A series of Twitter posts involving our 2011 Nissan Leaf summarized the risk, reward and range anxiety posed by driving the EV on a daily basis. The following string of entries was courtesy of Director of Vehicle Testing Dan Edmunds:
Aug 1 — (16:00) Time to take advantage of our Leaf's new carpool lane stickers.
Aug 2 — (17:30) At home with our Nissan Leaf after commuting 46.4 miles. Range meter says I have 53 miles for the return trip.
Aug 3 — (07:30) My Nissan Leaf round-trip test failed with a ticket for entering the carpool lane a couple hundred yards too soon in an attempt to make it.
Aug 3 — (07:50) Waiting for my tow but the AAA flatbed just passed me and kept going #%^$&.
Aug 3 — (08:00) Tired of waiting for a tow. Decided to inch the Nissan Leaf forward off the freeway. At a nearby shop.
Aug 3 — (8:30) Today I thought I would do something cool and interesting in the name of science and it totally blew up in my face.
Why We Bought It
Is an electric vehicle the solution? We posed this question at the introduction of our long-term test of the 2011 Nissan Leaf. After six months with an electric vehicle as our primary mode of transportation, we hoped to know the answer.
This was the first year of production for the Leaf. It was powered by a lithium-ion battery pack generating 107 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. EPA estimates gave it a range of just over 70 miles, which fit our commutes nicely. Before the Leaf, public exposure to electric cars was limited to low-volume test cases. This Nissan was a true EV built for mainstream consumption for under $35,000. We were intrigued.
The only way to test the practicality of an electric vehicle was to drive one every day. With that objective in mind, our long-term test began.
Life on Electricity
Battery life is a constant concern with electric vehicles. The Leaf was no exception. To own an EV requires planning and the realization that this car can't do it alone. A second form of transportation is a necessity. Associate Editor Mark Takahashi wrote, "The Leaf probably isn't the best car in an emergency.... You need something reliable with a decent amount of range. In seismically active Southern California, the Leaf would be one of the worst choices when the Big One hits. Power would likely be out for weeks, so charging is out. That means getting around just got more complicated."
We found battery charging was also an obstacle to owning an EV. One editor noted, "This is the first time I've driven our Leaf home from the office. After 40 miles in one direction the DTE (distance to empty) reads 47 miles. Now I could gamble and make it back without a refresh, but I'd rather not. I need to plug it into the wall. According to the IP, it will cost me 11 hours to charge the Nissan from my 120-volt outlet. At 240 volts it shortens to 4 hours. My commute is probably longer than that of the average Leaf owner. But based on my situation I could not make it through a typical work week without another car."
Reliance upon the distance-to-empty meter did leave us stranded on two occasions. One such event, cited above, was documented by Dan Edmunds and the California Highway Patrol. A second run-in with roadside assistance occurred 1.5 miles from our office with Automotive Content Editor Warren Clarke behind the wheel. Clarke blogged, "I don't have a lot of driving planned and figure the quiet weekend will be a good match for the Leaf's limited range. The weekend winds up being more social than I'd anticipated. By the time Monday morning yawns and stretches, the DTE gauge is showing 13 miles. No cause for concern, I reason. I live only 7 miles from the Edmunds nerve center, so I decide to go for it. A couple moments later, I see it — the flashing tortoise. After a block or so, the Leaf checks out. I'm a block from a major intersection. No nearby spots to push the car. Nothing left to do but call AAA and wait."
As far as reliability went, our limited six-month test equated to a spotless problem history. A tire rotation and cabin air filter change isn't even a consideration until 7,500 miles. Severe service intervals don't call for brake and battery inspections until 15,000 miles. We experienced no mechanical issues during our test.
Total Body Repair Costs: None
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 6 months): None
Additional Maintenance Costs: None
Warranty Repairs: None
Non-Warranty Repairs: None
Scheduled Dealer Visits: None
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: None
Days Out of Service: None
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None
Performance and Fuel Economy
We didn't expect outstanding instrumented test results from the 2011 Nissan Leaf. Our 3,300-pound EV accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 9.9 seconds (with rollout) and completed the quarter-mile in a leisurely 17.5 seconds at 75.9 mph. From 60 mph the Leaf reached a stop in 130 feet. It passed through the slalom at 60.3 mph and generated 0.78g of lateral force around the skid pad. The most limiting factor in these performance categories was its Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 tires, built for low rolling resistance rather than adhesion.
