Spotted A Nissan Leaf On The Road

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Spotted a Nissan Leaf on the road in town the other day. It doesn't look half as bad in the metal as it does in pictures. It was registered to a local plate so I'm assuming somebody locally has purchased it. It was zipping along through town in complete silence. You know the tease of EV we get with the Prius where you can creep upto 30 mph in ideal conditions if you're lucky? Well this thing flew along!

It would never work as a taxi, though at £1.37 a litre of petrol it might soon get to a point where it might actually be viable!

Anyhow, I've decided to arrange a test drive of one next week to see what it is really like.

[sjrainsford]

Am interested to hear your feelings after driving it. Let's face it, if the cost was right finally it would suit a high percentage of drivers. But yes taxi and long distance in general still isn't an option.

[Seamaster73]

I've had a poke round one recently and came away impressed. Much cleverer car than the Prius in several respects, and better screwed together from higher quality materials. But the range limitation is a deal-breaker for me — had it been a hybrid, I'd have gone for one.

[Jan&tone]

I travel 19 miles to work twice a week and 19 back so the range of the Leaf would suit.

What I don't have is mains electricity in my lockup garage or somewhere to plug it in at work :(

So at the moment, coupled with the price, it's a no-go.

[Red Yaris 54]

Is it Autumn already?

Or am I thinking of the wrong kind of leaf?

[Jan&tone]

Is it Autumn already?

Or am I thinking of the wrong kind of leaf?

Doh!! Trust an ex Yaris driver to come up with that one

[Red Yaris 54]

Is it Autumn already?

Or am I thinking of the wrong kind of leaf?

Doh!! Trust an ex Yaris driver to come up with that one

Been a while since I have had the Yaris..........but the New Verso S comes along on Tuesday!

[timberwolf]

I travel 19 miles to work twice a week and 19 back so the range of the Leaf would suit.

What I don't have is mains electricity in my lockup garage or somewhere to plug it in at work :(

So at the moment, coupled with the price, it's a no-go.

It looks like one of the additional costs would be to have a home charger installation. I was surprised it cost 30K before what I assume is a limited gov rebate.

[Jan&tone]

I travel 19 miles to work twice a week and 19 back so the range of the Leaf would suit.

What I don't have is mains electricity in my lockup garage or somewhere to plug it in at work :(

So at the moment, coupled with the price, it's a no-go.

It looks like one of the additional costs would be to have a home charger installation. I was surprised it cost 30K before what I assume is a limited gov rebate.

Indeed - one can't help wondering if the Government contribution is taken into account on the pricing of these vehicles.... without the Government help would they sell at all? after all, would you pay 30k for a car that would only travel 100 miles before needing to be charged - ie a second car??

[Seamaster73]

Remember what mobile phones used to cost, and how long the talk time was. And how few you used to see. And how quickly they became ubiquitous...

Someone has to be first to create a market.

My hats off to Nissan for leading, rather than following.

[timberwolf]

Remember what mobile phones used to cost, and how long the talk time was. And how few you used to see. And how quickly they became ubiquitous...

Someone has to be first to create a market.

My hats off to Nissan for leading, rather than following.

Mmmm, although the price of mobiles has come down from the 80s, I think the vast majority have just got used to paying the very high prices that most mobile phones cost because it is hidden in the line rental and call charges. I hate the implicit loan in the call tariffs and the fact that we are effectively forced to upgrade a mobile phone at the end of the contract period. If you choose PAYG, then the cost of the handsets and the calls are higher, only okay if it suits you to use the phone infrequently.

They maybe the first mass produced in the UK, but I think that electric vehicles have been on sale before. ;) The difference now is probably that the majority of tax payers are subsidizing the few to get a discount on the Leaf? I think the Prius had some incentives early on as well, but not any more and the price hasn't come down. I think the Prius Hybrid technology has pushed the price of cars up and the Prius is only the price it is because of the reduction of the quality of the interior.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Just got back from my test drive and I must say I'm very impressed.

The Leaf was just like a normal car to drive, very light and smooth and SO quiet. It was in no way like driving the Prius in EV - it was just as quiet but flew. The Leaf goes like the clappers (well taking into account its 105 bhp) and was so much better than the Prius EV mode we all know and enjoy.

