New Leaf--and loving it!

[woodyas]

The research. The Hamlet like indecision: back and forth between should I do it or just hold off. The wife looking at me and bellowing out: Just get the damn car! Your excogitation on this Leaf is driving me nuts.

But still, the lingering doubts were there: do I really need it?

And after one full day, my response is saliently simple: hell yes!

What a fun time I had the other day--and all of the doubts and equivocation just melted away. This car is awesome.

Still have much to learn--and so much for finishing any books this weekend. Me and the owners manual: it ain't Tolstoy...but maybe just as illuminating.

Happy to be part of the Leaf family...and look forward to gleaning so much valued wisdom and acumen from the good folks on this forum. Bottom line: I have the Leaf--and I am feeling great.

 

[vegastar]

Welcome to the Leaf family! 17 months of ownership and a smile every time I drive the car.

 

[ksnogas2112]

Welcome to Team EV. Enjoy the grin.

 

[jmillington]

Welcome!
After 19 months of ownership - I love this car! :mrgreen:

 

[MrIanB]

The research. The Hamlet like indecision: back and forth between should I do it or just hold off. The wife looking at me and bellowing out: Just get the damn car! Your excogitation on this Leaf is driving me nuts.

But still, the lingering doubts were there: do I really need it?

And after one full day, my response is saliently simple: hell yes!

What a fun time I had the other day--and all of the doubts and equivocation just melted away. This car is awesome.

Still have much to learn--and so much for finishing any books this weekend. Me and the owners manual: it ain't Tolstoy...but maybe just as illuminating.

Happy to be part of the Leaf family...and look forward to gleaning so much valued wisdom and acumen from the good folks on this forum. Bottom line: I have the Leaf--and I am feeling great.

Nice early Xmas present from yourself to you.

Ian

 

[woodyas]

Yes: it is an early Christmas--and it will keep me occupied for the next month figuring it all out.

Succinctly put: it feels good driving it. And driving by the gas stations--what a joy!

Some quick questions: do most drive in Eco Mode or regular?

And I really only drive about 20 miles per day. So: should I top of religiously every day to 80%? Or skip a day without charging--as even 40% charge gets me to work.

Love to hear the experts.

Thanks.

 

[Boomer23]

Big Congrats and attaboy. Did you get your document
copies in order and send for your CA state rebate yet?

How will you be charging your LEAF?

 

[eHelmholtz]

Welcome Woodyas! Here's some things that you might consider to make the experience even more fun!

1. New tires - MXM4 or MXV4 to improve driving experience. Wheels would be nice too. Here.
2. Leather Seats. Example here.
3. Wood or Aluminum paneling just for fun. Here
4. Side Moldings. Here
5. Turn signals. Here
6. New horn. Here
7. Coilovers, subwoofers etc. Here

 

[Weatherman]

And I really only drive about 20 miles per day. So: should I top of religiously every day to 80%? Or skip a day without charging--as even 40% charge gets me to work.

I'd go for the charge to 80% every day, at least until the weather starts warming up. If you can get into a comfortable routine, you might want to only charge to 50% (6 bars) or 60% (7 bars) and only right before you need it, and keep the battery charged to maybe 3 or 4 bars the rest of the time. This will become more important next spring given how hot La Quinta gets during the summer months.

There's no guarantee that a low, average state of charge on the battery will increase its longevity, but research suggests it might. With a two-year lease and a 20-mile-per-day driving requirement, you should do ok, regardless of what charging routine you choose (as long as you don't charge to 100% and leave it there in 100F+ heat for many hours or days).

 

[dgpcolorado]

And I really only drive about 20 miles per day. So: should I top of religiously every day to 80%? Or skip a day without charging--as even 40% charge gets me to work.

I'd go for the charge to 80% every day, at least until the weather starts warming up. If you can get into a comfortable routine, you might want to only charge to 50% (6 bars) or 60% (7 bars) and only right before you need it, and keep the battery charged to maybe 3 or 4 bars the rest of the time. This will become more important next spring given how hot La Quinta gets during the summer months.

There's no guarantee that a low, average state of charge on the battery will increase its longevity, but research suggests it might. With a two-year lease and a 20-mile-per-day driving requirement, you should do ok, regardless of what charging routine you choose (as long as you don't charge to 100% and leave it there in 100F+ heat for many hours or days).

I agree that charging to less than 80% would be best for a 20 mile daily commute. I'd determine how long it takes to add 20 miles worth of range and then add that to a base of about two to three fuel bars, to have a comfortable cushion if something comes up.

For example, if you are running at about 4.5 miles/kWh—reset one of the meters each day to determine this number—then 20 miles would be about 4.4 kWh. Charging at Level 1 (120 V, 12 A) is about 75% efficient so it would take just over four hours to add that amount of charge, call it 4 hours, ten minutes. Charging at Level 2 (240V, 16 A) is about 86% efficient so it would take just over an hour and a half to add that amount of charge.

So, run the car down to three fuel bars then set one of the charge timers to add the appropriate time of charging, ending about when you plan to leave home each day (or during off-peak electricity rates, if your utility has you on such a plan). Adjust the time of charge as needed until you are comfortable that the results give you your 20 miles of added range each day, which will vary with the seasons, weather, and heater or AC use.

