Nissan Leaf - what do we think?

[fossyant]

Well why would it not be sensible ? If I can keep my current car going for as long as I can, I’m saving money ! Owes me nothing , bought and paid for no monthly payments ? One less car on the road really if you think about it.

Same here, although pushing my 20 year old car for another 10-15 would be possible.... EV's might be better by then.

I'll stick to the bike for commutes, saves me £6 a day in petrol or electric.

 

[Nebulous]

I remember diesel being touted as the best thing to drive , superb fuel economy etc . Now it’s the devil incarnate . Save me the Greta speech , no matter what we drive it all has an environmental cost . I’m pretty confident that if I want I could be driving a non EV till I retire.

I did applied mechanics and engineering science at school in the 1970s. My teacher was adamant that diesel wasn't suitable as a fuel for personal vehicles, only bigger commercial ones. The diesel was less refined, came from the heavier components in a barrel of oil with more residue, and didn't burn as well without a spark.

The car manufacturers really worked on diesel engines, refined them, gave better mileage and I used to reflect on how wrong he was. My father had a 1.9tdi volkswagen, which could shift, and he was always bragging about the mpg he achieved.

Then the scientists began to question why with all these 'clean' diesels air quality in cities wasn't improving. That led to the whole diesel VW scandal.

It was about that point that I realised he was in fact right all along.

 

[CXRAndy]

Ive just done a deal for trading in my 40kW Leaf (70k miles) with a nearly new demonstrator 64kW Leaf. I take delivery next week.

V2G on the horizon

 

[Drago]

Well why would it not be sensible ? If I can keep my current car going for as long as I can, I’m saving money ! Owes me nothing , bought and paid for no monthly payments ? One less car on the road really if you think about it.

Ironically, its better for the environment in NET terms to keep your old tub going, that to build another to take its place, even an electeic one.

Mrs D has gone the battery route, but when my car dies - or when I can discreetly sell it without earning the ire of my Dad (my Step Mum left it to me) I'll not be replacing it. I wouldn't even be tempted by a nuclear powered car, and you all know how much I love nukes.

 

[CXRAndy]

I posted that our 40kW leaf did an average over the cars history of 3.6 miles/kW. I checked this morning and its 3.8 miles/kW. This includes my wife's and mine driving erm styles.

This morning, I thought I would reset the trip for energy usage. Journey was 56 miles return, across country, mostly flat passing through villages with 60mph limits between. I crossed two towns as well.

My average was a very pleasant 4.8 miles/kW

Now a comparison on costs to do this journey. We are paying 18.29p per kW of electric. I worked out I used 11.6kW of energy from the batteries. That is £2.12 for 56 mile trip.

To compare an internal combustion petrol car with lets say a fair 40mpg

That is 1.4 gallons of petrol. Petrol costs 144.3p per litre. There are 4.54 litres per UK gallon. Usage for trip 6.356 litres used. Costing a whopping
£9.17 in fuel.

In rough figures we saved £7 this morning and will save that again tonight. £14 savings per day £70 for the 5 day week compared to ICE petrol


To recap I would have paid £90 a week for petrol compared to £20 for an EV.

If you have any doubts of the savings running an EV.

If you were to think about how you could afford to get an EV think there is £280 savings per month which goes a huge way to offsetting the higher price of getting an EV.

Photos of this morning's journey

 

[cougie uk]

We are averaging about 3.9 KW.

We charge off peak at 5p per KWH so we are saving a fortune over petrol.

And it's not just fuel costs - maintenance is less, zero tax and you don't have to pass by the M&S concession in the petrol station.

My Percy Pig savings are huge !

 

[MrGrumpy]

I posted that our 40kW leaf did an average over the cars history of 3.6 miles/kW. I checked this morning and its 3.8 miles/kW. This includes my wife's and mine driving erm styles.

This morning, I thought I would reset the trip for energy usage. Journey was 56 miles return, across country, mostly flat passing through villages with 60mph limits between. I crossed two towns as well.

My average was a very pleasant 4.8 miles/kW

Now a comparison on costs to do this journey. We are paying 18.29p per kW of electric. I worked out I used 11.6kW of energy from the batteries. That is £2.12 for 56 mile trip.

To compare an internal combustion petrol car with lets say a fair 40mpg

That is 1.4 gallons of petrol. Petrol costs 144.3p per litre. There are 4.54 litres per UK gallon. Usage for trip 6.356 litres used. Costing a whopping
£9.17 in fuel.

In rough figures we saved £7 this morning and will save that again tonight. £14 savings per day £70 for the 5 day week compared to ICE petrol


To recap I would have paid £90 a week for petrol compared to £20 for an EV.

If you have any doubts of the savings running an EV.

If you were to think about how you could afford to get an EV think there is £280 savings per month which goes a huge way to offsetting the higher price of getting an EV.

Photos of this morning's journey

Nobody is doubting the cost difference in economy ?! However the Leaf is just not going to cut it size wise for some folk . I think. The man maths at work above is why my bro in law justified is Tesla Model 3 . However he didn’t take into account the roof box he had to buy so they could all go away on holiday with the dog

 

[fossyant]

I posted that our 40kW leaf did an average over the cars history of 3.6 miles/kW. I checked this morning and its 3.8 miles/kW. This includes my wife's and mine driving erm styles.

This morning, I thought I would reset the trip for energy usage. Journey was 56 miles return, across country, mostly flat passing through villages with 60mph limits between. I crossed two towns as well.

My average was a very pleasant 4.8 miles/kW

Now a comparison on costs to do this journey. We are paying 18.29p per kW of electric. I worked out I used 11.6kW of energy from the batteries. That is £2.12 for 56 mile trip.

