Hi,
I've been reading this forum for a few months now and test drove a 2012 leaf last week. I like the way the car drives and feels etc. My main concern in the range. I'd like to give a detailed description of my daily commute and see what real owners think.
My Drive starts from my house at the top of a big hill. The elevation is 1100ft and quickly goes down to sea level after only 1.5 miles.
From there I enter the freeway which is normally stop and go traffic for about 5 miles, speed ranges from 0-15 or 20 mph. There are only slight hills with elevation changes of no more than 50-60 ft. After those 5 miles I pick up speed to about 55-60 for the next 10.5 miles. Again no elevation changes. Then I start to climb a long uphill grade from sea level to 1100ft over the next 12miles. Speed is again about 55-65.
I am in Honolulu Hawaii so the weather is warm all year around. Cold mornings are about 65-72 and days are about 79-82 summer does not get past 90. Humidity is pretty high so I would like to keep the Climate control on all the time.
My return trip (with no charging at office) is of course the opposite but PM traffic is different.
I cruise down hill from 1100ft to sea level at 60-65 mph over the first 12 miles, then the road flattens and I can continue for about 6.6 miles at the same speed, until I hit traffic. The traffic is heavy stop and go speeds from 0-15. That goes on for about 10.5 miles, then I hit the bottom of my hill and start the 1.5 mile climb 1100Ft to my house. My distances are a little off trying to figure out where the traffic stops and starts but my actual distance is 28 miles one way.
So my question is not so much can it be done, as after reading the multiple posts about ranges I know it can be done. But at what comfort level, being the AC must be on all the time and with the speeds and elevation changes.
I don't want to have a car that is on the brink of empty when I make my daily commute. I drive pretty normally not tailgating or zipping around other cars.
And with inevitable battery degradation I don't want to have a car that cant even make the trip comfortably in a couple of years.
Also, if there is a holiday or the university is on break speeds are about 60 mph both ways with little to no traffic.
I plan to lease the car 3 years if that makes any difference on opinion.
Thanks in advance for any input on my buying/leasing decision.
Thanks
I've been reading this forum for a few months now and test drove a 2012 leaf last week. I like the way the car drives and feels etc. My main concern in the range. I'd like to give a detailed description of my daily commute and see what real owners think.
My Drive starts from my house at the top of a big hill. The elevation is 1100ft and quickly goes down to sea level after only 1.5 miles.
From there I enter the freeway which is normally stop and go traffic for about 5 miles, speed ranges from 0-15 or 20 mph. There are only slight hills with elevation changes of no more than 50-60 ft. After those 5 miles I pick up speed to about 55-60 for the next 10.5 miles. Again no elevation changes. Then I start to climb a long uphill grade from sea level to 1100ft over the next 12miles. Speed is again about 55-65.
I am in Honolulu Hawaii so the weather is warm all year around. Cold mornings are about 65-72 and days are about 79-82 summer does not get past 90. Humidity is pretty high so I would like to keep the Climate control on all the time.
My return trip (with no charging at office) is of course the opposite but PM traffic is different.
I cruise down hill from 1100ft to sea level at 60-65 mph over the first 12 miles, then the road flattens and I can continue for about 6.6 miles at the same speed, until I hit traffic. The traffic is heavy stop and go speeds from 0-15. That goes on for about 10.5 miles, then I hit the bottom of my hill and start the 1.5 mile climb 1100Ft to my house. My distances are a little off trying to figure out where the traffic stops and starts but my actual distance is 28 miles one way.
So my question is not so much can it be done, as after reading the multiple posts about ranges I know it can be done. But at what comfort level, being the AC must be on all the time and with the speeds and elevation changes.
I don't want to have a car that is on the brink of empty when I make my daily commute. I drive pretty normally not tailgating or zipping around other cars.
And with inevitable battery degradation I don't want to have a car that cant even make the trip comfortably in a couple of years.
Also, if there is a holiday or the university is on break speeds are about 60 mph both ways with little to no traffic.
I plan to lease the car 3 years if that makes any difference on opinion.
Thanks in advance for any input on my buying/leasing decision.
Thanks