Wife looking at a Leaf

[desiv]

I do not, however, encourage them to adopt risks like relying on workplace charging with the present infrastructure.

That really depends tho, on where they are..
Here in Salem, Oregon (where I work) there is lots of charging.
So even if my work isn't available (which it isn't, I'm on the waiting list), there are plenty of backup options. I even have multiple DCQC options in town.
I realize other places will be different.
As I suggested, they should check on plugshare for some backups to the work charging for the situations when it might not be available.
But especially with a 6kW charger based Leaf, they possibly have plenty of options.

desiv

 

[caSteve]

After a month of commuting in a new 2015 S, I wouldn't advise this. My commute is 32 miles total with some but not much elevation changes, mostly highway, mild weather, and 50% -60% or so is what I expect to see on the capacity screen when I get home at the end of the day. Since her commute is twice as long, I would guess that on days where charging at work doesn't happen (surely once in a while) she'll be at the limit of what can be done. Just my two cents, but I wouldn't do it.

edit: While I don't have the heat pump on the S, I also pretty much never use the heater or AC. Also, looked at my elevation change on google maps for bikes, and it's about 400 feet.

 

[Slow1]

After a month of commuting in a new 2015 S, I wouldn't advise this. My commute is 32 miles total with some but not much elevation changes, mostly highway, mild weather, and 50% -60% or so is what I expect to see on the capacity screen when I get home at the end of the day. Since her commute is twice as long, I would guess that on days where charging at work doesn't happen (surely once in a while) she'll be at the limit of what can be done. Just my two cents, but I wouldn't do it.

Ok, so assuming you always start out at 100%, if you averaged 55% at end of your drive, then if you double the drive I'd expect you to average 10% remaining at end of the doubled commute. So, driving 64 miles and having 10% left really isn't out of range IMO but certainly would take getting used to (i.e. if you are stressed to hit LBW then that would be a problem). Question is battery degradation could hurt this as would cold weather. I do tend to think there is significant gains possible here with driving style - mild weather in my 2013 S and 32 miles I expect to be over 60% indicated remaining.

Given that charging is available at work I would be willing to do this - now, if we assume that workplace charging will not be available when needed then I'd put this on marginal.

Perhaps it all comes down to comfort level - I certainly agree that there isn't a large buffer in this commute to cover multiple worse case events (i.e. no charge at work, plus cold weather, plus high energy driving style, plus battery aging could easily be seen to make this drive a problem). The driver can control driving style, might be able to affect work charging (depending on situation/influence), but really can't do a thing about cold weather (although can choose to run heater more/less), and really can't do anything about battery aging - that will happen.

The ultimate safety net here is that workplace charging - as you point out if this is unavailable it could cause some serious pain. Nobody can predict the future of that charging - could be overcrowded or in disrepair in the future. Mitigation of this may be to see what other charging is available near there (i.e. is there a L3 charger near the workplace that could be used 'in a pinch' if factors gang up one day?).

What may be a good test would be to take an extended test drive on the actual route with the actual driver and see what happens

 

[knightmb]

So significantly better half is looking at a Leaf, and after reading reviews, specs, posts on this forum I still have some questions.

I drive a Prius Plug-in as a daily driver, and have installed a Cripple Creek LCS-25 EVSE.

After 3 years, wife has finally learned to say, " I know this may affect your EV efficiency, but can we turn on the heat?" So i think with that in mind she can handle the technology in a Leaf.

- her commute is 31.7 mi each way, and her work does have level 2 evse available, and is aware of the lunchtime shuffle of EVs at the charging station

- any issues other than recharging time in using the lcs-25?

- enclosed garage stays at 60 - 70 year round.

- i know use of heat/ac will adversely affect range, as will age and care of traction battery; any guesses as to percentage of range reduction that can be expected when using climate controls?

Thanks!

If she is getting into a fairly new (2015) or recent used (2013/2014 with low mileage) then given the safeguards (charging at work, location won't get extreme cold during winter time, charging along the way, etc), I don't see any reason why this would not work. Actually, depending on the variables and planning, she might find this to be very pleasant.

