Twenty One Months in Our Nissan LEAF
Twenty one months and almost 20,000 miles on our Nissan LEAF and we are going strong with no issues beyond some loss of driving range since the car was new. While my preference is for sportier handling and a car that accelerates faster, we love the LEAF. It has been so reliable that it hasn't been in the shop except for some routine maintenance such as tire rotations and battery checks. I reported in November about that month's service visit and its $98 expense, the only cost for maintenance so far. Add in the fact that we've spent nothing on fuel for the car because of our home's solar panel roof, and we have a combination with the lowest imaginable cost per mile, unless you count bicycles.
The LEAF continues to be our family's primary car. In the time that we've been driving the LEAF, we've put about 15,000 miles on our other car, a 2007 Prius that is our "long distance car". For most trips when the choice of car is optional, we choose the LEAF first if the on-board charge is adequate for the length of our planned trip. The LEAF is certainly the more fun and pleasant car to drive, with its peppy and smooth performance, its roomier and airy interior, and its quiet ride. With the approximately 10 to 15% loss of range that we've seen since the car was new, our comfortable range is about 68 miles on a 100% charge or 55 miles on an 80% charge. When temperatures are really cold (which means nighttime temps of around 40 F here in Southern California), comfortable range is between five and ten percent less than those numbers.
A lot has happened in our EV world in the past two months and I'll try to recap without being too wordy.
Our Electricity Costs
SCE (our utility) is still having problems getting their smart meter to send data back to the mother ship, so instead, we're getting infrequent manual meter reads. An SCE official told me in November that SCE will be replacing our meter with a new one, but I don't expect anything to happen quickly. So here in mid-January, I just received our online bills for November and December. The November bill was $52 and the December bill was $61.71. After subtracting those amounts from our previous credit balance of $180.99, built up during the summer months of higher solar production, we still have a credit balance of $67.28 remaining for the last two months of our solar net metering year. I'm guessing that when we settle up with SCE at the end of February, we'll owe perhaps $30 for all of our electricity use for the entire year. If we hadn't had extra family members living with us for six months of last year, I expect that we would be ending our net metering year with a credit balance, and a bill of zero.
As I've calculated for other months, even if we didn't have solar power, our cost for charging the LEAF for the month would have been between $35 and $40, or about four cents a mile. Compare that with a fuel cost of 13 cents per mile for a 30 mpg gasoline car burning $4 per gallon gas.
DC Charging Station, San Juan Capistrano
I enjoyed attending the grand opening in November of one of the very few DC (direct current) Quick Charge stations in Southern California. The new DCQC installed by EV Oasis is located at the Residence Inn on Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. The unit is built to the CHAdeMO standard, which is ubiquitous in Japan, is compatible with the Nissan LEAF and the Mitsubishi iMiev, and is by far the most commonly installed DCQC standard in the world.
The cost to charge at the new San Juan Capistrano fast charger is $15 per hour during mid-day hours and $10 per hour at night and early in the morning. These charging costs per mile are comparable to gasoline costs per mile, but the important factors here are convenience and speed of charging. The location of this fast charger is ideal for LEAF drivers wishing to travel south into San Diego County along Interstate 5 through Camp Pendleton. Prior to the availability of this charging station, drivers coming from central Orange County would be likely to run out of charge at Oceanside, and then need a 4 hour charge at a 240 V level 2 charging station in order to be able to make it to San Diego. With the new fast charger, they should be able to make it with just a 30 minute quick charge and perhaps a brief charge from an L2 station just north of San Diego. This makes it much more likely that these folks will choose to take their LEAF for this trip rather than their gasoline car.
As I mentioned above, the CHAdeMO DC Quick Charging standard is by far the most widely installed such charging standard, and is compatible with the most EVs currently on the roads in the US. Tesla has built a few of its "Supercharger" stations which use Tesla's own proprietary standard, only compatible with Tesla's own Model S sedan. A few new EVs are expected to be released in 2013 with the recently settled U.S. SAE Combo DCQC standard, notably the Chevy Spark EV this coming summer and probably the BMW i3 late in the year. The CHAdeMO charger can charge a LEAF battery up to about 80% full in 30 to 40 minutes.
Widespread installation of these DCQC chargers is considered by many to be the one factor that will most readily speed the adoption of EVs in the US by increasing consumer confidence and reducing range anxiety.
