My First Electric Vehicle (EV) a Nissan Leaf
I've made the transition from gasoline to a Partial Zero Emission Vechicle (PZEV) roughly three years ago. The vehicle of choice was the Toyota Prius. That was definitely a worth while investment and saved a lot of money in maintenance and gasoline. One month ago, I made the exciting transition to a fully electric vehicle (EV). The vehicle of choice was a Nissan Leaf (S). Equipped with a 24kw 360v battery and an 80kw Electric Motor. Here are some of my insights and thoughts that fostered my decision and insights after a month of use.
First and foremost, an EV takes a little bit of planning. The electric vehicles main factors are battery and motor size. These two factors effect the range of a full charge. A larger motor will propel the vehicle much quicker. However, it requires more electrons to propel the vehicle and maintain speed. A larger battery can propel the vehicle a farther distance, but can take longer to charge (Depending on the available Chargers).
Second important factor is the ability to charge. Here in South Jersey, there is quite an ample amount of Public Charging Stations. In addition, many EV owners share their home chargers. A smart phone is a valuable resource. The Plugshare App allows EV owners to share their plugs and provide feedback to other EV owners'. For example, if I am charging at the College Campus near my house, I can update the location on the conveying how long I anticipate occupying the charger. Generally, charging at public stations is a short duration. Long enough to extend the range for a journey, get me home. A personal note, I was shocked by the number of Public and Private chargers available in the area. I would say they outnumber gas stations. However, the delivery of electricity is much slower. It is advantageous to plug-in whenever the vehicle is parked, if possible, when traveling far! Range anxiety is eliminated with the ability to charge!
Charging stations are pricey but there is a generous Tax Credit offered! To save a significant amount of money, I designed my own charging station and submitted the plans to my local authority. I received the permits (Electrical and Construction) to install a 20 amp receptacle, off a 30 amp cable run, near my driveway. My plans are to accommodate a 16amp 240v charger. The Leaf can charge at a higher rate of 32amps (27.5 actual Amp), but was not worth the extra money for the charger and wiring (IMO). Depending on the length of the run from the Electrical panel to the charge station, a 30 amp run requires 10 awg copper wire. A 40 amp run requires 8 awg copper wire. Respective to the codes of a locality (Mine is 80%), 30 amps can supply up to 24 amps and a 20 amp receptacle will feed a 16 amp charger (3.2 kw) whereas a 40 amp run will supply up to 32 amps (7.6 kw). Obviously, in my design I left adequate, "Wiggle-Room". This is for both safety (Don't want to short or bake a wire that's underground) and to meet code compliance. Longer runs will have resistance losses requiring larger diameter wire/cable than I outlined.
The third important factor is the average commute. My daily commute to and from work is fifty two miles. Additionally, I am able to Trickle Charge (120v) while the vehicle is parked at work. The trickle charge is usually enough to replenish the 26 mile one-way drive, after seven hours plugged-in! I tracked my mileage, prior to purchasing an EV, and noticed I rarely traveled beyond 70 miles in a day. Usually that occurred when I had tasks in my agenda after work. On those days, the vehicle was parked at home for at least an hour before I ventured out again. I noticed the EV could handle those days considering the driveway is also a gas station! While I was preparing to venture out, the car would be replenished with electricity. However, the Leaf (S) is not ideal for people that travel farther each day. For those commuters, the SV or SL would be more ideal. Each have a 107 mile range. Other manufactures have vehicles with ranges exceeding 200 miles.
The Nissan Leaf (S) is clearly one of the smaller EV's. It does not parallel any comparisons to some of the larger luxurious EV's like the Cadillac ELR, Tesla (Models), Chevy Volt (Hybrid), or BMW. The smaller EV's are, in my opinion a commuter car. With the match of battery and motor, they require a greater frequency of charging. It is important to have 240v Charging Capabilities at your home! Trickle charging on a standard 120v outlet will help extend range, days the battery capacity is over-extended, but would not be ideal for people that travel long distances daily. However, trickle charging would be ideal for people like my Mother! She barely exceeds 30 miles a day.
Some of personal experiences and thoughts here. There are ample opportunities to charge the car. Often they are free. Nissan Dealers all offer at least 7.6 kw chargers. Some have the infamous CHaDEmo direct connect that can charge the car to 80% in roughly half an hour. Running the heater does effect the battery SIGNIFICANTLY! Days where there is freezing temperatures, the heater shortened my range from 84 to 64 miles. I utilize the heated steering wheel and heated seats to maintain comfort and cycle the car heater.
The driving experience is much better than any Internal Combustion Engine vehicle I have driven. The acceleration is smooth, torque-y, and quiet. I enjoy never having to worry about Belts, Tune-ups, Oil Changes, and the lack of moving parts that require maintenance. Heat is almost instant, as there is no need for the engine to warm-up. The Climate Control auto-program feature is awesome! Set the planned time to leave in the morning, and the car will pre-heat or cool while plugged-in. Thereby not effecting the range of the battery as badly for climate control. I enjoy the cleanliness of the vehicle. There is not motor oil, transmission fluid, or exhaust. Lastly, as I anticipated, having the gas station at home (The Plug) is a treat! I never have to make an additional stop to purchase gasoline! Usually, I don't have to stop at a Charge Station either!