This test was about fuel economy above all else. Was electricity a viable alternative to gasoline? One of the most important factors to consider was range. Nissan's original claim for the Leaf was 100 miles. Under certain driving conditions this figure could vary from 62 to 138 miles. The EPA rated it at 73 miles. After 3,500 miles our Leaf performed better than both estimates, averaging a projected range of 86 miles. But we found the variability of real-world driving made the DTE meter somewhat unreliable. During one closed-course test we set the cruise to 35 mph and drove our fully charged Leaf until it would go no more. We covered a total of 132 miles and consumed electricity at a rate of 19.8 kilowatt hours per 100 miles (kWh/100). Then we towed it home.
Cost per mile was another element of Leaf ownership to consider. We used the cost of electricity on both a California and national level for measurement. Over 3,500 miles our Leaf cost us 4.7 cents/mile to operate in California. Based on the national average it was a bit less, 3.5 cents/mile. Now consider a 50-mpg Toyota Prius. Here, we also used both the California and national averages for gasoline prices. Over the same time period, the hybrid would cost 8 cents/mile to own in California and 7.5 cents/mile nationwide.
Best Fuel Economy: 22.0 kWh/100
Worst Fuel Economy: 53.8 kWh/100
Average Fuel Economy: 33.4 kWh/100
Best Observed Range: 89.9 miles
Best Projected Range: 104.0 miles
Worst Projected Range: 65.8 miles
Average Projected Range: 85.5 miles
Retained Value
At the time of our test, resale value information on the 2011 Nissan Leaf was unavailable. These cars were only six months old. Owners weren't selling them yet. Some dealerships hadn't even received their first sellable units.
True Market Value® at service end: Unavailable
Depreciation: Unavailable
Final Odometer Reading: 3,551
Summing Up
We lived with a 2011 Nissan Leaf for six months. Over this time we drove it for 3,500 miles and towed it another 900 miles. To be clear, most of the flatbed miles were the result of special tests and the distant locations we traveled to perform them. We called roadside assistance for rescue just twice. No mechanical failures. We simply ran out of juice too far from home. We don't hold the Nissan responsible for stranding us, but these events shed light on the pitfalls of an EV as a primary commuter car. Three elements must be considered when discussing the Leaf: range, charge and cost.
Range was the most important aspect of Leaf ownership. We wished the DTE meter was more trustworthy. Despite averaging a projected 86 miles per charge, to drive much farther than 70 miles between charges was a risk. Real-world driving situations were too unpredictable.
Battery charging was also a concern. A dedicated 240-volt charger would fully replenish the Leaf in about 4 hours, regardless of the mileage driven. On the other hand, a 120-volt outlet needed upward of 11 hours to restore the battery to full after just 40 miles of driving. The lack of 240-volt chargers on both ends of our commute required careful time management lest we chance being stranded.
Cost was one clear advantage of the Leaf over gasoline-powered automobiles. The Nissan cost over 3 cents less per mile to operate than a 50-mpg hybrid. Local driving situations give it a leg up on its gasoline competitors. But our infrastructure cannot support long-distance all-electric travel. The same, more expensive gasoline-hybrid can traverse the country, while the Leaf will never leave the city. Is 3 cents per mile worth the loss of versatility? Only if you have a second gasoline-powered car to fall back on.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Add A Comment »
leaf_driver says:
06:30 PM, 11/17/2011
While you debate. My Leaf has nearly 8,000 miles on it. I set my cruise control at over 80 mph every morning on my way to work. I experience no range anxiety... I have not been stranded. My electricity costs have been running around 2.3 cents per mile. I have electricity at home and work (imagine that, electricity at work...wait, that doesn't even come out of my check.. maybe my real cost per mile is about a penny...) Debate away.... When I wear this baby out, I'm imagining that the next generation will be even better. While you are on your way to the gas station, I just plug the car in and go eat dinner. :)
zoomxoom3 says:
09:16 AM, 09/17/2011
Just a few observations from an actual LEAF driver:
Cost:
I've put 5,000 miles on my LEAF in the last 5.5 months at cost of $254. At 27 mpg it would have cost $703 to travel that same distance in my previous car at current area fuel prices ($3.80/gal). A 50 mpg Prius would have cost $380. The savings in energy costs, combined with tax incentives, make the LEAF an economic win when compared to similarly equipped gas models.