LA Auto Show 2012
I went to the LA Auto Show in November, primarily to see some new EVs in person. The show wasn't very exciting as far as new EV reveals were concerned, but I did get a look at the new Chevy Spark EV, the Fiat 500 EV and a concept coupe from BMW based on the upcoming 2014 BMW i3 four door EV. I also got a look at the very nice interior of the Infiniti LE Concept, a future EV that I had already seen at another show. Mitsubishi showed the gas version of their upcoming Outlander, a mid size SUV that the company is expected to bring out in a plug-in hybrid version within a year or so. My favorite EV concept was the Honda EV-STER, a small electric roadster concept. I have very few expectations that this little beauty will ever be built, but it's fun to dream.
The BMW i3 Coupe Concept may represent a two door coupe version of the i3 four door that BMW plans to bring to market late this year. I would likely choose the four door, but the styling details shown on the Coupe Concept were more realistic than those that we've seen on versions of the i3 shown prior to this, especially the previous versions' glass doors. Looking at the Coupe Concept, I found it easier to imagine how the production version of the i3 will look. This very intriguing new EV from BMW is on my short list of cars to replace our LEAF after our current lease is up in about 18 months, and I'm watching it closely.
I wasn't very impressed with the Chevy Spark EV. I'm glad that Chevy is planning to try selling a pure EV in California, even after their marketing of the Volt emphasized the range anxiety of owning a pure EV. I find the styling of the Spark to be ungainly and the rear end too truncated. And from what I saw of the interiors of the gasoline versions of the Spark, the hard plastic materials give a cheap impression. I am curious, however, about the very high torque figure of 400 lb/ft that is quoted for the Spark's EV power train. That is an insanely high torque figure for a small car. I doubt that all of that torque will be present in the production version. As I mentioned in the section on DC quick charging, the Spark EV is likely to be the first production EV to offer this type of charging in the SAE Combo format. This format combines Level 1 and 2 and DC quick charging in a single car-side receptacle, making placement of the receptacle simpler than the designs found in the Nissan and Mitsubishi EVs, which require two distinct receptacles.
I think that the Fiat 500 EV looks like a fun little car. From photos that I've seen, Fiat seems to have done a nice job of customizing the interior of the car for EV duty, and the exterior touches are quite sporty and fun. I've read about some of Fiat's ideas for marketing their EV, and they're focusing on emphasizing the sporty aspects of electric drive. Fiat has plenty of experience in the sporty car arena, and their Abarth model of the current Fiat 500 is impressive, so they know what they are doing. It remains to be seen whether the car's performance will live up to the sporty image. The examples of both the Chevy and the Fiat at the show were clearly early prototypes or pre-production models, but both EVs are expected to be released for sale (or at least for lease) in California in mid-2013.
Both the Chevy Spark EV and the Fiat 500 EV are considered by many to be "compliance cars", cars made only to comply with California CARB's rule that large car makers must sell an EV in the state in order to sell their other cars here, though the Chevy may be marketed in other states. Fiat's President has gone on record as saying that Fiat will lose significant money on every 500 EV sold, and that they wouldn't be building the car if California didn't require it. Link That may make very little difference to buyers who find the cars appealing, though. It should be noted, too, that like the Ford Focus EV, the Honda Fit EV, and the Toyota Rav4 EV, the Fiat lacks any provision for DC quick charging.
Nissan Battery Capacity Warranty
In late December, Nissan announced a new 5 year 60,000 mile battery capacity warranty covering all current and previously sold (or leased) LEAFs. The warranty provides a remedy when the lithium battery capacity bars on the dash, the scale to the right of the battery charge gauge, fall below 9 bars. Owners will be able to get their batteries replaced with batteries with higher capacity. This new warranty, apparently the first of its kind to be offered in the US, was announced just prior to a special meeting of Nissan executives with LEAF drivers in Phoenix Arizona, some of whom have experienced loss of several battery capacity bars.
I welcome this announcement because a capacity warranty is clearly needed, especially after all of the press reports about loss of driving range in LEAFs in hot climates like Arizona. My impression is that this warranty is a good marketing tool for Nissan, as it gives a response to prospective buyers' concerns about battery aging. And I think that it is a good thing for the success of EVs in general, and I'm always in favor of that. However, I think that the warranty should take effect when capacity falls below 10 bars rather than 9, since I think that a loss of three capacity bars represents a large enough loss of the useful range for the car to warrant replacement of the battery pack within the first five years.
