Any IE to OC Commuters?

[drmemnok]

I am looking at the attractive lease price on the Leaf right now.

I commute into the office twice a week. This takes me from near the 15/91 to near the 133/5. So I take the 91 to the 241 toll road, to the 133, get on the 5 south and exit quickly and i am at work.

Anyone doing a similar commute, and if so can you do a round trip on a single charge?

I know that driving up those hills will take quite a bit from the battery, but I am hoping that the downhills will offer some offset via the regenerative breaking. This is pretty much the deciding factor for me. If I can do a round trip on a single charge, I go all electric.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[HairyCairy]

If you provide the street addresses, we can map the trip on the owners web cite. This will give you a good estimate on how much energy you could expect to use.
Let me know
Hairy

 

[drmemnok]

17986 Robusta Drive, Riverside CA to 8845 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine CA

 

[Randy]

Looks like 38 miles each way using the 241. Since it is mostly freeway driving and with the hills involved, I don't think this is a long-term viable commute on a single charge.

76 miles total, at freeway speeds, with hills, would tax the range of the battery when new if you drive at "normal" freeway speeds. You might be okay at first if you drove in the right lane at a slower speed. But once the car ages, it will get harder and harder to make that trip without workplace charging.

It also doesn't leave you any breathing room to run any errands....

 

[DaveEV]

Looks like 38 miles each way using the 241. Since it is mostly freeway driving and with the hills involved, I don't think this is a long-term viable commute on a single charge.

Even with a brand new battery the commute isn't doable unless one can drive 55 mph or slower the whole way.

Definitely need workplace charging to make this commute work, in which case even 80% charging will be sufficient provided one keeps their speeds to 65 mph.

 

[HairyCairy]

https://www.ev-route-planner.jp/nissan/pc/RoutePlanner.htm?rest=119&rstf=119&hw=1&ev=1&lg=en_US&etoken=46F44DF815CE40D7496D92CFFD44A5582EB84D843B8BA97E65FAB1926799ACAF68A3ABC9651CFF54200959F9009C640FEE80B1ACC9E15A0D2C47625E6B8632A9B6A5F9F21F9EA7446B14F057D063309F7B1E19A50716F512C443B7D2875EE2C6#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am not sure that link will work, but it is from the owners Plan your route page.
It looks like you would be pushing the range of the leaf, and it would be unrealistic for an experienced EV driver to make it round trip with out a charge.
The good news is there is OC Nissan Two miles from your destination. You would be able to get a L2 at a min there and hopefully some day L3 if you needed it. Of course this would require you leaving early and figuring out a way to make the two mile hike to your destination from the charger. Some options would include adding a bike hitch, like the Bill Davis hitch, and riding a bike two miles at the end. Another option would be to work with your destination to see if they could install a charger. You could also get an upgrade on your L1 charger through http://evseupgrade.com/?x and see if your destination will provide an outlet for you.
Making the switch to all electric for the time being takes some serious habit change. Oil in my opinion is the worst habit of them all and it is very hard to get off of it right now, but it is possible.
So will the leaf make it round trip, I would say no. Can you do it, I would say yes. Once you go all electric it will change they way you look at each of your trip's and will require allot more planning. This is something we got used to not doing in a ICE vehicle, but it will actually make you safer. It's not a bad thing to plan a trip and have back up plans.
Hope this helped
Hairy

 

[DaveEV]

The good news is there is OC Nissan Two miles from your destination. You would be able to get a L2 at a min there

I would not count on charging at a dealer for free every day (certainly not without asking) as that is not their intended use and even the most EV friendly dealer will not put up with it for long.

 

[mendenmh]

Judging by the fact that it is close to plausible without charging, you could probably get away with just taking your regular 120V trickle charger, if you have access to an outlet in the parking area at work. You get about 5% charge per hour on trickle, so in an 8 hour workday, you will have put back 40%, which is pretty close to how much you will have taken out.

If you often need to work a lot less than 8 hours, or can't get to an outlet, etc., this won't work, of course.

 

[drmemnok]

Excellent info folks. I want to make this happen. I want to tell OPEC what they can shove and where. I want to reduce the emissions that I am spewing on every commute. I really appreciate it. Already talked with my office manager and a standard outlet is available to me for the time being. One more EV among staff and I can get a charger installed.

 

[HairyCairy]

I want to tell OPEC what they can shove and where.

You are a true patriot, I am very glad that it will work out for you. Hopefully more American's will share your passion and make the switch as well.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Already talked with my office manager and a standard outlet is available to me for the time being. One more EV among staff and I can get a charger installed.

Great news, and you'll no doubt be a convert, and not want to go back to oil burners. At 60-65mph, you'll knock out about 4.0 miles per kWh, of the 21kWh that a brand new car has on a 70F or warmer day.

4.0 * 21 = 84 miles range, and your 76 miles is absolutely as close as I'd want to do for a daily trip in a brand new car. Within about a year or two, you won't be able to complete it.

But, with the 120v outlet, and assuming 8 hours charging at work, you can expect 8 * 5 miles per hour = 40 miles.... in other words, you could fully charge the car for the return, and have plenty for traffic detours, rain storms, using the heater (it takes a TON of power), going to lunch, etc.

Welcome to the family. Why not come over to Hometown Buffet, 1008 East 17th St, Santa Ana on Saturday morning, 8am-11am, and you can talk shop with the gang.