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Leaf questions

  • 13-02-2017 1:23am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,595 ✭✭✭


    I'm contemplating a 2015> Leaf Tekna from the UK with a 6.6Kw charger
    I'll probably be buying in August with up to about 15K to spend plus my own car maybe 1.5-2K trade [07 Seat Altea XL 2L TDi with fresh 1 year NCT] if i was getting it from an Irish dealer like electricautos.ie in Naas.

    I'm hoping to arrange a test drive soon as i have yet to drive a leaf and will be asking a main dealer if they still offer a 24 hour test drive or if i could only take a 15-20 min quick drive to see how it feels.


    I do have a few questions and thought it best to post them all together.

    1.Is there any issue with Nissan Ireland servicing UK imports and honoring the warranty.

    2.Dose heated seats/Solar panel come as standard on the UK 2015> Tekna.

    3.I believe the 6.6kw cars only come with the 32amp type 2 charge lead?

    4.If the above is right i was going to factor into the purchase a granny lead for extreme emergence as after long talks with management where i work a charger there is a firm no for now, although they have no issue with me using a 3pin plug outlet for the last 3-4 hours of my shift.

    5.It's about 89Km each way from home to work with light traffic and mostly at a steady 100kph with some 80/60kph ether end. Is that realistic in 1 charge with a 24kw Leaf ? [ There is 6 Type-2 AC Socket 22kW public charge point about 5-10km from work i would have to charge at before going home or stop off at one of the 3 rapid chargers on my route in/out]

    6.How much of an issue is it if carwings is still in the old owners name and is there a subscription fee for its use?

    7.I would also like to install a 32amp EVSE at home but am unsure how feasible this is as there are 2 electric showers in the house on a priority switch. 1 may be used when the car is charging between 5am and noon.
    Here is picture's of the board at home [thumb nails]

    32869541345_82b773c269_t.jpgIMG_3537 by stealthirl, on Flickr

    32745946961_c73d3c2bbc_t.jpgIMG_3538 by stealthirl, on Flickr

    32869541235_614fdbf10e_t.jpgIMG_3539 by stealthirl, on Flickr


    8.Is there anything any of you wish you knew before buying?

    Thanks for any help/advice you have to offer :)


Comments

  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 19,480 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    In a similar boat, personally I'd sell car privately and stretch your budget to the 30kWh Leaf, that's pretty much what we've decided, would rather a 30kWh Acenta than a 24kWh Tekna.
    Cold and solar packs are both optional extras AFAIK.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,460 ✭✭✭Evd-Burner


    slave1 wrote: »
    In a similar boat, personally I'd sell car privately and stretch your budget to the 30kWh Leaf, that's pretty much what we've decided, would rather a 30kWh Acenta than a 24kWh Tekna.
    Cold and solar packs are both optional extras AFAIK.

    I attempted to do the same, in theory it is better and more cost efficient. However the issue I found was that any 6.6kWh charger SVE or 30kWh battery model were sought after and were gone very fast. You need to be on the ball to get them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,616 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    Stealthirl wrote: »
    1.Is there any issue with Nissan Ireland servicing UK imports and honoring the warranty.

    Warranty is pan-european I believe so you should have no issues.

    2.Dose heated seats/Solar panel come as standard on the UK 2015> Tekna.
    Heated seats yes, solar panels no. No loss, they're fairly useless.

    3.I believe the 6.6kw cars only come with the 32amp type 2 charge lead?
    They should, but make sure. I don't trust many car dealers and they are often either dishonest or ignorant. The dealer may have accidentally mixed up the heavier cable with a lighter one, or deliberately swapped them. Double check before you buy.

    4.If the above is right i was going to factor into the purchase a granny lead for extreme emergence as after long talks with management where i work a charger there is a firm no for now, although they have no issue with me using a 3pin plug outlet for the last 3-4 hours of my shift.
    When I bought my 141 Tekna in England I got both cables. The 32a charge lead AND a granny cable. I think the UK supplied both as standard on certain models. No harm in asking, I asked my dealer and he wasn't sure, so chucked a granny cable in just to be safe!