2013 Nissan LEAF Specs and Pricing Announced
Also in December, Nissan announced the details of the new 2013 LEAF models, and there will be three models in place of the two models offered in the prior years. The models will be called the S, the SV and the SL, and they will be built for the US market at Nissan's new factory in Tennessee. The S has been designed as the value leader, with an announced base price of $28,800 before incentives. In California, if a buyer is eligible to take the full Federal $7,500 tax credit and the $2,500 state CARB rebate, the effective price of this EV would be only $18,800. At that price, the car is competitive with regular gasoline powered cars, but it still offers the amazingly low cost of operation of an electric car (four cents a mile fuel costs or even zero fuel costs if you have home solar power) and it produces zero emissions while driving. Remember, however that taxes and license will be based on the full $28,800 sales price.
The LEAF S will have fewer features than the current base model, the 2012 LEAF SV. The S model lacks a gps navigation system, it has a smaller video display and it lacks Carwings, the system that is used to wirelessly connect to the car to start and stop charging and to start the climate control system while the car is connected to power (these functions can be accomplished using on-board timers, however). But the LEAF S will still be a fully functional and powerful EV, and the price will make it attractive to a new segment of the market, and that is a very good thing.
At the same time as the 2013 LEAF S value leader model was introduced, Nissan is also offering a model that will appeal to the prospective buyers who want more luxury and more content in their EV, as well as faster Level 2 charging. The LEAF SL for 2013 will come with, among other features, leather seating and a 6.6 kW on-board charger that will cut charging time in half compared with the 2011 and 2012 LEAF (and compared with the 2013 LEAF S with its 3.3 kW charger) when connected to 240 V level 2 charging stations capable of charging at 32 Amps. At a base price of $34,840, even this top-of-the line LEAF will cost over $2,000 less than a similarly equipped 2012 LEAF, so Nissan has succeeded in its goal of making the LEAF more attractive to a wider range of buyers.
Cold Weather Brake Regeneration Reduced in Our LEAF
We have had very cold weather in Southern California recently, night time temperatures as low as 35 degrees F. I know, no sympathy for me if you live in the East or North, but that is very cold for this region. When I was driving the LEAF the other night, I noticed that the car's dash display showed that I had less capacity for brake regeneration, and that this reduced capacity was speed sensitive. At rest, all four regen circles ("bubbles") were available, but when we were going faster, like over 50 mph, I only had two of the four circles, representing only half the regen capacity. This doesn't cause us any real problems, except that it can reduce our driving efficiency, but it could be a real problem for owners in cold weather regions who count on a lot of regeneration to slow the car without over-using the friction brakes going down long mountain grades, or to maximize their driving range. The car's battery controller may be programmed this way to protect the battery pack in cold conditions, but we haven't seen reports of this behavior on the MyNissanLEAF forum in LEAFs newer than the 2011 model year. I don't see this as a problem, but I did find the car's behavior surprising.
Electric Bicycle
I'm continuing to enjoy riding my Stromer electrified mountain bike. This is a great looking, well designed and powerful bike with great quality components. Setting the electric pedal assist in the lowest ("ECO") of the four settings, I find that I get decent exercise and a lot of enjoyment out of my daily 10 mile hilly rides. I can do these rides in less than an hour and come back invigorated but not exhausted, and then I can get on with the rest of my day. But when I'm more interested in having fun than in exercise, I can increase the pedal assist power and I suddenly feel like I have legs that are 25 years younger. At the top assist level, I can ride up steep hills with no more effort than I am used to expending on flat ground. That is a surreal experience, and what a hoot it is!
The Numbers: November and December 2012
2011 Nissan LEAF SL Placed in Service: March 30, 2011
All Home Charging Done Using: 240 Volt Aerovironment/Nissan Level 2 EVSE
Home Solar PV System: 24 Sunpower 215W panels totaling 5.16 kW DC mounted on a 20 degree South facing roof.
