My first EV trip - help!

[MartinFC]

I've just agreed to buy a 24KW 2015 Leaf, it's done 40K Miles and still has 12 bars, the car's in Essex and I'm in Andover Hants, so I've done it with a video walk around, it's with a reputable dealer, so should be ok, fingers crossed.

I'm going down to collect it this coming Thursday, it will be my first EV, I've never even been in one. Obviously, I've been watching YT videos and reading all I can find, so I have some theory, but no real world knowledge. They've promised me it will be charged to the brim when I collect it.

So the trip home will be my first, and likely longest journey for a while, at 102 miles according to Google Maps. It looks like there's two options.

1. Pick-up garage to Fleet Services (M3) - 70 miles, recharge, then 32 miles home, or
2. Pick-up garage to Cobham Services (M25) - 44 miles, recharge, then 58 miles home

Do you think No.1 would be pushing it? I'd rather do that and get home with more charge to spare... Perhaps I could make a judgement approaching Cobham, based on the percentage left? Cobham to Fleet is 25.5 miles - how much charge remaining would tell you you could safely cover the 25ish miles?

Another thing, I've not yet used a public charger, is it right that it will only charge me back up to 80%, if so, would that comfortably get me the 58 miles from Cobham to home?

So I'm wondering how an experienced Leaf owner would do this trip, I'm pretty good at eeking out fuel in an ICE car by taking advantage of momentum etc., though I'm sure I've got a lot to learn about doing it well in an EV.

Any advice is very welcome.

Cheers
Martin

[Scrump]

As you are new to this and unsure about the car and the range then top up at cobham, you could always top up again at fleet if you feel it necessary.
That way it takes away any anxiety you may have on your first trip.

[gangzoom]

MartinFC said:

1. Pick-up garage to Fleet Services (M3) - 70 miles, recharge, then 32 miles home, or
2. Pick-up garage to Cobham Services (M25) - 44 miles, recharge, then 58 miles home

70miles on M-ways in a 2015 Leaf if really pushing it, I wouldn't even attempt that when slip streaming a lorry at 55mph.

Go for the same option, Cobham Services appear to have been upgraded to Gridserve chargers so should be reliable, just check for any apps you need to down load.

Stick to the inside lane until you get a feel for range. Check the weather report the day before, rain+headwind will drop your range by 25-30% quite easily.

Good luck, quite a first trip to do in a 6 year old Leaf!!

[MartinFC]

Thanks for the prompt replies guys. You're right, Cobham is the sensible option

Is it right that the public chargers will only take me back up to 80%

[granada203028]

When I bought my Leaf I had it delivered on a low loader. £200.

102 miles in a 24kWh Leaf is going to be a night mare.

[MartinFC]

granada203028 said:

When I bought my Leaf I had it delivered on a low loader. £200.

102 miles in a 24kWh Leaf is going to be a night mare.

Yes, I could have had it delivered for similar, but decided to save some money and have an adventure - will it really be that bad?

[Knock_knock]

MartinFC said:

Thanks for the prompt replies guys. You're right, Cobham is the sensible option

Is it right that the public chargers will only take me back up to 80%

Get yourself onto ZapMap and filter by network: Instavolt, Osprey, Gridserve Electric Highway. Plot your route with these in mind, no more than 50 miles between chargers to be on the safe side on the motorway.

You could also use abetterrouteplanner.com

With a small battery EV you need to plan and have back-ups more than with a much bigger battery.

The quick chargers will take you all the way to 100% but are fastest up to 80%. Then the charge rate drops off more and more, so it's often more efficient to stop around 85% and drive on to the next.

[anonymous-user]

granada203028 said:

When I bought my Leaf I had it delivered on a low loader. £200.

102 miles in a 24kWh Leaf is going to be a night mare.

Only if you are in rush!


My suggestion is to have say 3 charging options, based at say 40, 50 and 60 miles from your starting point, and choose depending on how the actual trip unfolds and the status of the chargers you are planning to use

[Mr E]

MartinFC said:

Is it right that the public chargers will only take me back up to 80%

50KW fast charge will stop at 80%
Ensure the cat has appropriate cables when you collect.
Range on motorway in the cold is pretty naff.
Good luck.

