Nissan Leaf and a thank you

If I were you I would hold out for the MK II Leaf in 2018 or the GM Bold 2017.

The GM/Opel Bolt according to GM will have 200 miles range but I'll be waiting for the EPA range test first before I believe it has 200 miles.

Leaf II will unlikely have 200 miles range unless they feel the Bolt will take a lot of sales from Nissan, Strong rumors suggest Nissan will offer different capacity batteries for different costs.

I estimate 120-150 miles max range for leaf II but it's anyone's guess for sure. But even 120 miles is a big improvement.

The affordable Tesla might not be so affordable.

So it sounds like the Leaf for your Wife is a no brainer but if you have regular 200 mile business trips each way would not , as you said, be practical and I don't even think it would with a real 100 miles range either and that's probably 80-90 miles at 70 mph with the "rumored" updated battery, You'd most likely have to charge 2.5 times. remember 80% on the rapids, you can sit and wait for 90% but you'll see how long that takes.

GreyDad

I don't think 120 miles is going to cut it for Leaf II in 2017 - the Kia Soul EV can manage that now although more likely 100 miles on a motorway commute.

I want to post a link to a Soul EV trial but I can't until I've made this - my 25th! - post.

The trial by New Green Cars was done all around where I live and represents a lot of my typical driving so looks very plausible. Even 100 miles is enough to support my current daily commute even if it doesn't quite fulfil the long haul business trips - but then I could hire for the day or take more trains for those...

Nissan will need to match the Soul EV with a battery upgrade to the current Gen 1.5 Leaf this year to stay in the game. If they could get it to 120-125 real miles this year I'd go for it - I'm guessing 36kWh would be needed - but 90-100 will mean I have to wait a couple more years.

Leaf II will need to be a real 150-200 miles by 2017.

I agree about the Tesla, I love them to bits and wish them every success but I think the 3 will be 2018 and closer to 40k than 30k.

GreyDad

Here's the Kia Soul EV trial vid and my first ever URL on here:

http://www.nextgreencar.com/content/video/kia.mp4

All around Bristol, Wiltshire and Somerset - I'm not far from Wells and Cheddar

Full report and details of the test conditions here:

http://www.nextgreencar.com/news/6898/NGC-range-test-the-Kia-Soul-EV/

Tony Williams in the U.S tested the leaf at 100 Kph and it had a range of 100 miles, this is not bad at all, the total trip was about 104 miles.

GreyDad

We got up to about 90 after a few days of learning how to drive it so I can believe that. I've requested a second test drive from the dealer to do some longer trips and motorway driving to see how it fares

DrPhilG

I'll be collecting this Friday, and doing a trip from Donegal to Cork the following Friday!

Benny_Cake

DrPhilG wrote: »

I'll be collecting this Friday, and doing a trip from Donegal to Cork the following Friday!

Baptism of fire! What route are you planning on doing?

DrPhilG

Benny_Cake wrote: »

Baptism of fire! What route are you planning on doing?

Full leaving home Thursday evening, fast charge at Monaghan for a top up. Another charge at Applegreen on the M1.

We'll probably stop overnight somewhere near Dublin. Not out of EV necessity, just because it breaks up a long trip. Any recommendations for hotels etc with charge points?

Haven't planned the exact stops for the next day yet but head down the M8 to Cork. Doesn't seem to be any shortage on that route. Final destination is Trabolgan near Whitegate so I'll get my last top up at Fermoy and Trabolgan is about 35 miles later.

cros13

DrPhilG wrote: »

Any recommendations for hotels etc with charge points?

Hilton Kilmainham if you want to be a bit close to the city, Bewley's newlands cross if you want to be on the way out.

DrPhilG

cros13 wrote: »

Hilton Kilmainham if you want to be a bit close to the city, Bewley's newlands cross if you want to be on the way out.

Hilton is out of my budget, but I have provisionally booked both Bewley's and Clarion Liffey Valley. I'll let the wife choose which one now.