Total Solar PV Power Generated for Net Metering Year Ended February 2012: 8,568 kWh
Month: November 2012
Total Miles at Month End: 18,511 miles
Miles Driven in Month: 822 miles
Electric Power Used for Charging in Month: 243.3 kWh (measured at wall power source, includes public charging)
Public Charging in Month, Power Use: 0.7 kWh
Charging at Home in Month, Power Use: 242.6 kWh
Energy Efficiency, Month of November: 3.38 miles/kWh (wall to wheels)
Energy Efficiency, Month of November: 4.12 miles/kWh (in car main dash display, battery to wheels)
Efficiency Wall to Wheels in Month at 240 Volts: (3.38/4.12) = 82.0%
Energy Efficiency, Lifetime: 30.4 kWh/100 mi (wall to wheels)
Number of Home Charging Days in Month: 25
Most Electric Energy Used for Charging in a Day in November: 21.5 kWh (5.7 charging hours)
Most Electric Energy Used for Charging AT HOME in a Day in November: 21.5 kWh (5.7 charging hours)
Least Electric Energy Used at Home for Charging in a Charging Day in November : 3.5 kWh (0.9 charging hours)
Average Electric Energy Used for Home Charging in a Charging Day in November: 9.7 kWh (2.6 charging hours)
Household Power Used for Month: 622.4 kWh (without car charging)
Total Power Used for Month: 865 kWh (includes car charging)
Solar PV Power Generated for Month: 535 kWh
Net Power Used or Sent to Grid for Month: 330 kWh net used
November Electric Bill, So Cal Edison, Schedule TOU-D-TEV: $ 52.00
Solar Net Metering Year Total Cumulative kWh Used at Month #9: 1,729 kWh (Estimated Total kWh net used for the net metering year. This is total household and EV charging usage minus solar PV generation. Figures are from my tracking, SCE's tracking is messed up at this time.)
Solar Net Metering Year Total Cumulative Cost at Month #9: -$128.99 (Total energy and delivery costs for all power usage for the net metering year adds up to a credit balance after month #9 of our net metering year. This credit balance will pay for debits for future months when sunshine is less and Peak daytime credits are less beneficial.)
Cost for Charging Car in November: $0.00
Cost per Mile: $0.00
Cost for Charging Car, Lifetime: $0.00
Cost per Mile, Lifetime: $0.00
(If We Didn't Have Solar Power, Est Cost for Charging Car in November: $31.54)
(If We Didn't Have Solar Power, Est Cost per Mile in November: $0.038)
Maintenance and Repair Costs to Date: $0.00
Average (Mean) Miles per Driving Day in November: 27.4 miles
Average (Median) Miles per Driving Day in November: 26.5 miles
Longest Day's Driving in November: 80 miles (included a mid-day home charging session)
Longest Day's Driving in November Without Mid-Trip Charging: 52 miles
Shortest Day's Driving in November 4 miles
Number of Times we Took the Prius Instead of the LEAF Due to Low Charge: 5
Unexpected Low Charge and Unable to Reach Destination: Never
Month: December 2012
Total Miles at Month End: 19,322 miles
Miles Driven in Month: 811 miles
Electric Power Used for Charging in Month: 249.9 kWh (measured at wall power source, includes public charging)
Public Charging in Month, Power Use: 0 kWh
Charging at Home in Month, Power Use: 249.9 kWh
Energy Efficiency, Month of December: 3.25 miles/kWh (wall to wheels)
Energy Efficiency, Month of December: 4.06 miles/kWh (in car main dash display, battery to wheels)
Efficiency Wall to Wheels in Month at 240 Volts: (3.38/4.12) = 80.0%
Energy Efficiency, Lifetime: 30.4 kWh/100 mi (wall to wheels)
Number of Home Charging Days in Month: 22
Most Electric Energy Used for Charging in a Day in December: 23.4 kWh ( 6.2 charging hours)
Most Electric Energy Used for Charging AT HOME in a Day n December: 23.4 kWh (6.2 charging hours)
Least Electric Energy Used at Home for Charging in a Charging Day in December : 3.9 kWh ( charging hour)
Average Electric Energy Used for Home Charging in a Charging Day in December: 11.4 kWh ( 3 charging hours)
Household Power Used for Month: 642 kWh (without car charging)
Total Power Used for Month: 892 kWh (includes car charging)
Solar PV Power Generated for Month: 420 kWh
Net Power Used or Sent to Grid for Month: 472 kWh net used
November Electric Bill, So Cal Edison, Schedule TOU-D-TEV: $ 61.71
Solar Net Metering Year Total Cumulative kWh Used at Month #10: 2,173 kWh (Estimated Total kWh net used for the net metering year. This is total household and EV charging usage minus solar PV generation. Figures are from my tracking, SCE's tracking is messed up at this time.)
Solar Net Metering Year Total Cumulative Cost at Month #10: -$67.28 (Total energy and delivery costs for all power usage for the net metering year adds up to a credit balance after month #10 of our net metering year. This credit balance will pay for debits for future months when sunshine is less and Peak daytime credits are less beneficial.)
