around 1400-2500rpm. And you are also playing with a much smaller power band overall. Thus more gears are needed. You can’t hold a diesel in one gear from 0-10,000+ rpm like you can with the Leaf or with a Tesla.

So due to the wide torque and efficiency band, transmissions simply aren’t needed most of the time in an EV. The only case you can really make is if you want to build an EV with one gear for maximum 0-60 times and another gear for top speed. But even then, for better acceleration, it’s probably better to add a second electric motor (as Tesla has done) rather than an additional gear.

jeremy.akers > Urambo Tauro 09/27/2015 at 19:34

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Transmissions won’t help the range of an electric vehicle. ICE (or Internal Combustion Engines) can’t build power at zero RPM. They have to maintain a minimum idle speed to keep running and don’t really develop a lot of power until around 3,000-4,000 RPM for gas or 1,500 RPM for diesel. The same gas engine will redline at maybe 8,000 RPM (Or around 3-4k rpm for the diesel), only giving you a small usable power band. And IC engines produce very little torque near their red line, the higher the RPM the less torque produced.

An electric motor on the other hand produces it’s maximum torque at 0 rpm and continues to produce that same amount of torque pretty much all the way to it’s maximum RPM, which can easily exceed 10-12k RPM. Because of this no transmission is neccessary to get rolling.

At the same time, IC engines are most efficient at lower RPMs because of the amount of combustion heat lost at higher RPMs out the exhaust. This is another problem that electric motors don’t face. They don’t lose effeciency at higher speeds. The reason the LEAF loses range at higher speeds has nothing to do with a lack of transmission, it’s simple aerodynamics. The faster you go the more drag you have to spend energy to overcome and thus a lower range.

IC engines have the same issue. But because IC engines are most efficient at lower RPMs, we have learned that we achieve the best MPG in those cars in the top most gear because you can go the furthest distance at the lowest RPM, usually around 45-55 MPH is the most efficient speed in a standard gas car.

We’ve also learned in gas cars that stop and go kills mileage. That’s because of two reasons: 1) Sitting stopped/idling burns fuel without moving the car foward and 2) Stopping using friction brakes converts kinetic energy (That you burned gas to create) into heat which wastes the gas that went into creating that energy. Electric cars don’t suffer from either issue because they don’t continue “idling” when slowing down or stopping and they have regenerative brakes which put that kinetic energy back into the battery instead of wasting it as heat.

Adding a second gear to the LEAF would increase it’s top speed, but would not improve it’s range. The LEAF is most effecient at around 30 MPH, which is a little less than the 45-55 MPH for gas engines.

cybersamurai > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 19:36

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Sorry, the only image on my dash I get is

Jon > Urambo Tauro 09/27/2015 at 19:37

0

Fluid changes equal more maintenance. The point of an EV is to be as simple as possible. Tires,windshield wipers, cabin air filter are pretty much the only maintenance in an ev

Jon > GLiddy 09/27/2015 at 19:44

0

Less then 2 years wait for affordable 200 mile EVs. Also the quick charging infrastructure should be considerably larger by then

jeremy.akers > Dake 09/27/2015 at 19:45

6

As a LEAF owner living in Austin Texas where we have the A/C blasting all summer: I think I can answer this one pretty well. We have CARWINGS on our LEAF and it keeps track of our daily energy consumption and mileage. So Looking back through the dates I can see how many kW/mile we achieved on a daily basis. There are days where I drive exactly like you describe because I know I’m not going very far and I’m not worried about range. Racing other cars for the hell of it, driving 90+ MPH down Texas 130 toll (80-85 MPH speed limit), etc.

Looking back, our worst ever day was in June (A hot Texas day) at 3.3 miles per kilowatt. With a 24 kW battery, let’s assume only 20 kW are usable: 20*3.3 = 66 miles.

So on the 24 kW version of the LEAF your worst case scnerio is probably around 60-70 miles. If you have the new LEAF with a 30 kW battery, that would go up to 75-85 miles.

There is also a handy range chart posted in the “mynissanleaf.com” forums, which pretty much echoes my experience:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?…

According to that chart, if you set the cruise at 75 MPH you’d have about 62 miles of range on a 24 kW battery.

93Miata > Dake 09/27/2015 at 19:46

4

The mileage really tanks low temperatures. You have a double wammy there as the electric heater consumes a lot of electricity and the temperature negatively impacts the battery storage as well.

