Thinking on getting a Nissan Leaf Limo

[NissanLeafCamper]

Hi Guys,

I was looking around and saw that there is a Nissan Leaf Limo. I think it is pretty cool! I really wish I could have one and in fact it seems that you can get someone to make one for you. I just wonder, which would be the best candidate for a Limo Stretch? People mentioned that it MUST have Quick Charger Port and that it should at least charge at 6.0KW with the lv 2 charger. I will also guess that it should be at least a model SV so it can have nice things like the GPS and other stuff (That I don't know about since I have an S ).

Also someone said it should be at least a 2013 because it would be easier to stretch because that big capacitor box on top of the battery pack got moved to the front. Is this true?

There was also one article talking about the company that made it was looking into adding an additional battery pack (Making it a total of 2) for range recover; since it loses some due to the extra weight from the stretch.

So:

2013
Quick Charge Port
At least SV Trim
At least 6.0KWh Charge

Any other suggestions?

Regarding license it seems that in california you only need a special license if it can sit more than 10 people:

http://www.dmv.org/ca-california/special-licenses.php

So a regular license is okay.

Next issue would be insurance which I don't know how much it would cost and then the warranty would likely be voided on the car. Would it be completely voided?

Oh and no I don't want to start my own limo business. The limo leaf would be my daily driver .

Oh in terms of length the leaf is 175" long while the stretch, from what i herd, is 48 inches more. That makes it something like 223" long. This is as long as my Chevrolet Express Van 04 and I can park that thing almost anywhere. Parking for a charge should not be a problem then since the parking spots are big enough for it.

 

[cwerdna]

Why are you going to dmv.org? That's not the correct official place to look. https://www.dmv.ca.gov is the correct site.

 

[NissanLeafCamper]

Thanks for that. Looking here through dmv it says that if I

A passenger-type vehicle that transports: • Passengers for hire, such as a taxi, rental limousine, or an ambulance, must be registered as a commercial vehicle.

But I'm not going to be using leafy for that. At least that bit is clear. I still have to find something specific on license. My guess is ... Don't add anymore seats to the leaf!

I don't really think it should need a special license to be driven. My 04 chevrolet express van is 224 inches long and I don't need a special license to drive it. The leafy from what I herd will be 223 inches making it one inch shorter than my van.

"With a Basic Class C License:
a 2-axle vehicle with a GVWR of 26,000 lbs. or less.
a 3-axle vehicle weighing 6,000 lbs. gross or less.
a motorized scooter.
any housecar 40' or less.
A farmer or employee of a farmer may also drive:
any combination of vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) of 26,000 lbs. or less if used exclusively in agricultural operations and it is not for hire or compensation."

I think the main issue will just be Insurance and how much the limo costs.

What are you guy's thoughts on the cost for insurance of a nissan leaf limo?

 

[Firetruck41]

Maybe check on a limo forum for insurance costs? If insurance cost is a concern, I don't understand why you would be converting a Leaf to a Limo in the first place, if it is not going to be generating money for you. If I were looking for an expensive electric car, I would look at the Tesla.

 

[NissanLeafCamper]

Would the conversion cost more than a tesla I wonder? I currently pay 150 for full insurance on my leaf so If i were to get a second that could be around 300 total. I wonder if the insurance for the limo would be less or more than 300 per month>?

 

[born2pdl]

Please share with us why you want a stretch Leaf. Carry extra passengers or large items? Looks cool? I'm fine with any of those, but you would get better responses if your reason were clear.

 

[XeonPony]

Please share with us why you want a stretch Leaf. Carry extra passengers or large items? Looks cool? I'm fine with any of those, but you would get better responses if your reason were clear.

And to add to that you'd get much better suggestions with a clear application in mind

 

[NissanLeafCamper]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I think it would look cool. I think I'd even add little flags at the front like those fancy president limos I have seen. Plus extra space could be nice. Could potential make an awesome camper since camping with the regular leaf is a bit tough, but still makes an awesome camper. No Extra passengers though just the two rear seats and space in the middle. Maybe add a tiny arcade machine behind driver to pass the time while charging; or just use my laptop for that actually that would be much easier. I think the extra space would just be awesome. You could even take a nap back then if you'd like. Add a tiny box fridge for cold drinks. A nice flat TV right behind the driver or passenger side. HECK, why not put a projector way back where the rear seats are and have a little white pallet thing roll down behind the driver and passenger seats and watch an awesome movie?

Also someone asked about my insurance and I made a mistake:

I have mercury it is from what I recall 6 months. I don't think mercury sells annual or at least I recall my agent saying that. I have 2 cars one van and the leaf. Minus the van it comes out to 114 something, but they asked for a little more upfront.

