This just in : $ for L3 charging option.

This just in from my Vegas correspondent....L3 option, SL only......$700! :shock: :shock: :shock:

So, if you're a part of the EV Project, and getting the L3 on your car (even if it's only a SV) for free....something else to count your lucky stars for!

mwalsh said:

This just in from my Vegas correspondent....L3 option, SL only......$700! :shock: :shock: :shock:

So, if you're a part of the EV Project, and getting the L3 on your car (even if it's only a SV) for free....something else to count your lucky stars for!

Click to expand...

That's very disappointing. L3 is really nothing more then a connector, isn't it? All of the works are in the L3 unit itself? $700 is pretty outlandish.

Any additional funds to some, but not others, is pretty outlandish. Nissan should just make the cars and get them out there before starting to play all of these games. There will be zero incentive to install L3 chargers outside of those that my tax dollars are paying for - and which I see no benefit from.

Thumbs down to Nissan on this one.

I told my guy we'd figured maybe a worst case scenario of a couple of hundred bucks. It is a bit disappointing. Maybe one of the things that Nissan will still look for our input on with this focus group thing they're supposed to be doing.

LakeLeaf said:

L3 is really nothing more then a connector, isn't it?

Click to expand...

That is just a bad assumption. L3 still needs to signal etc. Come to think of it, L3 connector isn't any less complicated than an EVSE - which costs $700 !

Do we know if this is a user installable option? I would prefer to postpone the decision to buy L3 and save the $700 for now.

There needs to be L3 charge-control electronics inside the LEAF, and probably high-current protective relays, in addition to the L3-Socket and high-current wiring.

But, I had certainly hoped it would be "included" on the SL, rather than an additional extra-cost option.

Will there be other extra-cost options?

mwalsh said:

This just in from my Vegas correspondent....L3 option, SL only......$700! :shock: :shock: :shock:

So, if you're a part of the EV Project, and getting the L3 on your car (even if it's only a SV) for free....something else to count your lucky stars for!

Click to expand...

How do we know for sure it's free if we're part of the EV Project? Thanks.

mwalsh said:

This just in from my Vegas correspondent....L3 option, SL only......$700! :shock: :shock: :shock:

Click to expand...

Just shows how rotten SAE and their L3 politics is. Terrible.

I don't know how many saw a link I posted sometime back - in PlugIn 2010 conference apparently there were heated question/anwers about this.

Any word if the EV Project will be ready in the Bay Area for us that have the August order date? Hopefully if we get into the project before we have to shell out the $700. I for one will not purchase an EV without L3.

indyflick said:

How do we know for sure it's free if we're part of the EV Project? Thanks.

Click to expand...

Oh, I don't. I was going from what you guys (meaning those of you in the EV Project) have been saying.

Ready2plugin said:

Any word if the EV Project will be ready in the Bay Area for us that have the August order date? Hopefully if we get into the project before we have to shell out the $700. I for one will not purchase an EV without L3.

Click to expand...

It doesn't sound like the EV Project will be available in the Bay Area anywhere near that soon:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=121&start=93

All LEAFs in The EV Project will receive the Level 3 fast charger. (Question 5 in the FAQ). The EV Project is not currently slated to install any EVSE in San Francisco. Their 5 initial areas were Seattle area, Portland (OR) area, San Diego, Phoenix/Tucson, and Tennessee. Added since have been parts of Texas and Washington, DC. ChargePoint America will install EVSE in the bay area, but have no agreement with Nissan.

I honestly can't think of a situation where I'd ever need to use L3, as long as I'm more diligent about plugging in every night than I am about going to get gas when I'm running low, AND the Leaf performs as advertised, range-wise.

But it's one of those things...the one day I do need it, and don't have it, I know I'll be kicking myself. Plus there's what it has the potential to do for resale value. Not that I plan on selling the Leaf until it's literally falling apart. It's a tough choice at $700. At $200, maybe even as high as $300, it would be a no-brainer.

mwalsh said:

I honestly can't think of a situation where I'd ever need to use L3, as long as I'm more diligent about plugging in every night than I am about going to get gas when I'm running low, AND the Leaf performs as advertised, range-wise.

But it's one of those things...the one day I do need it, and don't have it, I know I'll be kicking myself. Plus there's what it has the potential to do for resale value. Not that I plan on selling the Leaf until it's literally falling apart. It's a tough choice at $700. At $200, maybe even as high as $300, it would be a no-brainer.