As others have commented, things out of your control (weather, battery age, working charge stations) can be planned for, everything else can be tweaked. If the Leaf is just a commuter vehicle, have her start hyper-miling the trips. Those things you do have control over. Inflate tires above factory recommended PSI to reduce rolling resistance (makes a very big difference). Learn to use the seat heaters / steering wheel heaters and dress warm during extreme winter temperatures. Don't follow the fast +80mph traffic lane to work (use cruise control), learn know when to use the various Eco and Regen modes on the vehicle. Keep the windows up and use the fresh air setting in the vehicle to keep the Aerodynamics in shape. Don't be afraid to use the recirculate function of the heating/AC system (no exhaust fumes from vehicle to build up inside). Get a Leaf with the Heat pump (SV or SL model), they make a difference between using 200 to 1,500 watts for heating and 3,000 to 6,000 watts for electrical only heating.

Driving an EV is a totally different mindset than driving the ICE vehicle. If you know your trip distance and your battery charge level, you'll soon learn your vehicles real world mileage and what you are comfortable with.

 

[minispeed]

No one has mentioned this yet, and with a PIP you might have already done it but have you mapped out her drive using plugshare.com? Shuffling for work place charging means it probably isn't a guarantee that you get it but if there are any L3s close to the route it minimizes the impact if you can't get on the plug at work. If you're not familiar with plugshare make sure you read the reviews for any chargers you'd plan on using, and if they haven't been reviewed go check them out yourself before considering them operational.

I just went through my first winter in a 2015 SV, and I bought super light weight winter wheels to help with range but this March so far with temps right around freezing or a few degrees +/- 4.0 miles / kWh is pretty easy at a mostly highway drive, max 62 mph. I was seeing 3 miles / kWh when it was -20C (-4F) and below.

For the winter this was the avg with my wife and I both using it to commute (I work shift work so she takes it on days I'm off). I also drive a lot at 4am and 11pm when it's colder.
Dec 3.63
Jan 3.57
Feb 3.25

Temp were
Dec High 51F, most days around 40, low 14F
Jan High 43F, most days below 30F, low -6F
Feb never a day above 30F, low -14F

*edit* checked car wings, on the 3 coldest days of the year that I drove to work, -7F to -14F 2 days were just over 3 miles / kWh and 1 day was just under. With 100% 3 gets you 66 miles of driving.

My wife drives 55 miles round trip no charge at work and had to stop to charge at 30amp L2 a few times, never longer than 15 min. Most of those times it wasn't needed in the end, she would have come home before turtle but since we live on the top of an escarpment it's hard to gauge the power needed. The only thing she does to save range is turn down the heat and drive a bit slower.
I drive 90 miles round trip with 10hrs on an L1 at work. What I found is the L1 charges slower when it's cold giving me as low as 40% extra and it would take me at most 80% of my battery to do 1 leg so I would stop at the L3 on the way in with a warm battery and take advantage of the quick charge for 15-20 min (note that 80% was for 40 miles to the L3). I'll use every hypermiling trick in the book to save range but I found that I really didn't have to, If I was in a hurry I might turn off heat to go faster. We do just under 2000 miles a month.



You're about 1 month away from the best time to buy the car as you can test drive it in the worst conditions. If you can get a really cold day to go test drive one then that will help a lot.

Re set one of the miles / kWh gauges and drive similar to the work drive, make sure it's at least 32 miles and round trip to avoid wind/elevation. Since the car has around 22 kWh when new and you want to factor in battery loss. Below 70% is when you get a new battery so lets say your car gets down to 70% and stays there by some miracle no new battery for you. Can your wife drive at a rating in the cold for 32 miles that will use 15.4 kWh to go 63 miles? Magic number 4.1. Now the chance of a new 2015 battery going down to 70% are slim, not impossible but slim. (15000 miles on my 2015 and no capacity loss yet but all batteries are different) The second important thing about the number she gets is to reverse it to find out at what % she won't be able to do a round trip anymore. So if she gets 3.6, 63/3.6=17.5, 17.5/22 = 80%. I've done some rounding to make it easy but since all batteries are a bit different the numbers may be off by a few % to the actual car you end up buying.

Depending on the temp when you test drive you can make some intelligent guesses.
Also get her to track her fuel economy on her drive to and from work, if she has a gauge in her car. 1 way will probably be better than the other, if it's better on the way home it makes it easier, ie if she shows up at work above 50% and the conditions stay the same she should make it home no charge. For my wife and I it's the reverse which makes it a bit harder.

 

[TimLee]

...
Perhaps it all comes down to comfort level ...

Yes.
That is what I said.
It all depends on the comfort level of the person doing the commute.

Some would find it reasonable.
Many would not.

Bit surprising crewdog made first two posts ever to MNL on March 6, now has three pages of response six days later, and has yet to return :?: