Calling all Nissan LEAF Owners in Ireland...

coffin

Hi. I will hopefully be taking ownership of my new Nissan LEAF next week and I am looking to connect with other Irish Leaf owners, and indeed owners of other BEVs and Plug-ins. I think that together we can help ensure that the promised infrastructure goes down in a timely fashion, and can also work together on any other issues that may arise. If you are interested, or know of another group that already connects such owners together, can you contact me via a post on this forum. Thanks.

Mr Benevolent

I don't think there are any yet. Car enthusiasts don't buy electric cars, and car enthusiasts populate this forum. Anyway, the Irish are notoriously conservative and I wouldn't buy one until they've been proven for a few years.

QED really.

Mr. Presentable

Maybe a sub-forum will be created in the future for electric cars. It would seem an opportunity to discuss and learn about the practicalities of ownership and infrastructure issues.

Anan1

Confab wrote: »

I don't think there are any yet. Car enthusiasts don't buy electric cars, and car enthusiasts populate this forum. Anyway, the Irish are notoriously conservative and I wouldn't buy one until they've been proven for a few years.

QED really.

You mean you're conservative and wouldn't buy one? I think i'm an enthusiast, and I would.:)

coffin

Hi All. Thanks so much for your replies. I am a newbie here so apologies if I have posted this is the wrong place. I am just looking to "discuss and learn about the practicalities of ownership and infrastructure issues" as Mr. Presentable has so eloquently put it.

Confab, I have to say that I disagree with your points. First of all I know of at least one owner, the first one in Ireland is based in Kerry. Secondly, while I would not consider myself a "piston-head" I am very enthusiastic about cars. And given that all cars have motors (but not all cars have engines) I would argue that the "Motors" forum on Boards is exactly the right place to discuss such matters. Having said that, I would be happy enough to post in an "EV" sub-forum if it exists. Perhaps I have not searched hard enough.

One last thing Confab, have a look at this brief article. I don't suspect it will convince you to fall in love with BEVs. But it's just some food for thought: http://www.allcarselectric.com/blog/1056335_8-reasons-why-gearheads-shouldnt-hate-electric-cars. I really don't want to get into a "I Love EVs/I Hate EVs" argument. I just want to connect with other EV and Nissan Leaf owners. Thanks

Owen

Enjoy your hotpoint

Confab

Confab wrote: »

I don't think there are any yet. Car enthusiasts don't buy electric cars, and car enthusiasts populate this forum. Anyway, the Irish are notoriously conservative and I wouldn't buy one until they've been proven for a few years.

QED really.

Generally car enthusiasts have cars too if they are 17+ years old :P

Mr Benevolent

RoverJames wrote: »

Generally car enthusiasts have cars too if they are 17+ years old :P

Touche. Have just discovered I can tax, run & insure a Rover 75 under budget though

Was only joking old boy
Rover 75 :rolleyes:

Mr Benevolent

RoverJames wrote: »

Was only joking old boy
Rover 75 :rolleyes:

Yeah I'll get me pipe, slippers & smoking jacket.

Sesshoumaru

Confab wrote: »

I don't think there are any yet. Car enthusiasts don't buy electric cars, and car enthusiasts populate this forum. Anyway, the Irish are notoriously conservative and I wouldn't buy one until they've been proven for a few years.

QED really.

I have one ordered and I consider myself a petrol head. I really loved my Audi A6 Avant Quattro Sport, but she's going to a good home(my old man). My new Leaf when it arrives(in the next few weeks *fingers crossed*) will hopefully serve my young family well! and when I want some fun I'll still have my Ducati Monster, which is cheaper to tax for a year than the Leaf, so it definitely won't be going anywhere

@coffin

I'd suggest an Irish forum like this UK one:

http://www.leaftalk.co.uk/forum.php

or maybe make a request for a subsection of motoring on Boards?

Mr Benevolent

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

I have one ordered and I consider myself a petrol head. I really loved my Audi A6 Avant Quattro Sport, but she's going to a good home(my old man). My new Leaf when it arrives(in the next few weeks *fingers crossed*) will hopefully serve my young family well! and when I want some fun I'll still have my Ducati Monster, which is cheaper to tax for a year than the Leaf, so it definitely won't be going anywhere

@coffin

I'd suggest an Irish forum like this UK one:

http://www.leaftalk.co.uk/forum.php

or maybe make a request for a subsection of motoring on Boards?

Fair play, they're supposed to be good. Just for the record, I'm pro electric cars and electric everything else, I just think that takeup will be very slow but will rise steadily over the next few years. I'll buy one secondhand if reliability is high and tax doesn't rise out of all proportion.

Let us know how you get on with it!