Click to expand...

The L3 does allow trips outside of the normal short distance commuting area if the trips are planned around L3 charging stations. Using L2 charging stations along the route is not feasible because of how long it takes to charge. I was hoping in the future when charging stations are more prevalent, to be able to take trips from San Diego to Long Beach with an L3 charging stop somewhere in southern Orange County. This would only be possible with L3 charging.

Frank said:

The L3 does allow trips outside of the normal short distance commuting area if the trips are planned around L3 charging stations. Using L2 charging stations along the route is not feasible because of how long it takes to charge. I was hoping in the future when charging stations are more prevalent, to be able to take trips from San Diego to Long Beach with an L3 charging stop somewhere in southern Orange County. This would only be possible with L3 charging.

Click to expand...

I don't honestly see me doing that. When we drive to see the wife's daughter and her family in Encinitas (only a couple of times a year), I see us driving the Focus instead. Or maybe one of the Minis.

For me I also cannot see spending money on the L3. I plan to keep my F150 and Subaru for longer trips.
Within a year I would speculate an aftermarket conversion for half or less.

mwalsh said:

I honestly can't think of a situation where I'd ever need to use L3, as long as I'm more diligent about plugging in every night than I am about going to get gas when I'm running low, AND the Leaf performs as advertised, range-wise.

But it's one of those things...the one day I do need it, and don't have it, I know I'll be kicking myself. Plus there's what it has the potential to do for resale value. Not that I plan on selling the Leaf until it's literally falling apart. It's a tough choice at $700. At $200, maybe even as high as $300, it would be a no-brainer.

Click to expand...

I'd agree that there are not many situations that I see where I would need an L3. About the only reason at $700 that I could justify it is, like you, for whatever value it would add to resale. Since, like you, I don't plan on selling the car for a long time - I would think that I can just afford to sit and wait for the prices to come down and that standards to be worked out and get the thing added in a few years for a hundred bucks or so.

However - there is a bunch of chicken and egg type stuff to this. Suppose there was already a decent L3 network in place and the car came with an L3 port. I would certainly see myself making use of it from time to time. It would take the car from something that I could use for 90% of my driving to 99% of my driving. That's pretty huge. I make a fare number of trips to destinations an hour to an hour and a half away. If those destinations had L3 chargers, I could and would use this car.

I believe if the cars came with L3, then there would be more reason for businesses and local and regional governments to support an L3 infrastructure. Without the demand, I don't see the charging stations going in - so it's a pretty self defeating decision by Nissan.

As to the argument that the standard hasn't been decided on - to me that kind of goes out the door if Nissan is going to deliver L3 in certain areas where they expect concentrations of EV's, and the EV Project is going to install L3's to support those cars. IMHO - whatever standard those cars and charges are using - that's going to be the L3 standard unless something happens down the road to overcome a whole lot of inertia. Having Nissan rationalize that L3 of one standard is perfectly adequate for high density EV areas, but not adequate for the rest of us doesn't strike me as a winning argument. I'm not completely up on the details of these standards, but I would bet that if a new standard comes out in a year or two or three, it will essentially be a super-standard of what the L3 used for the EV areas is - that is the existing L3 infrastructure will be 100% usable with the new standard, you just might not have a few of the new bells and whistles. It might not be how things appear in standards right now - but after there are many millions invested in the EV project areas - I'd bet any new standard would have to incorporate the existing completely.

I agree if the Tepco is good and Nissan and GM I don't think has a quick charge option. Since Nissan is first others will have to follow so that is now the standard. Am I right? OK

mwalsh said:

I honestly can't think of a situation where I'd ever need to use L3, as long as I'm more diligent about plugging in every night than I am about going to get gas when I'm running low, AND the Leaf performs as advertised, range-wise.

But it's one of those things...the one day I do need it, and don't have it, I know I'll be kicking myself. Plus there's what it has the potential to do for resale value. Not that I plan on selling the Leaf until it's literally falling apart. It's a tough choice at $700. At $200, maybe even as high as $300, it would be a no-brainer.

Click to expand...

It's a lot easier To walk out to the garage Then plug in if you for got Than putting on your shoes and coat and driving to the gas station.

For those who think the future standard would follow what is in place (if enough of it is in place) look at history.

GM is on the standards committee. Historically, they have done everything possible to disrupt EV adoption.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) settled on conductive as "the" standard for EVs in California.

So GM created the Inductive MagneCharger for the EV1.