I attended an SAE meeting a while back where they presented the results of testing various EVs in different conditions. I guess Tesla has a battery heating strategy that is not impacted as badly by temperature swings but the Leafs/Leaves range was hit hard (I think the range was cut to ~60 miles but don’t quote me on that, it was a few years ago).

I really really want an EV but my daily commute is close to 100 miles round trip and my work doesn’t have a charger. Realistically I need a 200 mile range to handle my current commute with a safety margain which means Tesla is my only option at this time... and that is well above what I want to spend.

DonKeybals > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 19:52

0

Once again, this is a debate of what’s car means to you. And to some holier than thou assholes on this forum, who constantly shun on Toyota’s vanilla-ness, this USA perfect example of how others view cars, who don’t give a damn about anything, other than its a mode of conveyance. This doesn’t make them any less of a Jalop.

I would never own a car like the Leaf, because I like gas engines, fast performance, handling, and an upscale interior. This doesn’t mean the Leaf, Prius, or the Volt are any less valid of choices.

its a good car for what it is, and I hope electric car technology continue to evolve.

Torque Affair > TriggerTX 09/27/2015 at 19:57

0

Great story! Thanks for sharing.

Torque Affair > protodad 09/27/2015 at 20:00

0

Wow, $60 a month is nothing! Seems like a pretty good deal to me. Do it!

Torque Affair > cybersamurai 09/27/2015 at 20:00

1

hahaha, that’s bad...

Torque Affair > Jon 09/27/2015 at 20:01

2

That’s not bad at all!

Torque Affair > Tvrtko-Kamen 09/27/2015 at 20:01

0

Great input - thanks for sharing.

Torque Affair > Itsajelly 09/27/2015 at 20:03

0

Ah, didn’t think bout the tires. How many miles did you get out of the initial set of front tires?

Deckerman > ramajastang 09/27/2015 at 20:07

7

Get one! I drive 52 miles round trip to work in my Leaf with about 80% on the freeway. I usually get home with around 45% in perfect weather and about 30% in the winter.

Just make sure you get a 2013 or newer. The battery is much improved over the 2011-2012 in terms of longevity.

Deckerman > Dake 09/27/2015 at 20:12

4

The least I have ever managed in my 2013 Leaf was about 50 miles range. That was when it was 5° outside on the 90% freeway, and I was making very liberal use of the heater. I have an S trim which has a less efficient hearing element too, so with an SV or SL, it would have still been over 50 miles.

Dake > jeremy.akers 09/27/2015 at 20:12

0

That’s some awesome info and definitely not as bad I thought.

Deckerman > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 20:14

1

If you keep them at 40psi and rotate regularly, you can get 30-35k out of them. At least in my experience.

Matsayz > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 20:16

0

Can 240V be done at home???

RalphieDC > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 20:17

0

“Y you not slow down?”

Dake > Deckerman 09/27/2015 at 20:18

0

Excellent info - thanks!

Deckerman > DonKeybals 09/27/2015 at 20:21

1

I love my Leaf... As a commuter car. I used to daily driver an NC Miata and everyday I felt guilty for putting miles on it stuck in traffic. In the Leaf on the other hand, I have zero guilt because it is an appliance I use to get back and forth to work. I now have a cheap NB Miata that sees only top down, curvy mountain road, fun miles.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 20:26

1

A lot of people get these for two years and give them up. A dealer near me buys like 5 at a time from the dealer auction and sells them here in Marin. Zero emissions coming from the car, where is the electricity coming from, I always ask them that. I like my old diesel. Someday if they can drive me to work I might get one for a commuter. I am a fan of the old and the future, I love old transportation, but I like sci fi, if you can give me impressive technology I can be brought over.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > OneMoreTimeAgainandAgain 09/27/2015 at 20:27

0

Google is probably covered in solar panels too

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > TriggerTX 09/27/2015 at 20:28

0

I like the first gen Honda insight, I’d go for that one.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > cybersamurai 09/27/2015 at 20:29

0

There are no screens in my 240Z...

Murphie > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 20:30

2

Or get one with 25K miles for $13K , Nissan certified!

YumYumOfTheYum > Jon 09/27/2015 at 20:33

0

True enough if we’re considering gasoline price.. However, have you considered electricity price and maintenance costs of an electric vehicle? As in, battery replacement, regenerative braking failure etc?