_Kaiser_

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

I have one ordered and I consider myself a petrol head. I really loved my Audi A6 Avant Quattro Sport, but she's going to a good home(my old man).

For what it's worth all the best with the new car, but (and maybe I'll be proved wrong in time) I think your old man got the better deal there!

No way would I trade a big, comfy, well-equpped quattro saloon/estate for an unproven bit of PC tech. Even if it does take off the cost to recharge them (and electricity generally) will no doubt skyrocket as well

Cookie_Monster

Must keep an eye out for clouds of SMUG over Kerry so

Sesshoumaru

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

For what it's worth all the best with the new car, but (and maybe I'll be proved wrong in time) I think your old man got the better deal there!

No way would I trade a big, comfy, well-equpped quattro saloon/estate for an unproven bit of PC tech. Even if it does take off the cost to recharge them (and electricity generally) will no doubt skyrocket as well

Thanks!

I work in IT, like gadgets and can generally be considered an "early adopter" type person. I love my Audi, went to London to get just that model secondhand. But I'm reasonably confident I'm making the correct decision. Anyways the old man lives less than a kilometer from my home... He's getting the Audi on condition we can do short term swaps for when I need a long range fossil fuel powered car

As for the cost of electricity, I don't think it will go up by much. The majority of people use their car during the day for short trips well within the range of the Leaf. That means night time charging would be suitable for the vast majority of people, most of the time. Our power stations don't turn off at night, so charging at night just means a lot of energy that would otherwise be wasted, gets put to good use. Hence why electricity is cheaper at night.

But I'm not arguing against the possibility of failure for electric cars. I can't see the future, so only time will tell if I made the right choice. I'm not trying to save the planet by buying one either, although I do care about the environment. I'm buying one because of all the available technologies and possible future technologies on the horizon, I think electric is the most likely one to succeed. Also for geopolitical reasons:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0228/1224291007206.html

As for the car itself, I wouldn't have bought the Leaf if I thought it was a crap electric car. I've driven two different Leaf's now and I like it. I like the fact that unlike the Renault Fluence ZE or the Ford Focus Electric, it was designed from the ground up as an electric car e.g. batteries under floor giving it a 50/50 weight distribution unlike the Focus Electric and Fluence ZE which have them in the boot. All the components in the car, with the exception of the battery have been around since the dawn of the automobile (electric motors are not new technology). I'm willing to bet I'll get 3 to 5 years of happy motoring with the current battery and then hopefully I could trade it in and get a new battery with more range. Thats the plan anyway! I'll set a reminder in Outlook to remind me to check this thread again in 3 to 5 years time

Anan1

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

For what it's worth all the best with the new car, but (and maybe I'll be proved wrong in time) I think your old man got the better deal there!

No way would I trade a big, comfy, well-equpped quattro saloon/estate for an unproven bit of PC tech. Even if it does take off the cost to recharge them (and electricity generally) will no doubt skyrocket as well

It all depends on what you need. There is no electric car now that'll do all the things I need a car to do, so it's currently out for me. What I do find silly, though, is people being opposed to EV purely because of what they think it represents. We all know the type, the ones who enjoy their big V8s because they think they're upsetting the greens. EV has huge potential for enthusiasts, it's early days yet but it seems to be coming on in leaps & bounds.

CarMuppet

Confab wrote: »

I don't think there are any yet. Car enthusiasts don't buy electric cars, and car enthusiasts populate this forum. Anyway, the Irish are notoriously conservative and I wouldn't buy one until they've been proven for a few years.

QED really.

I'm not too sure about that... I'd be planning on going from a large number of horses to a large number of amperes in the future when/if this one hits our shores:


http://www.teslamotors.com/models

Sesshoumaru

CarMuppet wrote: »

I'm not too sure about that... I'd be planning on going from a large number of horses to a large number of amperes in the future when/if this one hits our shores:


http://www.teslamotors.com/models

+1

If I had the money

biko

Yup Tesla Model S makes me drool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfttXdRvIbk

Drummerboy08

Back to the original point of the OP, a call to Nissan Ireland is definately worth something. I'm sure the marketing dept would love to help out, as the Leaf is seen as an important part of Nissan's future. Explain to them what you want to do, they might even sponsor your website!

Have you got your charging point installed at your home yet?

AFAIK, a new battery is being tested at the minute that would increase the Leaf's range to a more respectable 600km. With what's gone on in Japan over the last few weeks I'm not sure where it will stand. I'd say it won't be too far away though.

Daegerty

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

AFAIK, a new battery is being tested at the minute that would increase the Leaf's range to a more respectable 600km. With what's gone on in Japan over the last few weeks I'm not sure where it will stand. I'd say it won't be too far away though.