$90 was the First payment for the van alone. Then 42 for 4 payments. Then I added my Nissan leaf and got some discounts in from having 2 cars and they asked 216 up front then 156 each month after.

216-42=174
174-155=19 across the six months
19/6= 3.1

So not quite what I was thinking at first.

156-42= 114 +3 = 117 paid per month for the leaf or a buck less if you take the van into consideration though with out they'd remove the two cars discount so....

 

[minispeed]

I think you'd be better off with a small pop up trailer. The leaf can easily tow 2000lbs on a small hitch. The only thing you wouldn't have is your "cool factor". It would be even better for camping, or hanging out in while your car charges. Range wouldn't be affected when you don't tow it and the cost would be much cheaper than doing the conversion, especially if you were adding a second battery. From what I've heard about battery replacements you need a new battery paired by Nissan so you can't just put a second one in on a switch. Resale value wouldn't tank like it would on a limo and you can sell it separately or use it on your next car too. Warrantee isn't an issue you just tell them you only use the hitch for a bike rack and whatever you do for the wiring make it reversible if you need to take it in.

 

[aluminumwelder]

I think it would be absolutely ugly and resale value would be extremely bad since the one thing that makes people buy a leaf (environmentalism, being thrifty) would be thrown out in the conversion.

 

[SalisburySam]

I'm intrigued by the OP's desires for, if I'm understanding correctly, a unique camping vehicle. I have some suggestions:

1- I agree with another poster in that if you are worried about the insurance cost, skip the project because insurance will be one of the least costly parts of the whole thing. In any case, the only way you will get an accurate idea of insurance costs is to ask a few insurance companies for a quote. The costs vary significantly based on location, vehicle repair history and costs, your personal driving record, and many, many other factors. Given the uniqueness of the vehicle you propose, and limos in general, I would expect a large insurance tab. But again, that is something that insurance company underwriting actuaries are paid to determine.

2- The vehicle chosen: pretty much anything can be stretched. I'd worry less about these details and rely more on the company that is going to do the mods for you.

3- About the stretch itself: who is going to do the work for you, and have you investigated the cost to do so? Most simple stretches cost north of $30k (in addition to the cost of the vehicle itself) based on what I've seen in car mags and news articles. And this can zoom skyward for anything beyond basic. Remember you are hacking the vehicle in two, creating the segment in the middle, ensuring structural integrity and safety are maintained, and on and on. This is why I think your insurance will be quite high.

While respecting your desire, I think a better path for you might be one of the following: find and buy one of the existing LEAF limos, or contact one of the companies that has stretched a LEAF and discuss your desires with them. After all, they've done it and know exactly the costs and answers to most of your questions.

Do a search in MNL for "Nissan LEAF Limo" and you'll find pictures and discussions about at least one stretch. It was done by a company called Imperial LimoLand (Google it). I think that would be a good starting point.

Lastly, since you could easily have much more than $50k in such a vehicle, even with buying a used LEAF, is that really the sort of vehicle you want to take into the woods? In any event, good luck with the project, and if you choose to go forward with it, create a new thread and share your progress with the forum.

 

[NissanLeafCamper]

Thanks for the replies. I actually ended up contacting limoland first which are based in Kentucky but they never replied, so over the weekend I e-mailed a few limo companies that did the work. got responses including limo land from kentucky. Basically it went like this: Big Limos: 40k, lcwlimo: 60k (Includes price of car), limosbymoonlight 48.5k, pinnacle limousine 33-38k, limo land 35k. So it does sound like 30k and up is standard. I actually ran a couple of ideas for a camper like set up that would still let me charge with out having to unhook the trailer or for the car to be big enugh to be camper like. The issue with charging your car and it towing a trailer is that at least here in CA as far as I know you can't leave the trailer unhooked on the street and parking your car with the trailer hanging out back will block traffic. I don't charge at home I live in apts. The only trailer plus hook up I could think of was a smart car ev plus a smallest trailer for camping purposes which I found to be something like a tear drop or similar trailer (Forgot the name of the other ones). Not doable since the on board charge is slow and there is no chademo option.

 

[RonDawg]

If you're going to spend that kind of money to modify an EV that lets you camp in it, you might as well do it properly and get a Chevy or GMC van that has been converted by VIA Motors to a PHEV: http://www.viamotors.com/lineup/

VIA buys brand new trucks, vans, and SUV's (the larger body on frame ones) directly from GM and replaces the transmission with a generator. The drive wheels are powered solely by an electric motor; there is no direct mechanical connection between the engine and drive wheels. They then fit 23kWH's worth of batteries and associated electronics to the vehicle, giving you 40 miles in pure electric mode (take that, Prius Plug In!). The advantage of using a company like VIA is that any components not modified by VIA still retain the full GM factory warranty, and they are sold through select GM dealers that can also service them.