[CynicalHotTake]

granada203028 said:

When I bought my Leaf I had it delivered on a low loader. £200.

102 miles in a 24kWh Leaf is going to be a night mare.

You couldn't make it up!!

[TooLateForAName]

I bought our first leaf (2013/24kwh) from south london and drove it back to North Yorkshire, about 240 miles. It took a while but mainly because it was my first experience of an ev and I was very cautious.

In a leaf the range drops off quite a bit as speed increases. If you're happy to do 60 rather than 80 it will really help.

Key thing would be to make sure you have whatever apps you need for the chargers you intend to stop at, credit on your accounts and a charged phone
Charge using chademo.

[MartinFC]

Thanks for all the info guys. I do tend to over prepare for these types of things, so I'll look at the Apps mentioned and make sure I'm all set up etc. Hopefully it won't be single digit temperatures, pouring rain and a hurricane force headwind

This is a whole new world for me, so really looking forward to driving something different and having a different mindset. I'll post an update when (if) I get home.

[caziques]

Drive on the battery percentage meter, (fitted from 2013). Driving slower makes a massive difference to range.

24kW Leafs don't charge very fast on 50kW chargers, and the charge rate slows down the higher the battery charge.

The heater uses lots of power - take warm clothes.

If leaving the car for any length of time, the battery should be between 20 and 80%, ie do NOT charge to 100% "just in case".

Use screen demisting sparingly.

Supposedly Leafs will do another few miles after reading 0% battery, lowest I have been in my van is 2%.

Drive slow, you'll be fine.

[MartinFC]

caziques said:

Drive on the battery percentage meter, (fitted from 2013). Driving slower makes a massive difference to range.

24kW Leafs don't charge very fast on 50kW chargers, and the charge rate slows down the higher the battery charge.

The heater uses lots of power - take warm clothes.

All sounds good, thanks.

[Mr E]

2015 leaf should have a much more efficient heater. Still, planning very much needed.

I’ve never been more than about 30 miles from my house in the thing.

[gangzoom]

MartinFC said:

I'll post an update when (if) I get home.

You should be fine, its simply the case the Leaf wasn't built for intercity travel. At 70mph+ its actually LESS efficient our Tesla despite been smaller.

The Leaf speedo also over reads so you need to stay at an indicated 60mph to draft lorries (it really does make a difference).

Assuming you start off with 100% SOC, plan on x2 stops 40-50 miles should be fine. If desperate slowing down to below 55mph will help, but you than end up been overtaken by HGVs, which I can tell you from first hand experience is not a nice experience!!

[LordFlathead]

Personally and if I was buying that car from the dealer I would insist they deliver it at asking price. They know what a bind commuting that distance with a car with limited range is and they should have offered.

I bought my Zoe new in 2014 and had to collect it from Gloucester Renault and drive it back to the other side of London. The first two chargers we came across (Ecotricity) were out of order with hoods on them. I had 5 miles left when we pulled into the next motorway services and guess what.. the remaining two Ecotricity chargers were already charging two cars. I managed to find the slip road which took us over the motorway to the services on the other side and charged on a charger their. Then after an hour I came back over again and joined the motorway and got home. I think the journey took 4 hours! My petrolhead mate who was driving my Jag XJ had a field day with the nightmare journey that it was

I bought the Zoe purely for a commute vehicle to work and back. I installed the workplace chargers so it would take me home and back on one charge (40 miles round trip). There is no way I would consider using a non-Tesla for an everyday car now. You just don't get range or charger anxiety. For a commuter car doing the same journey a cheap EV is a no brainer. Good luck!

[johnnyreggae]

Is OP going to be able to drive up and charge or will he need some sort of subscription and/or app in place before he connects at whichever service area ?

Would it be wise to have one of the free Tesla destination charger in reserve in case he needs a slow emergency easy access charge ?

[andy43]

Also consider Nissan dealers as charging stops - phone one on your route first but when we had our leaf (‘15-‘18) we could charge at dealers free. Don’t know if it’s still a thing, but they’ll be the ideal people to explain how to charge. The number of EV drivers I’ve seen at motorway services chargers glumly staring at their phones doesn’t bear thinking about...

[Mr E]

They told me I could charge at any dealer as often as I liked. Should be 50kw too