Cost for Charging Car in December: $0.00
Cost per Mile: $0.00
Cost for Charging Car, Lifetime: $0.00
Cost per Mile, Lifetime: $0.00
(If We Didn't Have Solar Power, Est Cost for Charging Car in December: $32.49)
(If We Didn't Have Solar Power, Est Cost per Mile in December: $0.04)
Maintenance and Repair Costs to Date: $ 98
Average (Mean) Miles per Driving Day in December: 33.8 miles
Average (Median) Miles per Driving Day in December: 32.5 miles
Longest Day's Driving in December: 64 miles
Longest Day's Driving in December Without Mid-Trip Charging: 64 miles
Shortest Day's Driving in December: 11 miles
Number of Times we Took the Prius Instead of the LEAF Due to Low Charge: 2
Unexpected Low Charge and Unable to Reach Destination: Never
Cayenne Red LEAF with a Blue Tesla Model S
The LEAF continues to be our family's primary car. In the time that we've been driving the LEAF, we've put about 15,000 miles on our other car, a 2007 Prius that is our "long distance car". For most trips when the choice of car is optional, we choose the LEAF first if the on-board charge is adequate for the length of our planned trip. The LEAF is certainly the more fun and pleasant car to drive, with its peppy and smooth performance, its roomier and airy interior, and its quiet ride. With the approximately 10 to 15% loss of range that we've seen since the car was new, our comfortable range is about 68 miles on a 100% charge or 55 miles on an 80% charge. When temperatures are really cold (which means nighttime temps of around 40 F here in Southern California), comfortable range is between five and ten percent less than those numbers.
A lot has happened in our EV world in the past two months and I'll try to recap without being too wordy.
Our Electricity Costs
As I've calculated for other months, even if we didn't have solar power, our cost for charging the LEAF for the month would have been between $35 and $40, or about four cents a mile. Compare that with a fuel cost of 13 cents per mile for a 30 mpg gasoline car burning $4 per gallon gas.
DC Charging Station, San Juan Capistrano
I enjoyed attending the grand opening in November of one of the very few DC (direct current) Quick Charge stations in Southern California. The new DCQC installed by EV Oasis is located at the Residence Inn on Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. The unit is built to the CHAdeMO standard, which is ubiquitous in Japan, is compatible with the Nissan LEAF and the Mitsubishi iMiev, and is by far the most commonly installed DCQC standard in the world.
The cost to charge at the new San Juan Capistrano fast charger is $15 per hour during mid-day hours and $10 per hour at night and early in the morning. These charging costs per mile are comparable to gasoline costs per mile, but the important factors here are convenience and speed of charging. The location of this fast charger is ideal for LEAF drivers wishing to travel south into San Diego County along Interstate 5 through Camp Pendleton. Prior to the availability of this charging station, drivers coming from central Orange County would be likely to run out of charge at Oceanside, and then need a 4 hour charge at a 240 V level 2 charging station in order to be able to make it to San Diego. With the new fast charger, they should be able to make it with just a 30 minute quick charge and perhaps a brief charge from an L2 station just north of San Diego. This makes it much more likely that these folks will choose to take their LEAF for this trip rather than their gasoline car.
As I mentioned above, the CHAdeMO DC Quick Charging standard is by far the most widely installed such charging standard, and is compatible with the most EVs currently on the roads in the US. Tesla has built a few of its "Supercharger" stations which use Tesla's own proprietary standard, only compatible with Tesla's own Model S sedan. A few new EVs are expected to be released in 2013 with the recently settled U.S. SAE Combo DCQC standard, notably the Chevy Spark EV this coming summer and probably the BMW i3 late in the year. The CHAdeMO charger can charge a LEAF battery up to about 80% full in 30 to 40 minutes.
Widespread installation of these DCQC chargers is considered by many to be the one factor that will most readily speed the adoption of EVs in the US by increasing consumer confidence and reducing range anxiety.
LA Auto Show 2012
Honda EV-Ster Concept
Infiniti LE Concept Interior
2014 Mitsubishi Outlander, a PHEV Version of which May be Available Within a Year
I went to the LA Auto Show in November, primarily to see some new EVs in person. The show wasn't very exciting as far as new EV reveals were concerned, but I did get a look at the new Chevy Spark EV, the Fiat 500 EV and a concept coupe from BMW based on the upcoming 2014 BMW i3 four door EV. I also got a look at the very nice interior of the Infiniti LE Concept, a future EV that I had already seen at another show. Mitsubishi showed the gas version of their upcoming Outlander, a mid size SUV that the company is expected to bring out in a plug-in hybrid version within a year or so. My favorite EV concept was the Honda EV-STER, a small electric roadster concept. I have very few expectations that this little beauty will ever be built, but it's fun to dream.
BMW i3 Coupe Concept
The BMW i3 Coupe Concept may represent a two door coupe version of the i3 four door that BMW plans to bring to market late this year. I would likely choose the four door, but the styling details shown on the Coupe Concept were more realistic than those that we've seen on versions of the i3 shown prior to this, especially the previous versions' glass doors. Looking at the Coupe Concept, I found it easier to imagine how the production version of the i3 will look. This very intriguing new EV from BMW is on my short list of cars to replace our LEAF after our current lease is up in about 18 months, and I'm watching it closely.
I wasn't very impressed with the Chevy Spark EV. I'm glad that Chevy is planning to try selling a pure EV in California, even after their marketing of the Volt emphasized the range anxiety of owning a pure EV. I find the styling of the Spark to be ungainly and the rear end too truncated. And from what I saw of the interiors of the gasoline versions of the Spark, the hard plastic materials give a cheap impression. I am curious, however, about the very high torque figure of 400 lb/ft that is quoted for the Spark's EV power train. That is an insanely high torque figure for a small car. I doubt that all of that torque will be present in the production version. As I mentioned in the section on DC quick charging, the Spark EV is likely to be the first production EV to offer this type of charging in the SAE Combo format. This format combines Level 1 and 2 and DC quick charging in a single car-side receptacle, making placement of the receptacle simpler than the designs found in the Nissan and Mitsubishi EVs, which require two distinct receptacles.
Chevy Spark EV
I think that the Fiat 500 EV looks like a fun little car. From photos that I've seen, Fiat seems to have done a nice job of customizing the interior of the car for EV duty, and the exterior touches are quite sporty and fun. I've read about some of Fiat's ideas for marketing their EV, and they're focusing on emphasizing the sporty aspects of electric drive. Fiat has plenty of experience in the sporty car arena, and their Abarth model of the current Fiat 500 is impressive, so they know what they are doing. It remains to be seen whether the car's performance will live up to the sporty image. The examples of both the Chevy and the Fiat at the show were clearly early prototypes or pre-production models, but both EVs are expected to be released for sale (or at least for lease) in California in mid-2013.
Fiat 500 EV
Nissan Battery Capacity Warranty
In late December, Nissan announced a new 5 year 60,000 mile battery capacity warranty covering all current and previously sold (or leased) LEAFs. The warranty provides a remedy when the lithium battery capacity bars on the dash, the scale to the right of the battery charge gauge, fall below 9 bars. Owners will be able to get their batteries replaced with batteries with higher capacity. This new warranty, apparently the first of its kind to be offered in the US, was announced just prior to a special meeting of Nissan executives with LEAF drivers in Phoenix Arizona, some of whom have experienced loss of several battery capacity bars.
I welcome this announcement because a capacity warranty is clearly needed, especially after all of the press reports about loss of driving range in LEAFs in hot climates like Arizona. My impression is that this warranty is a good marketing tool for Nissan, as it gives a response to prospective buyers' concerns about battery aging. And I think that it is a good thing for the success of EVs in general, and I'm always in favor of that. However, I think that the warranty should take effect when capacity falls below 10 bars rather than 9, since I think that a loss of three capacity bars represents a large enough loss of the useful range for the car to warrant replacement of the battery pack within the first five years.
2013 Nissan LEAF Specs and Pricing Announced
Also in December, Nissan announced the details of the new 2013 LEAF models, and there will be three models in place of the two models offered in the prior years. The models will be called the S, the SV and the SL, and they will be built for the US market at Nissan's new factory in Tennessee. The S has been designed as the value leader, with an announced base price of $28,800 before incentives. In California, if a buyer is eligible to take the full Federal $7,500 tax credit and the $2,500 state CARB rebate, the effective price of this EV would be only $18,800. At that price, the car is competitive with regular gasoline powered cars, but it still offers the amazingly low cost of operation of an electric car (four cents a mile fuel costs or even zero fuel costs if you have home solar power) and it produces zero emissions while driving. Remember, however that taxes and license will be based on the full $28,800 sales price.
2013 LEAF SL in new Grey Paint
(Photo Credit: Gas2.org)
The LEAF S will have fewer features than the current base model, the 2012 LEAF SV. The S model lacks a gps navigation system, it has a smaller video display and it lacks Carwings, the system that is used to wirelessly connect to the car to start and stop charging and to start the climate control system while the car is connected to power (these functions can be accomplished using on-board timers, however). But the LEAF S will still be a fully functional and powerful EV, and the price will make it attractive to a new segment of the market, and that is a very good thing.
