S vs S Plus

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NewLeaf74

Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2022
Messages
5
Hello-

I'm about to start the process of purchasing my first EV.

Here's my current situation: My last two leased cars (3 year leases which I kept for the entire term) were each turned in with under 15k miles. My job is 9 miles from my home (18 miles round trip). Obviously I don't do a lot of driving nor do I go on road trips. There are a few EVgo chargers in the parking lot where I work which have both CHAdeMO and SAE. I plan in trickle charging at my home although my electric company does offer a Level 2 charger (allegedly installed for no up front costs and only $38 a month for 10 years), which I will evaluate if necessary over time. I live in South Florida.

is there any reason I should be afraid the 40 kWh battery? Is that all I need? Is there any reason I should pay more for the Plus?

Thanks for your feedback!
 
Welcome. The only real issue with the 40kwh battery vs the 62kwh version is that the 40 doesn't like multiple fast charges in one day - especially, but not only, when it's hot. (The 62 isn't great for multiple QCs either, but it's better.) It sounds like you have no need for quick charging, and no need for 200 miles of range. I's say the S should be fine. Just realize that with either car you won't have remote access to climate control.
 
Thanks for your feedback! I don't anticipate needing to quick charge very often. I need the SV for the remote climate?
 
Yes, you need the SV (or SL). The S in both battery sizes lacks the telematics necessary for remote access. If that matters to you, I suggest you look for the least optioned, homeliest SV 40 on the lot. That includes late model used ones, if the price is right.
 
LeftieBiker said:
Yes, you need the SV (or SL). The S in both battery sizes lacks the telematics necessary for remote access. If that matters to you, I suggest you look for the least optioned, homeliest SV 40 on the lot. That includes late model used ones, if the price is right.

Thank you so much! I appreciate the info. Definitely the SV for me.
 
That and the heat pump are the main reasons that I've never considered leasing an S. (Although oddly enough, it was an advertisement for a $99/mo lease on the S that got me interested in the Leaf in 2013, and into one - an SV.)
 
NewLeaf74 said:
Hello-

I'm about to start the process of purchasing my first EV.

Here's my current situation: My last two leased cars (3 year leases which I kept for the entire term) were each turned in with under 15k miles. My job is 9 miles from my home (18 miles round trip). Obviously I don't do a lot of driving nor do I go on road trips. There are a few EVgo chargers in the parking lot where I work which have both CHAdeMO and SAE. I plan in trickle charging at my home although my electric company does offer a Level 2 charger (allegedly installed for no up front costs and only $38 a month for 10 years), which I will evaluate if necessary over time. I live in South Florida.

is there any reason I should be afraid the 40 kWh battery? Is that all I need? Is there any reason I should pay more for the Plus?

Thanks for your feedback!

You don't provide enough information to really give a good evaluation so I will say if you can afford it, get the Plus. Your never statements are simply too hard to believe w/o knowing more about you.

Your EVSE deal from the power company? Something is wrong with that or you are leaving out vital information.
 
NewLeaf74 said:
I plan in trickle charging at my home although my electric company does offer a Level 2 charger (allegedly installed for no up front costs and only $38 a month for 10 years), which I will evaluate if necessary over time.
$38/mo * 12 months * 10 years = $4560.

A good Level 2 EVSE (*) is about $500 with another $200-800 for the electrician to do the installation (cost varies depending upon how far from the electrical panel it ends up being).

So the deal from your electric company appears outrageously expensive. Does it include (for free) all the electricity used to charge the car? Even then I think it might be a bit expensive.

(*) it is not a charger; the charger is built into the car
 
DaveinOlyWA said:
NewLeaf74 said:
Hello-

I'm about to start the process of purchasing my first EV.

Here's my current situation: My last two leased cars (3 year leases which I kept for the entire term) were each turned in with under 15k miles. My job is 9 miles from my home (18 miles round trip). Obviously I don't do a lot of driving nor do I go on road trips. There are a few EVgo chargers in the parking lot where I work which have both CHAdeMO and SAE. I plan in trickle charging at my home although my electric company does offer a Level 2 charger (allegedly installed for no up front costs and only $38 a month for 10 years), which I will evaluate if necessary over time. I live in South Florida.

is there any reason I should be afraid the 40 kWh battery? Is that all I need? Is there any reason I should pay more for the Plus?

Thanks for your feedback!

You don't provide enough information to really give a good evaluation so I will say if you can afford it, get the Plus. Your never statements are simply too hard to believe w/o knowing more about you.

Your EVSE deal from the power company? Something is wrong with that or you are leaving out vital information.

What more information would you like to know about my driving habits?

Also, here's the Information for the charger program from my EC:

https://www.fpl.com/electric-vehicles/evolution/home.html
 
jlv said:
NewLeaf74 said:
I plan in trickle charging at my home although my electric company does offer a Level 2 charger (allegedly installed for no up front costs and only $38 a month for 10 years), which I will evaluate if necessary over time.
$38/mo * 12 months * 10 years = $4560.

A good Level 2 EVSE (*) is about $500 with another $200-800 for the electrician to do the installation (cost varies depending upon how far from the electrical panel it ends up being).

