Bought a LEAF

[NeilBlanchard]

Glad to have another EV driver here on EM. My family has had a '15 Leaf S for almost 16 months, and a '15 e-Golf for a year.

We have yet to have any issue with the 12v battery. It is charged with a DC-to-DC unit.

What tires does your Leaf have? Do you know about putting it in "neutral" for coasting?

[dremd]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

r.

We have yet to have any issue with the 12v battery. It is charged with a DC-to-DC unit.

That is true, but the Dc-Dc unit charges the 12 volt battery to 13 volts for 3~5 minutes then "floats" it at 12.5 for the remainder of the drive, not ideal for long life on Lead acid battery. It isn't terrible, it just doesn't seem right to kill a "starting" battery every 3~4 years. And sometimes the first sign of 12 volt battery failure is something regarding the brake transition from regen - friction, and some people have had near misses.

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

r.
What tires does your Leaf have? Do you know about putting it in "neutral" for coasting?

Worn factory tires, I'll be needing some soon, any suggestions? it looks like the OEM's have the longest range on mynissanleaf forum. but don't lats or grab very well

I don't know anything about "neutral" sifting/ driving yet, I do regularly bump Prius in to neutral, so I'm betting that I'm interested in your experience.

[dremd]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Glad to have another EV driver here on EM. My family has had a '15 Leaf S for almost 16 months, and a '15 e-Golf for a year.

Thanks for the Welcome!


How is the E-Golf? I'm kind of a VW guy, I would probably have preferred that, but the LEAF was less than half the price used.

[NeilBlanchard]

The original Ecopias are amazingly low rolling resistance, so if you are happy with their performance, you could do pretty well, I think going with the Ecopia Pus which is the retail version of the OEM tires. An alternative would be to get Nokian eNtTYRE 2.0 (all season low rolling resistance) or their WR G3 (all-weather low rolling resistance) for better winter performance. Neither of these are ultra low resistance, though.

Shift the Leaf into neutral the same way you would in the Prius - except don't use R below 7MPH or you will get reverse.

The e-Golf is a better car in many ways, but a weaker EV, if that makes any sense. I did a detailed comparison elsewhere here on EM. I'll find it and link, when I can. (We are having power issues here at work.)

[dremd]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

The original Ecopias are amazingly low rolling resistance, so if you are happy with their performance, you could do pretty well, I think going with the Ecopia Pus which is the retail version of the OEM tires.

Any idea on the difference between the OEM and retail version?
Wet grip is important, noise / ride quality is probably more important (unless wet grip is terrible) winter is an abstract concept here that I have no reason to prepare for.

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

An alternative would be to get Nokian eNtTYRE 2.0 (all season low rolling resistance) or their WR G3 (all-weather low rolling resistance) for better winter performance. Neither of these are ultra low resistance, though.

Again, I don't get winter and the range isn't sufficient to drive someplace with winter.

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Shift the Leaf into neutral the same way you would in the Prius - except don't use R below 7MPH or you will get reverse.

Good to know, thanks for the warning, I would have expected lockout until stopped, LoL

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

The e-Golf is a better car in many ways, but a weaker EV, if that makes any sense. I did a detailed comparison elsewhere here on EM. I'll find it and link, when I can. (We are having power issues here at work.)

http://neilblanchard.blogspot.com/20...eaf-other.html
I think I understand you here the current Golf has a high grade fit / finish / appointments (Which would have required an Audi badge 1 generation ago) and the LEAF is a Nissan that isn't going to be confused with an Infinity. However the Germans haven't mastered the concept of electricity just yet, which might be problematic in an electric car.

[dremd]

The car should arrive Sunday night, I'm in line trying to get my License plate right now since my town will be shut down next week for Mardi Grass.

[MetroMPG]

Subscribed for Leaf mods!

Congrats on the car. I've ridden in & driven one.

[dremd]

Car arrived today, I'm super impressed so far.

Initial thoughts in absolutely no particular order.

1) I'm amazed how good of condition the car is in, the listing made it look beat up, we had to look to find the 3 door dings. Without question the best condition car I have ever purchased including a brand new car.
2) The 12 volt battery had 12.1 volts in it just after a 15 mile drive coming off of a full traction battery charge. I put it on an automotive battery charger and got 19.8 amp hours in to the battery according to the Whatts Up that is inline with the charger. I totally don't know total capacity, but it isn't a physically large battery.
3) Wow, such smooth power delivery, B mode is probably to much regen for me, but it is pretty great driving with only 1 foot (Tesla style) excluding preventing "creep"
4) I haven't really figured out how long the "gear selector" needs to be pulled to get it in neutral, sometimes I get it, other times I have to try again. I'm sure I'll figure it out.
5) hearing a Prius ICE fire up next to me with my windows up was quite a wild experience.
6) I have GOT to get a louder horn, this horn is ridiculous. I think yelling would be more effective.
7) the turn signal flasher seems way way to loud. I'm sure it is normal, but it sure does sound loud.
8) My 50 amp Open EVSE seems pretty great, I wired it up to a 50 amp breaker with 6 gauge wire. It is silent, I can't feel anything warm (but will check it with thermal camera tomorrow. Car draws 27-27.6 amps through it.
9) Wireless key (similar to Prius) is fantastic. I think the time saved not digging for keys MIGHT make up the time difference of plugging / unplugging everyday. Makes me wish that Apple Watch operated the car.
10) The back seat floor is high(er than I expected), but leg room is solid.
11) ride quality is a strange thing, it soaks up massive bumps like a champ, but small bumps don't feel all that much different than the massive ones.

Overall very fun so far.
Pics coming soon.

[Xist]

People try yelling all of the time. It does not seem to do anything if their windows are up, mine are, or I do not care!

For that matter, horns and flashing lights do not seem to do anything, either!

[dremd]

Full disclosure: my TDI has a train horn. I installed it after a woman turned in to me while I was stopped for a light, I tried factory horn, she claims she neither saw nor heard me.

With the train horn I had a semi turn left in front of me with no room to spare, I hit the horn and he swung it back around and went in the ditch on his side of the road.