At the same time as the 2013 LEAF S value leader model was introduced, Nissan is also offering a model that will appeal to the prospective buyers who want more luxury and more content in their EV, as well as faster Level 2 charging. The LEAF SL for 2013 will come with, among other features, leather seating and a 6.6 kW on-board charger that will cut charging time in half compared with the 2011 and 2012 LEAF (and compared with the 2013 LEAF S with its 3.3 kW charger) when connected to 240 V level 2 charging stations capable of charging at 32 Amps. At a base price of $34,840, even this top-of-the line LEAF will cost over $2,000 less than a similarly equipped 2012 LEAF, so Nissan has succeeded in its goal of making the LEAF more attractive to a wider range of buyers.
Cold Weather Brake Regeneration Reduced in Our LEAF
We have had very cold weather in Southern California recently, night time temperatures as low as 35 degrees F. I know, no sympathy for me if you live in the East or North, but that is very cold for this region. When I was driving the LEAF the other night, I noticed that the car's dash display showed that I had less capacity for brake regeneration, and that this reduced capacity was speed sensitive. At rest, all four regen circles ("bubbles") were available, but when we were going faster, like over 50 mph, I only had two of the four circles, representing only half the regen capacity. This doesn't cause us any real problems, except that it can reduce our driving efficiency, but it could be a real problem for owners in cold weather regions who count on a lot of regeneration to slow the car without over-using the friction brakes going down long mountain grades, or to maximize their driving range. The car's battery controller may be programmed this way to protect the battery pack in cold conditions, but we haven't seen reports of this behavior on the MyNissanLEAF forum in LEAFs newer than the 2011 model year. I don't see this as a problem, but I did find the car's behavior surprising.
Electric Bicycle
Stromer Electric Bicycle
The Numbers: November and December 2012
2011 Nissan LEAF SL Placed in Service: March 30, 2011
All Home Charging Done Using: 240 Volt Aerovironment/Nissan Level 2 EVSE
Home Solar PV System: 24 Sunpower 215W panels totaling 5.16 kW DC mounted on a 20 degree South facing roof.
Total Solar PV Power Generated for Net Metering Year Ended February 2012: 8,568 kWh
Our LEAF's Longest Range Full Charge to Empty ("Turtle"): 86.5 miles (at 4.0 mi/kWh on dash), April 2011.
Our LEAF's Most Recent Range, Full Charge to Turtle: 75 miles (at 4.1 mi/kWh on dash), July 2012
NOTE: Longer maximum range is possible if the LEAF is driven more conservatively. Many LEAF owners have achieved range of well over 100 miles.
NOTE: Longer maximum range is possible if the LEAF is driven more conservatively. Many LEAF owners have achieved range of well over 100 miles.
Total Miles at Month End: 18,511 miles
Miles Driven in Month: 822 miles
Electric Power Used for Charging in Month: 243.3 kWh (measured at wall power source, includes public charging)
Public Charging in Month, Power Use: 0.7 kWh
Charging at Home in Month, Power Use: 242.6 kWh
Energy Efficiency, Month of November: 3.38 miles/kWh (wall to wheels)
Energy Efficiency, Month of November: 4.12 miles/kWh (in car main dash display, battery to wheels)
Efficiency Wall to Wheels in Month at 240 Volts: (3.38/4.12) = 82.0%
Total Charging Energy Used, Lifetime: 5,629 kWh (Includes public charging)
Energy Efficiency, Lifetime: 3.29 miles/kWh (wall to wheels)Energy Efficiency, Lifetime: 30.4 kWh/100 mi (wall to wheels)
Number of Home Charging Days in Month: 25
Most Electric Energy Used for Charging in a Day in November: 21.5 kWh (5.7 charging hours)
Most Electric Energy Used for Charging AT HOME in a Day in November: 21.5 kWh (5.7 charging hours)
Least Electric Energy Used at Home for Charging in a Charging Day in November : 3.5 kWh (0.9 charging hours)
Average Electric Energy Used for Home Charging in a Charging Day in November: 9.7 kWh (2.6 charging hours)
Household Power Used for Month: 622.4 kWh (without car charging)
Total Power Used for Month: 865 kWh (includes car charging)
Solar PV Power Generated for Month: 535 kWh
Net Power Used or Sent to Grid for Month: 330 kWh net used
November Electric Bill, So Cal Edison, Schedule TOU-D-TEV: $ 52.00
Solar Net Metering Year Total Cumulative kWh Used at Month #9: 1,729 kWh (Estimated Total kWh net used for the net metering year. This is total household and EV charging usage minus solar PV generation. Figures are from my tracking, SCE's tracking is messed up at this time.)