    5.It's about 89Km each way from home to work with light traffic and mostly at a steady 100kph with some 80/60kph ether end. Is that realistic in 1 charge with a 24kw Leaf ? [ There is 6 Type-2 AC Socket 22kW public charge point about 5-10km from work i would have to charge at before going home or stop off at one of the 3 rapid chargers on my route in/out]
    Even in horrible weather and driving hard I can get about 95km, around 120km in better weather. If I was you I would stop at a fast charger on the way home. Using the standard chargers would take far too long as part of a commute. Depending on the location of the fast chargers, you could go to work, (you'll have about 10-15% left) and then use that remaining 10-15% to get to a fast charger on the way home. It doesn't leave much wiggle room though, so you could give it 10 minutes at a FCP on the way in too. To be honest if you're needing a FCP twice a day it may feel like a pain in the ass after a while. You're adding at least half an hour a day to your travel time and maybe more if a charger has a queue.

    Ideally if you could find a slow charger close to work you could charge fully while at work (but please move your car when it's finished) then you could do both legs of the journey without any delay.

    No option at work even to use a granny cable?


    6.How much of an issue is it if carwings is still in the old owners name and is there a subscription fee for its use?
    Make sure that the dealer resets the system before you collect. Registering isn't a problem, and there is no charge.

    7.I would also like to install a 32amp EVSE at home but am unsure how feasible this is as there are 2 electric showers in the house on a priority switch. 1 may be used when the car is charging between 5am and noon.
    Here is picture's of the board at home
    No clue sorry.

    8.Is there anything any of you wish you knew before buying?
    Not really, I had done a lot of research beforehand. Don't think I had any nasty surprises.

    My only warning as I've said already, is don't trust the dealer. That's not a blanket criticism of all dealers by the way. I've mentioned Phil Fitzgerald of electricautos before, and also Jonathan Porterfield of Eco cars. Both specialists in EVs and completely trustworthy. Unfortunately standard Nissan dealers etc quite often know bugger all about the cars they are selling and are frequently guilty of talking absolute balls. They often don't know if their cars are 3.3 or 6.6 chargers, haven't a clue about SOH etc and will bluff when they're not sure.

    I made the dealer I bought from take pictures of the charge cables and the dashboard showing the 6.6 charging time before I booked my trip over.


    Thanks for any help/advice you have to offer :)

    :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    You won't do 178km on one charge in a 24kw. Ideally you need to charge at work, because as said above if waiting at FCPs every day becomes part of your commute it won't take long to get fed up.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,186 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    I'd agree with everything DrPhilG said and I'd add three things...

    - Based on the length of your commute I think you should seriously consider the 30kWh. You are going to be tight every day on a 24kWh. You will easily get a 30kWh within your budget now, not to mind in Aug.
    - You really need work charging. Visiting an FCP every day is a complete waste of your life and you will suffer from queuing, hogging, out of service etc. You mentioned getting access to an outdoor socket for 4hrs at work. Could you negotiate that to your full shift? You might get as much out of that as visiting an FCP for 30mins, depending on how long your shift is.
    - Have you considered the Hyundai Ioniq? It has longer range but you can only buy that new as its only just released. You might be lucky and get a demo model of it in the UK come Aug.

    For the EVSE and shower issue.... You could take a chance that they will work together but you do run the risk of blowing a fuse.
    A few options to consider:
    - Add the 32A EVSE to the priority switch system. I suspect you'd give priority to the shower which means that when you start the shower the car stops charging and if I remember correctly it may not start up automatically once the shower stops. You'd need to check that.
    - Get a 16A EVSE and then you dont have to worry about it at all. The shower and the EVSE will work happily together but obviously the car will charge at 3.3kW and not 6.6kW. For the overnight charge the 16A will do fine. If you regularly plan on coming back from work on low charge and going out again that day then you need the 32A. So, your expected usage profile is what will decide whether a 16A EVSE works for you or not.
    - Request the "enhanced supply" from ESB Networks which takes you from 12kVA to 16kVA and then you should be able to run the shower and the 32A EVSE together. You have to pay €1k+ to ESB Networks to get that and you will need an electrician to certify that your existing cabling can take the extra current so there will be more money there.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,289 ✭✭✭Scottie99


    n97 mini wrote: »
    You won't do 178km on one charge in a 24kw. Ideally you need to charge at work, because as said above if waiting at FCPs every day becomes part of your commute it won't take long to get fed up.


    I'd say you'd also struggle on a 30kw car also without a charge on a good day. Winter would also be an issue. If you can get a loner for a couple of days and try it out.