So the deal from your electric company appears outrageously expensive. Does it include (for free) all the electricity used to charge the car? Even then I think it might be a bit expensive.

(*) it is not a charger; the charger is built into the car

Based on my expected mileage, I did think the deal was insanely overpriced.
 
If you have an unused dryer or electric range or welder circuit somewhere that isn't in use, you can get an EVSE with the correct amperage and plug for it. 30 amp dryer circuits can handle up to 24 amps in continuous use, and 50 amp range circuits can provide more than the maximum 30 amps the Leaf can use. If it's an older dryer circuit, though, you might want to "de-rate" it a bit, and use a 16 or 20 amp EVSE.
 
LeftieBiker said:
Just realize that with either car you won't have remote access to climate control.

Remote climate control can be enabled via OVMS, in addition to setting charging to below 100% SoC.
For S. Florida weather the charging control is important for battery longevity so I would install OVMS with any new LEAF. The remote climate control is an extra perk, as is the savings in buying an 'S' model Vs SV or SL.

tl;dr
Buy inexpensive, high quality, open sourced telematics over the crappy, expensive, Nissan stuff.
 
I thought S models don't have the hardware/software for OVMS, and that OVMS only replaced whatever interface Nissan supplied with a different one. Is that not correct?

And by setting the charging % remotely, do you mean being able to watch the charging progess so it can be terminated at will? Again, I thought that without a CAN bridge and Dala's firmware or the Nissan-supplied feature that ended after the 2013 MY it wasn't possible to set the ending charge SOC.
 
NewLeaf74 said:
DaveinOlyWA said:
NewLeaf74 said:
Hello-

I'm about to start the process of purchasing my first EV.

Here's my current situation: My last two leased cars (3 year leases which I kept for the entire term) were each turned in with under 15k miles. My job is 9 miles from my home (18 miles round trip). Obviously I don't do a lot of driving nor do I go on road trips. There are a few EVgo chargers in the parking lot where I work which have both CHAdeMO and SAE. I plan in trickle charging at my home although my electric company does offer a Level 2 charger (allegedly installed for no up front costs and only $38 a month for 10 years), which I will evaluate if necessary over time. I live in South Florida.

is there any reason I should be afraid the 40 kWh battery? Is that all I need? Is there any reason I should pay more for the Plus?

Thanks for your feedback!

You don't provide enough information to really give a good evaluation so I will say if you can afford it, get the Plus. Your never statements are simply too hard to believe w/o knowing more about you.

Your EVSE deal from the power company? Something is wrong with that or you are leaving out vital information.

What more information would you like to know about my driving habits?

Also, here's the Information for the charger program from my EC:

https://www.fpl.com/electric-vehicles/evolution/home.html

Ok so includes free charging for 10 years I am guessing? THAT is a considerable fact that I would have included. I guess its not bad for a all in thing but maintaining charging, etc. is hardly a difficult thing for me but then again, it requires daily attention which is something a lot of people tend to shy away from.

So I go back to my original statement; how do you know you will "never" need more range? Are you older? (which doesn't actually stop most of the people I know who are older than me and I am OLD)

Have a "trip" car?
Another driver who has a car?
Modest financial resources?
 
It's generally good advice to suggest that people get the most range they can afford. However, when someone has range needs so small that a 2011 Leaf could exceed them, I think a Plus is unnecessary, as the 40kwh pack should be fine well past the 10 year mark - even in Florida.
 
goldbrick said:
I thought S models don't have the hardware/software for OVMS, and that OVMS only replaced whatever interface Nissan supplied with a different one. Is that not correct?

https://docs.openvehicles.com/en/latest/components/vehicle_nissanleaf/docs/index.html

Stanton has written up documentation for the internet and also posted here on the topic.

I should disclaim that I do not own OVMS so none of my posts are direct experience. My understanding is that people with SV/SL recent models can re-use their 4G, while S Model owners will add a 4G. It is not expensive or a big deal.
 
From the above:


2018+ models (ZE1)

2018+ 40/62kWh LEAF is not yet supported. Please get in touch if your interested in helping to add support. Relevant 2018 CANbus messages have already been decoded and documented, see MyNissanLEAF thread.
 
When someone is new to EVs, or to the Leaf, I try to recommend the simplest solutions to them. If someone comes in already experienced in working on these cars, then I suggest more advanced options. It's always a good idea to be sure that what you are suggesting is actually possible, of course - or to at least note that it's a guess.
 
SageBrush said:
LeftieBiker said:
Just realize that with either car you won't have remote access to climate control.

Remote climate control can be enabled via OVMS, in addition to setting charging to below 100% SoC.
For S. Florida weather the charging control is important for battery longevity so I would install OVMS with any new LEAF. The remote climate control is an extra perk, as is the savings in buying an 'S' model Vs SV or SL.

tl;dr
Buy inexpensive, high quality, open sourced telematics over the crappy, expensive, Nissan stuff.

Currently no Gen 2 options
 
Just to summarize, after the little detour above: I strongly suggest that the OP get a Leaf SV40, including possibly a late model used one. His range needs are so modest that he wouldn't have to charge more than once a week at most.
 
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