GreyDad

That's a heck of a drive - how long will that take?

I did wander around a bit of Donegal briefly but that was when I was in Derry on business for a few days so I guess it was cheating.

DrPhilG

Would normally take 5-6 hours if doing it in one stretch in an ice and flooring it.

I'd say I'll do it in 7 plus an overnight.

I'll do the whole lot in one go on the way back though. Haven't planned that one out yet.

GreyDad

Just wandering briefly back on topic, sort of, I seem to have a Kia Soul EV test drive arranged for Friday - the local dealer has got hold of one and we have it for about 5 days on an extended trial. I plan to try the commute to work to see if it's all it's cracked up to be.

GreyDad

Just had a quick google to find out where Trabolgan is - got it now Sorry to be an ignorant peasant

GreyDad

GreyDad wrote: »

Just wandering briefly back on topic, sort of, I seem to have a Kia Soul EV test drive arranged for Friday - the local dealer has got hold of one and we have it for about 5 days on an extended trial. I plan to try the commute to work to see if it's all it's cracked up to be.

Tony Williams in the U.S did a test drive at 20 deg C and did 100 miles at 62 mph, total trip was about 104 miles. No heat or ac used. That's pretty damn good !

If it's a longer range EV you want now then the Kia Soul ev is the one to get. Or at least wait for the updated battery in the Leaf , if indeed there is more battery range coming at all.

Other than this I would strongly advise you to wait for Leaf II or GM Bolt. Will have well over 100 miles. It's only 2.5-3 years.

GreyDad

I didn't like it at first but it's growing on me. Wife thinks it's ugly but she likes the Leaf! Beauty, beholder, eye, etc.

Doing some sums though, instead of buying the Soul EV I could buy a second used Leaf (just for the office commute) and keep the diesel Octavia for long haul and business trips only. Actually, it's cheaper to do that than buying a new Soul EV.

Hmmm....

GreyDad

GreyDad wrote: »

I didn't like it at first but it's growing on me. Wife thinks it's ugly but she likes the Leaf! Beauty, beholder, eye, etc.

Doing some sums though, instead of buying the Soul EV I could buy a second used Leaf (just for the office commute) and keep the diesel Octavia for long haul and business trips only. Actually, it's cheaper to do that than buying a new Soul EV.

Hmmm....

Well yes that's one option, if paying for motor tax/maintenance works out cheaper then why not ? It will still have to be insured .

I do like the look of the Leaf more and the interior + I think it's bigger than the soul but for convenience the Soul has more range and a battery heater for winter, that imo would be the decision maker for me doing 140 kms a day.

It's a Shame Kia Ireland refuse to import the Leaf, they won;t budge on this at all. They won't even advertise it's existence here for fear people might actually want to buy it so they continue to force people to buy petrol and diesel rubbish.

I still think keeping the Skoda is the better option for the next 3 years. But if your absolutely sure you want an ev now then I would at the very least wait for the "speculated" rage upgrade in the Leaf for the 2016 model year and then decide which is best for you and even at that stage the GM Bold should be available next Summer (ish).

GreyDad

Nissan has my attention and I won't make any decision until I know what they are going to do with the 2016 Leaf. If they boost the range I'll probably get a new one, if they don't then I'll do something different

I also prefer the Leaf to the Soul but the nav/display seems better in the Soul and of course it's a bit more range. Soul is smaller than the Leaf though, surprising amount of space in the Leaf esp the boot. I have a feeling the Leaf is more fun to drive too but I'll find out this Friday.

GreyDad

As I understand it Kia are bringing only a few hundred Soul EV's into the UK and I have no idea what the delivery date is likely to be, or if they are in stock now.

pwurple

GreyDad wrote: »

I didn't like it at first but it's growing on me. Wife thinks it's ugly but she likes the Leaf!

You're wife is on the ball... the soul ev looks like a shoe!

GreyDad

Hey, I got an email from Nissan GB asking for feedback on my 'Leaf Experience'! I called them back and spent half an hour talking their ears off