Solar Net Metering Year Total Cumulative Cost at Month #9: -$128.99 (Total energy and delivery costs for all power usage for the net metering year adds up to a credit balance after month #9 of our net metering year. This credit balance will pay for debits for future months when sunshine is less and Peak daytime credits are less beneficial.)
Cost for Charging Car in November: $0.00
Cost per Mile: $0.00
Cost for Charging Car, Lifetime: $0.00
Cost per Mile, Lifetime: $0.00
(If We Didn't Have Solar Power, Est Cost for Charging Car in November: $31.54)
(If We Didn't Have Solar Power, Est Cost per Mile in November: $0.038)
Maintenance and Repair Costs to Date: $0.00
Average (Mean) Miles per Driving Day in November: 27.4 miles
Average (Median) Miles per Driving Day in November: 26.5 miles
Longest Day's Driving in November: 80 miles (included a mid-day home charging session)
Longest Day's Driving in November Without Mid-Trip Charging: 52 miles
Shortest Day's Driving in November 4 miles
Number of Times we Took the Prius Instead of the LEAF Due to Low Charge: 5
Unexpected Low Charge and Unable to Reach Destination: Never
Month: December 2012
Total Miles at Month End: 19,322 miles
Miles Driven in Month: 811 miles
Electric Power Used for Charging in Month: 249.9 kWh (measured at wall power source, includes public charging)
Public Charging in Month, Power Use: 0 kWh
Charging at Home in Month, Power Use: 249.9 kWh
Energy Efficiency, Month of December: 3.25 miles/kWh (wall to wheels)
Energy Efficiency, Month of December: 4.06 miles/kWh (in car main dash display, battery to wheels)
Efficiency Wall to Wheels in Month at 240 Volts: (3.38/4.12) = 80.0%
Total Charging Energy Used, Lifetime: 5,879 kWh (Includes public charging)
Energy Efficiency, Lifetime: 3.29 miles/kWh (wall to wheels)Energy Efficiency, Lifetime: 30.4 kWh/100 mi (wall to wheels)
Number of Home Charging Days in Month: 22
Most Electric Energy Used for Charging in a Day in December: 23.4 kWh ( 6.2 charging hours)
Most Electric Energy Used for Charging AT HOME in a Day n December: 23.4 kWh (6.2 charging hours)
Least Electric Energy Used at Home for Charging in a Charging Day in December : 3.9 kWh ( charging hour)
Average Electric Energy Used for Home Charging in a Charging Day in December: 11.4 kWh ( 3 charging hours)
Household Power Used for Month: 642 kWh (without car charging)
Total Power Used for Month: 892 kWh (includes car charging)
Solar PV Power Generated for Month: 420 kWh
Net Power Used or Sent to Grid for Month: 472 kWh net used
November Electric Bill, So Cal Edison, Schedule TOU-D-TEV: $ 61.71
Solar Net Metering Year Total Cumulative kWh Used at Month #10: 2,173 kWh (Estimated Total kWh net used for the net metering year. This is total household and EV charging usage minus solar PV generation. Figures are from my tracking, SCE's tracking is messed up at this time.)
Solar Net Metering Year Total Cumulative Cost at Month #10: -$67.28 (Total energy and delivery costs for all power usage for the net metering year adds up to a credit balance after month #10 of our net metering year. This credit balance will pay for debits for future months when sunshine is less and Peak daytime credits are less beneficial.)
Cost for Charging Car in December: $0.00
Cost per Mile: $0.00
Cost for Charging Car, Lifetime: $0.00
Cost per Mile, Lifetime: $0.00
(If We Didn't Have Solar Power, Est Cost for Charging Car in December: $32.49)
(If We Didn't Have Solar Power, Est Cost per Mile in December: $0.04)
Maintenance and Repair Costs to Date: $ 98
Average (Mean) Miles per Driving Day in December: 33.8 miles
Average (Median) Miles per Driving Day in December: 32.5 miles
Longest Day's Driving in December: 64 miles
Longest Day's Driving in December Without Mid-Trip Charging: 64 miles
Shortest Day's Driving in December: 11 miles
Number of Times we Took the Prius Instead of the LEAF Due to Low Charge: 2
Unexpected Low Charge and Unable to Reach Destination: Never
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