I have never got less than 60 plus mpg in my Prius in each year I've had it. You have to try very hard to be an idiot to get such a poor range, no wonder the worlds in such a mess.
I own a Nissan Leaf ev, and considering an electric bike
- Thread starter odbob
- Start date
Dave, no problem, criticism of all things 'alternative' is water off a ducks back to me, having designed, built and maintained all sorts of alternatives over my working years and I might add, before these things became political pawns, I am somewhat insular. There are many useful alternatives but there are also many questionable alternatives out there.
The EV is one alternative to stay and it will eventually become the norm , I am fortunate, in that I am retired and so the EV for me is a 'no brainer'.
I just hope that I will still be alive to sample the driverless EV
I will have owned my Leaf for 5 years this April, and it is without doubt, that this last 5 years has been the most enjoyable motoring experience I have ever encountered.
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Having driven a Leaf on a test drive, I can well understand the attraction. Being retired like you it now starts to make sense for me at last, after a decade of watching the progress of EVs and them not meeting my earlier needs.
But I have the problem of a remote garage with no electricity supply, which means a new wholly independent metered supply. With the network providers being monopolies, the costs may prove prohibitive and long lead times for installations also a problem.
Site survey is on Friday and the quotation following will reveal the initial cost, but I already know it will be thousands rather than hundreds. There are many millions like me in towns and cities with remote garage or no garage, and it's a major inhibitor of EV sales.
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Wow, you are certainly going that extra mile to own a Leaf, and good luck to you, unfortunately I witnessed another enthusiast like yourself who had to give up the idea for virtually the same reason, high cost of electric cabling.
I'm looking at the discount deals on Leafs that crop up from time to time subsidising the electricity installation.
For example, last winter in November/December, Nissan dealers were offering new factory-fresh Visia models at very low prices, the two best reduced from list price of £21340 with my choice of metallic colour to only £11640, a reduction of £9700.
Not so good at the moment, only the better Acenta model reduced, by one of those same dealers from £29490 to £20400, reduction of £9640. One dealer is doing a weird special terms deal at £17490 on the Acenta, but I can't get anyone to give straight details about it. It's very involved and I'm suspicious.
If the electricity installation cost isn't too astronomic, I might just get it installed and then wait until Winter to see if one of the very low cost Leaf deals arrives again that I can grab while it's available.
If that fails, I could then fall back on a very low mileage second-hand. For example my local agent has a 2015 latest spec Acenta with just 1391 miles on the clock at £12500, £16990 below new list price.
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Is that with a leased battery or owned outright, if it is owned battery then it sounds a really good buy, I believe that you can check the history, before buying
I've only got a casual answer that it's with battery, but I'd have to check properly. I can't get into discussion yet though with no prospect of charge power within about 10 weeks on current lead times. It would have to be with battery though, since there's a deal up to the 31st March on new Acentas with 24 kWh battery at £17499 from Bristol Street Motors.
There's a large range of recent Leafs available second hand at excellent prices, but frustratingly they are never advertised with battery ownership/rental status included. Clearly the trade still has much to learn about how to handle these cars, and that sadly includes Nissan dealers who should know better.
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Just a word of caution, I have heard of purchasers of second hand Leafs believing that the battery is owned, only to find later that they have unknowingly entered into a lease arrangement for the battery, in fairness to Nissan, this is not their problem, it is the secondhand dealers who should be aware of what they are buying in and more important, selling out.
It is a lovely car and one that is well worth considering, but just apply caution
Thanks for the warning Bob, good point. In this example it's my local official Nissan dealer I've bought from back in 2008, part of a long established chain, so less likely to be involved in anything dubious. With any luck it will be one they sold in the first instance.
However, I doubt it will still be available in several weeks time.
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The prices get even lower than my local dealer £12500 for a 2015 3000 miler! There's a white 2015 Nissan Leaf Acenta just gone on sale this week at an Oldham dealer with battery definitely owned and only 1670 miles at £10,444. That even includes the £800 Home Charging kit!
Here's the link
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Well I don't need the link, but I am sure that someone will pick that up fairly quickly assuming there are no hidden probs, range anxiety is the only drawback to owning an EV, and so if this is not an issue, then with all of the cost savings associated with owning an EV, this is a 'no brainer' purchase
Yes, I think that one will be gone like a shot, as the dealer remarks in his comments, first to see will buy.