When something sounds too good to be true...

Seriously now 600km sounds way far fetched, what materials were they using to make these batteries?

Drummerboy08

Daegerty wrote: »

When something sounds too good to be true...

Seriously now 600km sounds way far fetched, what materials were they using to make these batteries?

Nasa can put a man on the moon, Apple can give you all your songs in a piece of equipment smaller than the palm of your hand, but when someone builds a car that can go 600km using Electricity you call it far fetched?

If you are such an expert, please tell me how this is impossible?

Absurdum

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

AFAIK, a new battery is being tested at the minute that would increase the Leaf's range to a more respectable 600km. With what's gone on in Japan over the last few weeks I'm not sure where it will stand. I'd say it won't be too far away though.

now we're talking, I'd pay €30k for that if it was proven

Drummerboy08

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/12/nissan-working-on-new-battery-for-electric-cars.php

Here's a link which says the new battery will double the range. I think I have another one floating around somewhere that says closer to 500-600km.

Either way (and as the article points out) like most electronic items, a newer, better version is always around the corner. EV's can only get better from here.

Rodin

no idea why anyone would buy one

Daegerty

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Nasa can put a man on the moon, Apple can give you all your songs in a piece of equipment smaller than the palm of your hand, but when someone builds a car that can go 600km using Electricity you call it far fetched?

If you are such an expert, please tell me how this is impossible?

Battery technology just isn't improving that fast. Unless they plan to fill it to the brim with batteries it's just not going to go for 600km. Even if they get it to 250Wh/kg you're going to need an awfully big battery pack.

Its not impossible but not practical either. Such a battery pack will be extremely expensive and a liability as it will be degrading by the day as Li based batteries do. If they could fix the durability issues with batteries they might have a chance but lumping a 500kg battery into a normal car is not the answer

NASA won't put a man on the moon so easy anymore these days. It would take them years to get their sh1t in order before they are back to a state where they could do such a thing.

johnos1984

OP would you consider writing up a running report of how you get on with the car?

I'd be pretty interested to read it

Mods would it be worthy of being a sticky if OP is happy to do it. It would be educational for us all

Daegerty

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/12/nissan-working-on-new-battery-for-electric-cars.php

Here's a link which says the new battery will double the range. I think I have another one floating around somewhere that says closer to 500-600km.

Either way (and as the article points out) like most electronic items, a newer, better version is always around the corner. EV's can only get better from here.

600km if you toodle along probably. The new battery still only lasts 1,000 charges

Shelf life remains to be seen in real life. Even if this battery delivers as promised running costs won't be much less than diesel.

coffin

Thanks everyone for your responses. Again, if we can keep it to the call for Nissan Leaf or EV owners I'd very much appreciate it.

@Sesshoumaru
Thanks for your posts. Have sent you a PM

@Drummerboy08
This is a good suggestion. Will try to contact Nissan about this. I am getting my charger installed tomorrow. Looking forward to that

@johnos1984
Have already started a blog (irishelectricdreams.blogspot.com) where I intend to document my first year as a Leaf owner, with the view to giving a complete picture of ownership of an EV in Ireland. Feel free to have a look and comment on what's there so far.

Daegerty

coffin wrote: »

Have already started a blog (irishelectricdreams.blogspot.com) where I intend to document my first year as a Leaf owner, with the view to giving a complete picture of ownership of an EV in Ireland. Feel free to have a look and comment on what's there so far.

I tried to comment on it but I can;t

coffin

@daegerty
Hey Daegerty, my apologies. Not sure why you can't. I think you may have to log in with a Google account or some equivalent. What error message did you get?

Oracle

I'd be very interested in hearing about how the new Leaf performs; economy, cost/benefit, etc... directly from Irish owners. I'd say many would be interested in getting the Leaf except the price is far too high.

C4Kid

(irishelectricdreams.blogspot.com)

I'll definitly be watching this space, I'm interested in the technology,Just won't be buying an EV anytime soon. Not like I have the money to do so anyway...:pac:

Mods would it be worthy of being a sticky if OP is happy to do it

Good Idea:)

Owen

If there's a bit of interest, I can help with the site. I run miniclub.ie, might be no harm to setup leafyworld.ie or something with a forum, multiple owners blogs, etc?

Oracle

I've bookmarked the blog as well.

coffin

@oracle and @c4kid
Thanks for your words of encouragement. The reason I am doing such a blog (my first one ever) is exactly for people like yourselves who might be interested but want to know the details first (and who feel they just can't afford one yet!) And I completely agree, the price of BEVs has to come down. I believe it will in time. But for now, I guess I am one of the lucky few who is able to afford it!

@paint doctor
That's a very generous offer. I'd love to talk with you about that some more. Perhaps we can PM?