Range:
After errands, my regular daily commute is about 30 miles. Outside of a few experimental attempts to see how far I could go on a charge, range has never been an issue for me. The most I've driven in a single day was 91 miles (mixed freeway/city) and I still had 10 miles of estimated range when I pulled into the garage. The LEAF won't work for everyone but it will definitely work for those who live and work in the same city. At the end of the day, I'll always have enough juice in the "tank" to make an occasional extra/emergency trip.
Issues:
The LEAF doesn't use a single drop of gasoline. Whether I get my electricity from solar, cng, nuclear, wind or coal; all of the electricity used to propel the LEAF is domestically produced. No petrol-dollars going to unfriendly governments here. Further, several well-to-wheels analyses have demonstrated that EVs are always more efficient than traditional gas powered cars, even when powered solely by coal. In states like California where the energy mix skews towards renewables the environmental benefit is greater. In a short time, we are installing solar on the roof so all of the night-time energy used to charge the LEAF will be offset by the solar energy we produce during the day; effectively the car will be driving on sunshine! The EV/solar combo will make the payback on the solar panels come in just a few short years.
Fun:
With instant torque at the low end, the LEAF is just a lot of fun to drive. It's quiet and comfortable. Plus my teenage daughter and her friends all think that its cool.
Bottom line:
I love the LEAF and I'm excited to see what electrics other manufacturers will be bringing to market in the near future.
myob says:
01:41 PM, 09/16/2011
Interesting, I was just reading about the possibility of exchangable battery packs in a book. The problems with that are still serious, such as compatability, storage issues, who will let you exchange your 8 y/o pack for a 1 y/o one w/o paying for the upgrade (imagine a $5,000 fill-up!), and most of all, the infrastructure conundrum of needing to have the infrastructure in place before you can sell the cars, but nobody will invest in the huge infrastructure costs till there are enough cars/customers to make it profitable.
Toss in government to the rescue there, and well, ask them how that solar panel company worked out.
I think the solution is saving liquid fuels for hybrid type transportation and other sources of energy for fixed use.
dm_mg says:
12:26 PM, 09/15/2011
You, infidels, take a look at this :)
http://www.betterplace.com/the-solution-switch-stations
myob says:
12:54 PM, 09/14/2011
Sorry, one last thing. Was the EPA fuel economy equivalent computed taking into account the 8 mpg the tow trucks got? : )
myob says:
12:50 PM, 09/14/2011
And oh yeah, is the electricity they use going to be coal generated? It's interesting that many of those pushing for EVs also do not want nuclear power plants, even the new pebble bed types that are safer. I assume if everyone plugs in at 8pm every night there's going to be power demand issues.
myob says:
12:48 PM, 09/14/2011
I read somewhere that the 240V home recharging system is around $2500 installed. If that's true, the car is really starting to push the envelope in terms of cost. With time these will come down in price, but right now it's a fashion statement for early adopters rather than a practical money saver.
With a 20-25 mile radius and a lot less when you consider real-world driving habits (more than 1 trip out of the home a day sometimes) it's basically a city car or at best a second family car for limited use. Ironically those who live close in to cities are not piling on the miles anyway, they often prefer efficient small cars for parking and handling narrow streets anyway, and so this is a narrow niche.
The guy doing the 30 mile commute from the exhurbs in his Silverado crew cab or even 3 row crossover is the issue they have the ability to fix with existing tech but don't for business reasons until gas gets more expensive. A 4 cylinder turbodiesel might be a better use of resources right now.
And why not a diesel-hybrid? If this car is $35K certainly a Jetta sized diesel with hybrid technology could get 60mpg for about the same price. Are tech issues preventing that?
ne1butu2 says:
08:02 PM, 09/13/2011
Since when is being stranded two times in 3,500 miles considered at all acceptable? As if congestion due to roadside breakdowns aren't bad enough. These things are road hazards. Unreal.
pei_asdf says:
12:47 PM, 09/11/2011
Volt is not an EV. It is a hybrid as the engine directly engages the drive shaft.
aldoid says:
09:17 PM, 09/09/2011
I think I'd be willing to give this thing a shot if I lived in a city with decent electricity costs, averaged less than 80 miles a day & was in the market for a new commuter. There will always be at least one other regular car in my stable (I'm never selling my E30 M3). Plus, car rentals have gotten relatively cheap & to be honest I'd rather rack up a ton of out of town miles on someone else's car. The way gas prices are looking, I think I'd rather enjoy driving past the gas stations every day. As it stands though it doesn't fit my lifestyle but I would seriously consider one if I fit that demographic.