Why bother? Research on Li-ion battery chemistry shows reduced degradation in the lower range of charge, so keeping the pack at 30% to 60% charge may help it to last longer. And since the car's charge timers are so easy to set, it is very easy to cycle the car's battery in the lower part of the charge range with a short commute like yours.

Just a suggestion, you can just charge to 80% every day if you prefer. I wouldn't charge every other day unless you don't get much below two fuel bars by the second day.

 

[Nubo]

...
And I really only drive about 20 miles per day. So: should I top of religiously every day to 80%? Or skip a day without charging--as even 40% charge gets me to work....

My normal commute is not that much further. So I do like many others and set up an "end-time-only timer" to 80% @ 06:00. So I plug the car in when I get home but it doesn't start charging until the wee hours, to be at 80% by 6:00 am. So the battery actually spends most of its time at lower SOC. 80% at 06:00, then a drive to work where it sits all day at 7 or 8 bars, then a drive home where it sits again at 4 or 5 bars until the wee hours.... rinse and repeat. And I have a nice cushion when I have some driving to do in the evening.

 

[planet4ever]

La Quinta? Next summer you are really going to want to baby your battery, but right now the battery is new and your temperatures are moderate, so you can mostly just enjoy it. With "about 20 miles per day" you are right not to charge past 80%, but depending on how you drive you are likely to end up keeping the battery above 50% most of the time if you charge every day. My suggestion on charging frequency would be closer to what dgpcolorado said. Charge only when it drops to somewhere around four or five bars. I also average 20 miles/day, and I charge if I am at five bars or less, because I don't have a regular commute, and some days I drive much farther than others. If you drive about the same distance every day, let it drop to four, or even three, before you charge, as dgpcolorado said.

By the way, since you are leasing (a wise move, that, with your climate) I suggest you ignore all the things eHelmholtz suggested.

Ray

 

[woodyas]

Great advice to everyone here. Bravo to such succinct and cogent information.

And yes: I would have never bought this car--to many what if's and unknowns on the battery. But leasing--and with the deals out there. Too damn good to pass up.

I have my Rebate form ready to go--just waiting for the final email back. Last instructions and then I mail back.

And I will follow the blog on driving electric. Look forward to that...just need to get past this initial confusion of ALL that this car does.

And I am still dumbfounded by the some of the negative reviews I have read on this car. Again...this does not include the battery issues. That I would understand if I bought the car. But this really is such a great car--and so many more of these should be flying off the lots. (Again...assuming the range issue is not in play.) But for a short commute and doing errands--please, how the heck can you beat this?

 

[Caracalover]

Congratulations.

Eco and D are about the same if you understand them. D gives more performance but pushing harder on the pedal in ECO will also allow you all of the same torque. As a matter of fact, if you need all 80KW to go into the traction motor, the A/C will reduce its power use to allow it in either mode.

Eco will give you more regen when you lift your foot, so for slowing down I always use it, but a light foot on the brake will also give you that in D. A light foot on the brake in either mode wiil give you more regen, watch the meter to play with it.

When you want to maintain speed more than conserve energy, D is best so that when you lift your foot you won't slow down and lose the kinetic energy you have already achieved. With practice you can use ECO, but most people regenerate more energy through slowing than they wanted, and have to use more energy to regain the speed that was lost, so it is a net loser of energy compared to the lesser regen you get in D.

Keep in mind that coasting is the most energy efficient mode (Except when you are going fast enough for wind resistance to matter), so many people use N when they can. This is not a true neutral, it is just not gaining or using electricity, and when you are fully charged the vehicle feels this way since you can not regen energy.

If you live on a hill, a lower SOC will benefit you to begin the day. At 80% charge you can not regenerate as much energy when stopping, so a 60% charge would allow you to be more efficient.

 

[AndyLL]

If you can get into a comfortable routine, you might want to only charge to 50% (6 bars) or 60% (7 bars) and only right before you need it, and keep the battery charged to maybe 3 or 4 bars the rest of the time.

If you manually stop the charge yourself every day doesn't that mean the battery never balances itself?

 

[Weatherman]

If you manually stop the charge yourself every day doesn't that mean the battery never balances itself?

Every month or two, from late October to late April, when it's reasonably cool, I start the charge at midnight, let it run to 100%, and then let it sit, plugged in, until around 9:00 am. Then, drive enough to knock the charge back down to at least 8 bars. I won't do it from late April through late October, unless I, immediately, plan to drive at least 35 miles. From late April through late October, temperatures are, basically, in the 80s day and night, so it's not worth taking the risk.

 

[dgpcolorado]

If you can get into a comfortable routine, you might want to only charge to 50% (6 bars) or 60% (7 bars) and only right before you need it, and keep the battery charged to maybe 3 or 4 bars the rest of the time.

If you manually stop the charge yourself every day doesn't that mean the battery never balances itself?

Yes, and also if you just charge to 80%, so far as is known. However, if you don't need 100%, having the battery not be fully balanced is irrelevant.