Owen

Sure! If I don't respond until tomorrow, don't take it personally. Laptop died this week, and I haven't had time to fix it yet, so I'm
Iphoning all week and it's driving me mental :pac:

Reloc8

Very cool OP - good luck with it.

I also will be following your experience with interest.

C4Kid

The reason I am doing such a blog (my first one ever) exactly for people like yourselves who might be interested but want to know the details first

Coffin,

Well wear with the car ! I'm sure your time spent on your blog will be much appreciated by All.:)

Henree

I am in sales for Nissan. I was very sceptical about the Leaf and wondered were they pushing it out ahead of its time. However I have driven it and it has blown me away. I am talking my sales hat off here. It wont suit everyone lifestyle but in time as the electric car advances I am convinced it is the way forward. When I saw Back to the Future in the late 80's as a kid I always wondered what the 2015 would be like. I hadn't got that feeling until I drove this car. The power is great, I would say it seems like a GTi Golf 0 - 100.. I drive 10 different cars a day, drive a different one each night, its been a long time since one stood out like this. This is new technology, like mobile phones when they first came out.........look at them now

coffin

@oracle
Thanks for bookmarking the blog. Have just added an RSS feed to it now. Some of my friends were complaining that this was missing. Hope it is of some help

@reloc8
Appreciate the encourgement. Hope it will be of some help/interest to you

@c4kid
Make sure I don't get lazy and "forget" to post! I think this would be of most value if it gives people a realistic, day-by-day account of being an EV owner in Ireland.

coffin

Hey Henree. I completely agree. This definitely won't suit everybody's lifestyle. But I also agree that the technology will improve and hopefully gain broad acceptance over time. I have to admit that I too was extremely skeptical. I currently own a BMW Z3. Very peppy! And lots of fun to drive. When I went to test drive this I really felt that I was going to be a little disappointed (as would be the case for anyone moving from a two-seater convertible to a five seater family hatchback). I was so surprised to find this "dinky" electric car beat the pants off my Z3 in its initial acceleration. I believe this is a feature of all EVs. Hopefully with enough of us out there driving the first few EVs, we can give our friends and family the same opportunity to be blown away by this technology as we have had! And with time, the technology should improve to provide those with greater demands an acceptable alternative to piston power!

Gitb1

Henree wrote: »

I am in sales for Nissan. I was very sceptical about the Leaf and wondered were they pushing it out ahead of its time. However I have driven it and it has blown me away. I am talking my sales hat off here. It wont suit everyone lifestyle but in time as the electric car advances I am convinced it is the way forward. When I saw Back to the Future in the late 80's as a kid I always wondered what the 2015 would be like. I hadn't got that feeling until I drove this car. The power is great, I would say it seems like a GTi Golf 0 - 100.. I drive 10 different cars a day, drive a different one each night, its been a long time since one stood out like this. This is new technology, like mobile phones when they first came out.........look at them now

Whats the 0-100km/h time on one of those bad boys?

Daegerty

Gitb1 wrote: »

Whats the 0-100km/h time on one of those bad boys?

10s?

Henree

coffin wrote: »

Hey Henree. I completely agree. This definitely won't suit everybody's lifestyle. But I also agree that the technology will improve and hopefully gain broad acceptance over time. I have to admit that I too was extremely skeptical. I currently own a BMW Z3. Very peppy! And lots of fun to drive. When I went to test drive this I really felt that I was going to be a little disappointed (as would be the case for anyone moving from a two-seater convertible to a five seater family hatchback). I was so surprised to find this "dinky" electric car beat the pants off my Z3 in its initial acceleration. I believe this is a feature of all EVs. Hopefully with enough of us out there driving the first few EVs, we can give our friends and family the same opportunity to be blown away by this technology as we have had! And with time, the technology should improve to provide those with greater demands an acceptable alternative to piston power!

You wont get bored of it. When you getting yours? did you drive much of one yet?

Henree

Daegerty wrote: »

10s?

7 seconds (if you've plugged it out!)

Daegerty

Henree wrote: »

7 seconds (if you've plugged it out!)

I wonder if they are capable of a lot more in a drag race while plugged in with a very long lead

If you were to get the 3 phase power directly to the engine and bypass the whole charging malarky it should be able to pack some serious punch

Henree

1.21 gigawatts........get that baby up to 88

Daegerty

Henree wrote: »

1.21 gigawatts........

Jiggawatts!

C4Kid

@coffin

Did You get Your Leaf yet ?

Henree

C4Kid wrote: »

@coffin

Did You get Your Leaf yet ?

Leafs delayed, waiting on new Minister to sign off €5k grant, unbelievable really, more than likely days rather than weeks