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Given the high initial torque from it's 62 bhp motor and the very low car weight, you'd be spending time regularly renewing the single rear tyre!I want a Morgan EV3, who cares about range...
The sport motorcycle brigade would get the blame for the long black streaks on the tarmac though.
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As we expected, that £10444 2015 Leaf Acenta with owned battery and home charger sold at the weekend, just one clear day after going on sale.
Must be one of the fastest ever Leaf sales!
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Hi odbob,
I convert bicycles to e-drive and I also sell BLDC hub motor and center drive motor KITs. As well as state of the art lithium Batteries. I am in the Phoenix metro area. If you have money to consider buying a factory e-bike, may I suggest you can save a bunch of money and really easily convert most any bike to center drive. It is simply a matter of disengaging the chain, removing the pedals and crank arms, then removing the crankshaft and bearings. The center drive motor main shaft fits into the then empty "bottom bracket". One position retention plate with two 13mm nuts secures the unit into your bicycle. Then there is a main shaft tension nut and decorative cover and the conversion is complete when you reinstall the chain onto the included new chainwheel. There is an electronic dashboard with an on-off function, 9 levels of pedal assist, speed and distance. Plus a thumb throttle. That kit is $550 for 36 volts 500 watts. 36volts 750 watts is $575 and 48 volts 750 watts is $599. A 36 volt 8amp hr lithium pack weighs 3lbd 12 oz and is $325 plus a charger at $50. Total cost $925 for a literally state of the art bike...the equal of bikes costing $3K or more (assuming you use a good bike as your starting point).
The whole package weighs 30lbs and ships from 85208 to your zip code, so you can find out the exact shipping cost. (Must go by ground due to the lithium battery pack). These numbers are given so you can compare features and cost. the bike would have about a 20 mile range. Fun and exercise seamlessly joined.
I convert bicycles to e-drive and I also sell BLDC hub motor and center drive motor KITs. As well as state of the art lithium Batteries. I am in the Phoenix metro area. If you have money to consider buying a factory e-bike, may I suggest you can save a bunch of money and really easily convert most any bike to center drive. It is simply a matter of disengaging the chain, removing the pedals and crank arms, then removing the crankshaft and bearings. The center drive motor main shaft fits into the then empty "bottom bracket". One position retention plate with two 13mm nuts secures the unit into your bicycle. Then there is a main shaft tension nut and decorative cover and the conversion is complete when you reinstall the chain onto the included new chainwheel. There is an electronic dashboard with an on-off function, 9 levels of pedal assist, speed and distance. Plus a thumb throttle. That kit is $550 for 36 volts 500 watts. 36volts 750 watts is $575 and 48 volts 750 watts is $599. A 36 volt 8amp hr lithium pack weighs 3lbd 12 oz and is $325 plus a charger at $50. Total cost $925 for a literally state of the art bike...the equal of bikes costing $3K or more (assuming you use a good bike as your starting point).
The whole package weighs 30lbs and ships from 85208 to your zip code, so you can find out the exact shipping cost. (Must go by ground due to the lithium battery pack). These numbers are given so you can compare features and cost. the bike would have about a 20 mile range. Fun and exercise seamlessly joined.
Reply: I have a fiberglass replica of a 1950s era MGTD which I am converting to electric drive. Initially I have a conversion kit for VW and DC drive. But ultimately I am going to acquire a wrecked LEAF and take the entire electronic system, motor, controller and battery and "MAKE" it fit into the MGTD, even if I have to build a new tubular chassis. My website is www.ERV1.comGiven the high initial torque from it's 62 bhp motor and the very low car weight, you'd be spending time regularly renewing the single rear tyre!
The sport motorcycle brigade would get the blame for the long black streaks on the tarmac though.
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EVs are like electric bikes - they're only effective in certain circumstances. If you a, have off road parking with access to the mains; b, your daily drive covers a regular distance well within the advertised range and c, you hardly ever have the need to travel further afield, they can work. I'm not sure they make economic sense, given the eye watering depreciation Flecc observes, unless you take advantage of that and buy second hand.
I tend to keep a vehicle until it's as good as scrap, most motors are very good these days compared with the PJ (pre japenese) times, so depreciation doesn't apply.
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