My new car never needs an oil change!

[Scout1]

You would think that with the size of my oil stash, I would stay way from electric cars. But a Leaf now sits in my driveway... Sheesh, what am I gonna do with all this oil???

2015 model S with 15k miles. These electrics are dirt cheap now-a-days coming off of lease. I traded one of my motorcycles plus some cash. Kinda fun to drive and has multiple modes to save juice or enjoy the ride. I have a 27 mile each way commute and it does it easily with battery to spare. Kinda cool you can drive that far at freeway speeds on a battery! Just hung a level 2 station in my garage so the charge time is cut way down over a regular wall socket. Even the cost of those charge stations is way down, about 25% of what they used to be.

I've always been fascinated with electric cars and this Leaf seems like a good example of the breed. Anything I should worry about?

 

[Run]

Eventually the battery will wear out. Otherwise enjoy the car.

 

[bioburner]

With crude hiking up fast and VW saying they are going to have a EV here in couple years the electric market may turn around soon. Need more power stations to get my interest.

 

[i_hate_autofraud]

dude!

If you can, always charge with the 120V plug, a slow charge extends the life of the battery a lot.

Fast charge only when you really need it, that's a workable compromise!

 

[Scout1]

The Nissan manual says the "Normal" way to charge is the 240 volt and they recommend that over the 120 volt "Trickle Charge". I know some of these vehicles have a 400 volt "quick charge" option and that definitely is supposed to kill the batteries so they say only do that if you have to. I'm hoping the 2015 has a pretty good battery pack that lasts better than some of the early Leafs.

I know they used to recommend, and had a setting to only charge the battery to 80%. But these newer models charge to 100% so I guess Nissan figured out the higher charge doesn't hurt battery life. They do say not to store the car at high battery charge though...

 

[Scout1]

One of the reasons these first generation Leafs are so cheap is they are increasing the battery size and hence range in the near future. So these older versions are a steal if you can live with an 85 mile range. Actually it's more like 100 miles if you run it flat.

 

[Nick1994]

I thought about getting one, they're dirt cheap and my work has chargers.

It would take about 5-1/2 years to completely pay for itself if I only charged it at work. Not counting the eventual battery expense. Eh, I'll just drive the Camry for now.

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: Scout1
You would think that with the size of my oil stash, I would stay way from electric cars. But a Leaf now sits in my driveway... Sheesh, what am I gonna do with all this oil???

2015 model S with 15k miles. These electrics are dirt cheap now-a-days coming off of lease. I traded one of my motorcycles plus some cash. Kinda fun to drive and has multiple modes to save juice or enjoy the ride. I have a 27 mile each way commute and it does it easily with battery to spare. Kinda cool you can drive that far at freeway speeds on a battery! Just hung a level 2 station in my garage so the charge time is cut way down over a regular wall socket. Even the cost of those charge stations is way down, about 25% of what they used to be.

I've always been fascinated with electric cars and this Leaf seems like a good example of the breed. Anything I should worry about?
µ

I'd worry about the oil in the reduction box... you know, the one that brings the electric motor RPM down to wheel RPM...

 

[AirgunSavant]

Too many people with too many worries.
Just enjoy your rides and live a little...

 

[rshaw125]

Originally Posted By: Run
Eventually the battery will wear out. Otherwise enjoy the car.


You can have the battery pack rebuilt pretty cheaply now.

 

[Kira]

Posted above, "...the oil in the reduction box... you know, the one that brings the electric motor RPM down to wheel RPM..."

Is that going to be the thing the crooked auto companies say is "lifetime" when, of course, it's not?

They'll design the corners to be replaceable.....oh heavens! Kira

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Scout1
Anything I should worry about?


You should proactively replace the power plug, probably after every 1,000 charge cycles. Since this is a new-to-you car you should change it, as plugs are cheap. But you should send the plug out for analysis, as you might be able to run longer plug change intervals (PCI's), as some plug brands are better than others--and of course, using renewable energy will extend plug life, as opposed to using lower quality non-renewable energy.

 

[sciphi]

Enjoy it! Those can be incredibly practical for folks in the right situation. 85 miles of range is plenty enough to do a daily commute with for the majority of people.

 

[Scout1]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Scout1
Anything I should worry about?


You should proactively replace the power plug, probably after every 1,000 charge cycles. Since this is a new-to-you car you should change it, as plugs are cheap. But you should send the plug out for analysis, as you might be able to run longer plug change intervals (PCI's), as some plug brands are better than others--and of course, using renewable energy will extend plug life, as opposed to using lower quality non-renewable energy.


Ha ha... Nice one! Actually, I do plan to run bio-diesel in it as soon as I get a few more miles on it. That should help!

 

[Killer223]

save the oil for when you go back to a petrol powered car.

 

[JTK]

How much does a new or rebuilt battery pack cost for these if you keep the vehicle that long?

Also wonder how badly running the a/c, stuck in stop/go traffic effects range.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Enjoy it! Those can be incredibly practical for folks in the right situation. 85 miles of range is plenty enough to do a daily commute with for the majority of people.


Exactly; we charge my wife's car every night with the included 110 volt EVSE and the car is always at least 95% charged by the time she leaves for work.

 

[oilpsi2high]

I wonder how far that thing will work in the mountains.

 

[Jetronic]

bad on one side, very good on the other?

 

[horse123]

I just can't excuse how hideous the leaf is.

Sorry. You can make it $5,000, have a range of 1000 miles, massage my butt, have 800awhp, I still won't lay a finger on one if they continue to look like they do.

It's really inexcusable what they do to get bimbos who think it's "cute" to buy cars these days.