    Edit - from a 30kw driver


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,595 ✭✭✭Stealthirl


    Thanks for the replies
    DrPhilG wrote: »
    Even in horrible weather and driving hard I can get about 95km, around 120km in better weather. If I was you I would stop at a fast charger on the way home. Using the standard chargers would take far too long as part of a commute. Depending on the location of the fast chargers, you could go to work, (you'll have about 10-15% left) and then use that remaining 10-15% to get to a fast charger on the way home. It doesn't leave much wiggle room though, so you could give it 10 minutes at a FCP on the way in too. To be honest if you're needing a FCP twice a day it may feel like a pain in the ass after a while. You're adding at least half an hour a day to your travel time and maybe more if a charger has a queue.

    Ideally if you could find a slow charger close to work you could charge fully while at work (but please move your car when it's finished) then you could do both legs of the journey without any delay.

    No option at work even to use a granny cable?

    The two nearest type 2 points are 5Km from work and the nearest FCP is in Lucan 6.2km away so that could be my preference.
    The only FCP on my route directly would be the Applegreen on the M11 about 58Km from work/30Km from home

    I can use a granny cable for 3-4 hours in work
    KCross wrote: »
    - You mentioned getting access to an outdoor socket for 4hrs at work. Could you negotiate that to your full shift? You might get as much out of that as visiting an FCP for 30mins, depending on how long your shift is.

    - Have you considered the Hyundai Ioniq? It has longer range but you can only buy that new as its only just released. You might be lucky and get a demo model of it in the UK come Aug.

    - Get a 16A EVSE and then you dont have to worry about it at all. The shower and the EVSE will work happily together but obviously the car will charge at 3.3kW and not 6.6kW. For the overnight charge the 16A will do fine. If you regularly plan on coming back from work on low charge and going out again that day then you need the 32A. So, your expected usage profile is what will decide whether a 16A EVSE works for you or not.

    - Request the "enhanced supply" from ESB Networks which takes you from 12kVA to 16kVA and then you should be able to run the shower and the 32A EVSE together. You have to pay €1k+ to ESB Networks to get that and you will need an electrician to certify that your existing cabling can take the extra current so there will be more money there.

    -They have limited the time due to the health and safety risk of the lead being on the ground and where i would have to park to have access to the plug so no negotiating on it. They may put in charge points but it's been in discussion for years,i even offered to foot the cost of the EVSE myself.

    - I would say the Ioniq would be out of my price range still,if i was going new id hold out for the next gen leaf more then likely.

    - Im beginning to think a 16A EVSE might do and just use the 2nd car if i was stuck.


  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    DO not foot the bill for Work EVSE, there are tax benefits for work places doing this and they might receive them and make you pay for it !!!

    24 Kwh Leaf = 21-22 Usable not a chance.

    30 Kwh Leaf = 28 Kwh usable

    Based on driving 100-110-120 Kph I will average at worst about 21.5 Kwh/100 kms or 4.65 Kms/KWH x 24 Kwh = 97 Kms in the 24 Kwh Leaf, that's about worst case and that would be to absolute empty where the car will stop. I presume you could even do worse if you try.

    The 30 Kwh Leaf with 28 Kwh usable would get about 130 Kms. And it charges a good bit faster at the fast chargers than the 24 Kwh Leaf. Definitely the one to get.

    My average consumption though is about 18 Kwh/100 kms. which would get 133 Kms in the 24 Kwh Leaf and 155 kms in the 30 Kwh. Max.

    I have made my work commute on one charge in the 24 Kwh taking main roads to work and some back roads home 128 Kms which is shorter than all main road but driving a lot slower than I like.

    Trip averages can vary from 16-21.5 Kwh/100 Kms.

    As stated, the Ioniq is more efficient and should be good for 200-210 Kms average driving with 230-250 Kms driving easy.

    If you can use the granny cable at work you'll put about 2 Kwh per hour back into the battery so 5 hrs will give you about 10 Kwh, the question is will someone make a fuss about the exposed cable or employees give hassle about you getting something for free ? will you continue to have free charging etc.

    Either way the 30 Kwh is the Leaf you should be looking for minimum.

    Perhaps wait another year for a 2nd hand Ioniq ? definitely with work charging the 30 Kwh will be no problem. Public charging gets old fast and it's slower in the 24 Kwh on fast chargers.


  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    If you can I'd ditch the 2 x electric showers, if you have oil/gas or god forbid, solid fuel or a reason you can't go with pumped only showers then you'll most likely be wasting all that hot water with showers that heat the water, a terrible waste.

    I changed mine years ago to pumped only when I copped on to the waste of electricity !


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