The test drive was in Halifax and I drove the Leaf up and down some very very steep hills, along motorways and in traffic and other than the complete lack of sound it was just like any other car. It has a regen braking system like the Prius which didn't seem to add much to the range, maybe 1 mile going down long steep hills, though turning off the a/c would add a mile or two more!?! One thing I noticed was how quiet the Leaf was compared to the Prius. Road noise is similar but it was quiet in that it didn't whine when on regen braking, there were no hums, clicks or whires when sat in traffic. Just silence.

It didn't have that dreadful artificial noise maker at low speeds though forgot to ask if there was a switch for it. The boot was larger than I thought, though still smaller than the Prius and the rear leg room was good but rear headroom again was not brilliant. I had about an inch to spare above my head when in the rear and I'm 5'11".

I seriously think Toyota UK should pull their finger out with releasing the Plug In Prius as I think the Leaf might have one over on them. When we had finished the test drive the range indicator was about a mile short of what it predicted at the start of the test drive and the distance covered - and as I said above - I gave it some welly up and down some very steep hills. If anyone has been to Halifax they'll know what I mean.

At the end of the test drive the car was put on the fast charger which takes about 30 mins to give it 80% charge.

So would I recommend you book a test drive too? You bet. Do I still love my Prius? Sure, but as David Cameron once said to Tony Blair "You were the future once" and I'm wondering if that's how I now feel about my Prius?

[timberwolf]

Any idea of the expected life span of the batteries?

Unlike the Prius, I'm guessing an all electric vehicle design will try to use as much of the Battery capacity as it can?

Grumpy, I would have thought that a taxi driver could do more than a 100 miles in a day? Would you have to go home to charge it during the middle of the day, and the quick chargers can't do any good to the Battery if it is the same technology that is in laptops and mobile phones?

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Grumpy, I would have thought that a taxi driver could do more than a 100 miles in a day? Would you have to go home to charge it during the middle of the day, and the quick chargers can't do any good to the battery if it is the same technology that is in laptops and mobile phones?

This is just the same post I put on the US forum where I also put up a few pics too. I am presently trying to find a way of getting a fast charger installed somewhere in the town but at £25k each I am having a job! lol

The 110 mile range of the Leaf is a maximum and I'd expect about 70 miles in reality which would easily cover my morning shift, 30 mins for lunch while the car charges and then off again for another 70 miles. This would be just about viable now and definitely viable at £1.50 a litre of petrol. I am presently working the costs of the higher vehicle cost against a lower vehicle life (3 years or 100k miles) but with the savings against the Prius of 3 services a year at £200 a pop and £500 electricity costs against the current £3,500 - £4,000 annual petrol bill! I'm now creeping upto £80 a week for petrol against about £60 a week when I got the car.

I think it is JUST viable to use a Leaf and it will be an attention grabber type vehicle for my company too. Obviously I don't want to make any mistakes in this harsh business climate and the Prius is doing a cracking job for me so far.

[Terry953]

Before you all spend your pennies Check out the The Vauxhall Ampera first [coming in 2012]

This one really is worth a test drive, by the sound of it. B)

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Before you all spend your pennies Check out the The Vauxhall Ampera first [coming in 2012]

This one really is worth a test drive, by the sound of it. B)

It would be IF only they'd made it a five seater and not four! OK the Leaf is a 4.5 seater but you can get 3 in the back with a slight squeeze! I do think the Ampera/Volt would have been ok but it's just a little too compromised for me (4 seater) and if the American prices are anything to go by it'll be way too expensive. You could buy a Leaf AND almost have enough left over for a brand new Prius!

[Jan&tone]

Before you all spend your pennies Check out the The Vauxhall Ampera first [coming in 2012]

This one really is worth a test drive, by the sound of it. B)

Yeah, isn't that similar to the Prius in that the petrol engine charges the Battery, the difference being that only the electric motors drive the wheels??

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Before you all spend your pennies Check out the The Vauxhall Ampera first [coming in 2012]

This one really is worth a test drive, by the sound of it. B)

Yeah, isn't that similar to the Prius in that the petrol engine charges the Battery, the difference being that only the electric motors drive the wheels??

lol, the one that ISN'T a hybrid because the engine doesn't directly power the wheels APART from at high speed or under load such as going up hills, but it isn't a hybrid, honest guv.