It's not going to be cheap (perhaps $60k or more for a "contractor grade" van, and doesn't include any fitments to make it livable inside) but at least it's done properly, and more importantly has a warranty. But that will have to do until Nissan decides to bring over the eNV-200 (if ever).

 

[minispeed]

If you're going to spend that kind of money to modify an EV that lets you camp in it, you might as well do it properly and get a Chevy or GMC van that has been converted by VIA Motors to a PHEV: http://www.viamotors.com/lineup/

VIA buys brand new trucks, vans, and SUV's (the larger body on frame ones) directly from GM and replaces the transmission with a generator. The drive wheels are powered solely by an electric motor; there is no direct mechanical connection between the engine and drive wheels. They then fit 23kWH's worth of batteries and associated electronics to the vehicle, giving you 40 miles in pure electric mode (take that, Prius Plug In!). The advantage of using a company like VIA is that any components not modified by VIA still retain the full GM factory warranty, and they are sold through select GM dealers that can also service them.

It's not going to be cheap (perhaps $60k or more for a "contractor grade" van, and doesn't include any fitments to make it livable inside) but at least it's done properly, and more importantly has a warranty. But that will have to do until Nissan decides to bring over the eNV-200 (if ever).

A while back I remember reading a PDF comparison on cost of the VIA with a regular work truck and I think they quoted $100k for the truck up front.

 

[RonDawg]

It's not going to be cheap (perhaps $60k or more for a "contractor grade" van, and doesn't include any fitments to make it livable inside) but at least it's done properly, and more importantly has a warranty. But that will have to do until Nissan decides to bring over the eNV-200 (if ever).

A while back I remember reading a PDF comparison on cost of the VIA with a regular work truck and I think they quoted $100k for the truck up front.

The VIA rep told me at the LA Auto Show (about 3 years ago) that a "contractor grade" pickup started at US $60k with no options. I could see a medium-option Silverado going for $100k or more though.

 

[NissanLeafCamper]

It's not going to be cheap (perhaps $60k or more for a "contractor grade" van, and doesn't include any fitments to make it livable inside) but at least it's done properly, and more importantly has a warranty. But that will have to do until Nissan decides to bring over the eNV-200 (if ever).

A while back I remember reading a PDF comparison on cost of the VIA with a regular work truck and I think they quoted $100k for the truck up front.

The VIA rep told me at the LA Auto Show (about 3 years ago) that a "contractor grade" pickup started at US $60k with no options. I could see a medium-option Silverado going for $100k or more though.

-correction its not cutaways they are actual cargo vans-

Sorry but I don't think I mentioned this, it has been a few days, but I actually found a fully electric van online being sold by a company called Zenith. They basically take RAM PROMASTER and take out the power train. Then they take a UQM motor and add a nice and big battery pack. The smaller cargo version called the 136 is not listed on their website (Yet), but that is the ideal one I would think fits best for a 'conversion' like you mentioned . Basically in their website they have listed the 350 which I believe is the longest van offered for the RAM PROMASTER. The 136 is actually almost the smallest van offered for the ram promaster. It is 1 foot shorter than my old Chevrolet Express Full Size van which is a good sign. Also, they all come with the high roof top feature which is nice and lets you stand up fully. Standard onboard charger is 6.6kw like the leaf, but can be upgrade to 12kw for a little more. Though public chargers only give up to 6kw at the most, so to use the full 12kw you need to install a special charger at home. From what I was told they give you the correct charger for your home to charge the van depending on what you pic, and it is included in the cost. The van gets about 90 miles on a single charge when loaded with 3.5k pounds of load from what I read. So i think it might get a few more miles when unloaded (If that matters). The van qualifies for a 50k discount before purchase through california's HVIP program. Only catch is that it must have comercial plates. Also I was told that in one year they will offer CHAdeMO socket for their vans and that it won't be a retrofit option. I much would prefer the CHAdeMO socket for charging since there seem to be plenty of those in Los Angeles. It is a pretty cool van and it has big horse power and torque at least from the specs on the UQM electric motor. I think this would be the more electric option if you were to do an eventual conversion like the one you mentioned. The via motors is okay, but I just don't like that it uses gasoline I want to stick with electric if possible ! the motor is a PowerPhase Pro 135 from UQM.

 

[hp1]

Still interested in one? I have one that I've retired from shuttle duty. Shoot me an offer.
2012 model with 100k miles.