To compare an internal combustion petrol car with lets say a fair 40mpg

That is 1.4 gallons of petrol. Petrol costs 144.3p per litre. There are 4.54 litres per UK gallon. Usage for trip 6.356 litres used. Costing a whopping
£9.17 in fuel.

In rough figures we saved £7 this morning and will save that again tonight. £14 savings per day £70 for the 5 day week compared to ICE petrol


To recap I would have paid £90 a week for petrol compared to £20 for an EV.

If you have any doubts of the savings running an EV.

If you were to think about how you could afford to get an EV think there is £280 savings per month which goes a huge way to offsetting the higher price of getting an EV.

Photos of this morning's journey

That's good even at full price leccy. I think leasing's the way to go with leccy cars, more so than infernal combustion. I can fuel for free at work.

It's very tempting on a lease.

 

[fossyant]

Nobody is doubting the cost difference in economy ?! However the Leaf is just not going to cut it size wise for some folk . I think. The man maths at work above is why my bro in law justified is Tesla Model 3 . However he didn’t take into account the roof box he had to buy so they could all go away on holiday with the dog

Leaf's aren't small - it's a medium hatch - probably more practical than my medium/large saloon, only range with 4 bikes on the roof might be a killer, but as a daily driver/commuter would make sense leaving the newer petrol SUV at home and replace the old Saloon.

 

[CXRAndy]

That's good even at full price leccy. I think leasing's the way to go with leccy cars, more so than infernal combustion. I can fuel for free at work.

It's very tempting on a lease.

Free electric would be fantastic. Absolute no brainer for savings.

 

[CXRAndy]

Nobody is doubting the cost difference in economy ?! However the Leaf is just not going to cut it size wise for some folk . I think. The man maths at work above is why my bro in law justified is Tesla Model 3 . However he didn’t take into account the roof box he had to buy so they could all go away on holiday with the dog

But he made a conscious decision not to keep polluting by using an ICE vehicle

 

[MrGrumpy]

But he made a conscious decision not to keep polluting by using an ICE vehicle

Right ok .

 

[Drago]

I posted that our 40kW leaf did an average over the cars history of 3.6 miles/kW. I checked this morning and its 3.8 miles/kW. This includes my wife's and mine driving erm styles.

This morning, I thought I would reset the trip for energy usage. Journey was 56 miles return, across country, mostly flat passing through villages with 60mph limits between. I crossed two towns as well.

My average was a very pleasant 4.8 miles/kW

Now a comparison on costs to do this journey. We are paying 18.29p per kW of electric. I worked out I used 11.6kW of energy from the batteries. That is £2.12 for 56 mile trip.

To compare an internal combustion petrol car with lets say a fair 40mpg

That is 1.4 gallons of petrol. Petrol costs 144.3p per litre. There are 4.54 litres per UK gallon. Usage for trip 6.356 litres used. Costing a whopping
£9.17 in fuel.

In rough figures we saved £7 this morning and will save that again tonight. £14 savings per day £70 for the 5 day week compared to ICE petrol


To recap I would have paid £90 a week for petrol compared to £20 for an EV.

If you have any doubts of the savings running an EV.

If you were to think about how you could afford to get an EV think there is £280 savings per month which goes a huge way to offsetting the higher price of getting an EV.

Photos of this morning's journey

Mrs D is enjoying the savings. Even better, she charges at work most of the time for free. I told her to enjoy it while it lasts because the government are making no secret of the fact that they're thinking of ways to claw it back.

991 miles between MOTs in my oil burner this year, so the cost of buying a 30+ grand electric car would be a hugely exoensive way to avoid paying £190 a year in diesel, and makes no environmental sense either - it would take 180 years to break even.

Im thinking after crimbo I may try and discretely sell my car and go without again - its not so much the cost, which is minimal, but the effort of owning and maintaining it is a pain for so little mileage. Mrs D can then chauffeur me around whenever I need to get to the chemists for a tube of piles ointment, which is only fair as I paid for her car

I was going to drive hers for the first time last night and, despite not really enjoying driving, was actually looking forward to it, but she was late home so I took mine to band practice. Just as well as I got a bit well oiled at the club afterwards and had to leave it there overnight, as did the other 4 band members . Not a problem for an elderly XC90 like mine, no one gives it a 2nd glance, but the Polestar does attract a lot of attention Mrs D would have gone doolally if id left it there

 

[CXRAndy]

Mrs D is enjoying the savings. Even better, she charges at work most of the time for free. I told her to enjoy it while it lasts because the government are making no secret of the fact that they're thinking of ways to claw it back.

991 miles between MOTs in my oil burner this year, so the cost of buying a 30+ grand electric car would be a hugely exoensive way to avoid paying £190 a year in diesel, and makes no environmental sense either - it would take 180 years to break even.

Im thinking after crimbo I may try and discretely sell my car and go without again - its not so much the cost, which is minimal, but the effort of owning and maintaining it is a pain for so little mileage. Mrs D can then chauffeur me around whenever I need to get to the chemists for a tube of piles ointment, which is only fair as I paid for her car

I was going to drive hers for the first time last night and, despite not really enjoying driving, was actually looking forward to it, but she was late home so I took mine to band practice. Just as well as I got a bit well oiled at the club afterwards and had to leave it there overnight, as did the other 4 band members . Not a problem for an elderly XC90 like mine, no one gives it a 2nd glance, but the Polestar does attract a lot of attention Mrs D would have gone doolally if id left it there

If you're doing so little miles, dont really need another car. Yes you dont need an EV or a least another

 

[Drago]

Indeedy. I don't need a car at all, and didn't own a car...until this one was left to me by my Step Mum when she passed away. If Mrs D didn't have to take a wheelchair wherever she went then she wouldn't have one either.

Most of my mileage is on my ebike these days, which is rather blummen brilliant for integrating into daily life.