[Cyker]

What's the torque/acceleration like?

[Terry953]

Thanks chaps for responding as anticipated - All defending your corners, private and commercial - all very ‘loyal’ I’m sure, but very blinkered.

As I see it the EV/Hybrid vehicle situation is going the same way computers, programs , bed time stories to our kids and mobile phones have gone for the past 15 - 30 years now. Buy the latest fad and within a couple of months it’s old hat.

I have been very, very pleased with my Auris Hybrid for the past six months, but is the grass not a little bit greener elsewhere now even after that short time ??

Toyota spares a bit dodgy now ?? - Resale values certainly NOT increasing, especially on your old Prius Gen 2’s ??

One of our correspondents even advocated to avoiding an accident because of this.

If your HP is due to end soon, surely now’s the time to consider defecting, certainly not to another Jap company. [Nissan - Toyota - Honda UK factories on short time ? Not heard a lot about other Jap firms though !]

A recent news item suggested that a new indigenous British motor industry was needed so that we could be independent of foreign firms and not be threatened through their misfortunes.

Should we now look more closely to Europe ? - Doesn’t seem a bad idea.

So I’m looking at the Vauxhall Ampera as advocated in my previous post.

What’s your solution to your near future motor car provision to get you to work of even earn it in view of the above ? :o

[timberwolf]

By all means choose a GM car if you wish but don't expect those of us who want piece of mind and reliability in our cars to be a little more picky about the brands we choose to buy.

I'm open to models from Toyota, Honda and possibly Nissan, I won't buy anything from the mass produced French and Italian motor industry having been bitten by poor reliability issues with the cars that I have owned from them in past. GM have also been so so in my experience, before owning any Japanese built cars, I didn't realise that cars could be made that didn't suffer at least a few extra visits to garage to fix faults!

[Grumpy Cabbie]

If Nissan dealers weren't so clueless I'd be tempted for the Leaf.

If fuel wasn't so expensive I'd be tempted for a Skoda Superb Estate or maybe a Merc of some type.

I'm happy to stick with the Prius for now as it ticks more of the boxes that are important to me than anything else.

I could be tempted to the Prius plug in, but only if Toyota don't over price it. Rumour has it it'll cost £25k AFTER the £5,000 Government incentive and that makes it unviable against fuel savings.

Would I go for the Volt/Ampera? I really do like the styling, I do like the idea - 40 mile EV range and engine backup. I think the Prius plug in is low at 15 miles EV. But can I really really justify £38,000 (proposed cost is 43,000 Euro) on what is a 4 seat Astra? Sure it'll save on petrol when in EV mode, but it is TOO expensive. Bring the cost down to £25k (in line with the Prius plug in and the Nissan Leaf) and they might sell.

And I'm not going to lower this post by making it a slanging match about reliability (or lack there of) of certain manufacturers. I'll save that for later :!Removed!:

[kithmo]

Would I go for the Volt/Ampera? I really do like the styling, I do like the idea - 40 mile EV range and engine backup. I think the Prius plug in is low at 15 miles EV. But can I really really justify £38,000 (proposed cost is 43,000 Euro) on what is a 4 seat Astra? Sure it'll save on petrol when in EV mode, but it is TOO expensive. Bring the cost down to £25k (in line with the Prius plug in and the Nissan Leaf) and they might sell.

I know they are basically the same car, assuming the same spec, is the Chevrolet Volt going to be cheaper than the Vauxhall Ampera. In the UK the mainstream cars of the Chevrolet brand seem to be perceived as a slightly downmarket (less desirable) brand to Vauxhall.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Kithmo, it would be nice if it was but even if the Chevrolet Volt is priced to undercut the Vauxhall Ampera (despite being identical mechanically) I doubt it would be lower than maybe £1,000 or so. It certainly isn't going to be priced at £25,000! The Volt being sold in the US is about $40,000 where the Prius is about $22,000 so I guess a similar difference will apply here.

(and why is it that we always pay in £'s what Americans pay in $'s for cars! :ffs: )

[dwilson]

Resale values certainly NOT increasing, especially on your old Prius Gen 2s ??

Strange comment - perhaps I am missing your point - resale value of my Gen 2 has not dropped since last August if Glass' guide is to be believed.

David