From maintenance perspective, the mirage is still relatively analog btw ..

ny518 > True 09/27/2015 at 20:34

6

The same way that your EPA ratings doesn't figure in cost to procure, refine and distribute gasoline.

Jon > 93Miata 09/27/2015 at 20:37

0

About a 2 year wait till nissan,chevy,tesla come out with 200 miles sub $40k EVs.

krhodes1 > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 20:41

2

To me, the Leaf is an electric car that makes sense. Cheap and sensible, enough range to be a decent commuter, cheap enough that you can have something nice besides. A friend of mine had one and a Miata. Nice pairing.

The douche in me has long wanted to carry a fake charge cord around with me so I can park in those “special” spots.

Jon > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 09/27/2015 at 20:41

0

That is cause most plug in cars are from a lease. Also EVs are evolving at a rapid rate the 2011 Nissan leaf cost $37k only had a 74 mile range,no quick charging,3.3kw charger,no heat pump,no heated stearing wheel.

The new 2016 leaf is $35k has quick charging,6.6kw charger,heated steering wheel,etc

Jon > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 09/27/2015 at 20:42

0

Where is the edit button?

Also the the 2016 leaf has 107 mile range epa

Bycjoe > Aldairion 09/27/2015 at 20:42

2

I live in Acworth and work all over metro Atlanta and I have to agree, I think partially because Georgia had some good rebates going originally. We knew a man who was an early adopter that ended up paying $700 a year when you factored in rebates and money you don’t spend on fuel. I’ve also installed 8 240v chargers for them to date. Also just finished building an Indian restaurant up in Cummings, yummy

Aldairion > YumYumOfTheYum 09/27/2015 at 20:50

1

I’d say the Leaf offers a better degree of comfort and refinement than the Mirage, plus again - no running costs! It makes sense for people who budget in a regular car payment anyway.

digitalPSI > Deckerman 09/27/2015 at 20:51

0

So that’s like 40 minutes of battery life? Scary.

ramajastang > Deckerman 09/27/2015 at 20:54

0

I just got a new daily in July, maybe next year when it’s time for a new daily.

Jon > Matsayz 09/27/2015 at 20:58

0

Yes the leaf only accepts 6.6kw level 2 charging. But i would be a more powerful charger to make it more future proof. Also amazon and homedepot sell them

Jon > Matsayz 09/27/2015 at 20:58

0

I would get*

7liter12598723 > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 21:06

1

YIt probably has more to do with how the incentive structure means that used market is flooded with off-lease Leafs, and it’s difficult for resellers of used Leafs to compete with the lease deals on a new one.

Granted a Volt has a smaller battery, but a replacement Volt battery is cheaper than a rebuilt automatic transmission (~$2000), so the Leaf’s battery probably isn’t the $10k doomsday the naysayers posit.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > jeremy.akers 09/27/2015 at 21:08

0

That's not bad! I'd maybe possibly be able to get away with that kind of mileage for my commute.

Torque Affair > krhodes1 09/27/2015 at 21:11

1

haha, you should try that one time and capture people’s reactions.

Torque Affair > 7liter12598723 09/27/2015 at 21:12

0

Good point

Torque Affair > Velofog 09/27/2015 at 21:13

0

I bet in San Francisco, the 500e is the ideal car.

G8-Volt > Torque Affair 09/27/2015 at 21:13

1

I’ve been really happy with my Volt. On my typical day, I rarely exceed the 40 mile EV range of the Volt. If I need to go further, and sometimes I need to drive 200-300 miles in a day for work, I burn some gas. I went over 3,000 miles on my last tank of gas and the tank is only 9 gallons. It seems like the best of both worlds. I get to use cheaper electricity and get the smooth driving and instant torque of the electric drive. When I need to go farther, I don’t have to worry about running out of range.

Torque Affair > GLiddy 09/27/2015 at 21:15

1

Yeah, if you have to do a whole bunch of driving every day, the Leaf wouldn’t work. Or, if you have to run a bunch of errands on a daily basis requiring you drive a bunch of miles, the Leaf probably wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Jon > ramajastang 09/27/2015 at 21:15

3

You expect used prices to fall dramatically cause the next gen 200 mile EVs are coming out in 2017/18.

I bet you can find a leaf in good condition for $6-8k

Jon > ramajastang 09/27/2015 at 21:16

1

I expect*