Leaf cost to drive

[pcs0snq]

Just spent some time on the Nissan Web side and other areas trying to find the truth and facts on the cost per mile to drive the Leaf EV.

I have concluded they are hiding the facts.

Has anyone found the cost per mile to drive a Leaf based on the std $0.11/kw-hr cost for electric power?

[TheForce]

Lets assume it gets 250Wh per mile which is what the Prius can get below 40mph. At 250Wh per mile and electric at $0.11 per kWh it would cost $0.0275 per mile.

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Originally Posted by TheForce

Lets assume it gets 250Wh per mile which is what the Prius can get below 40mph. At 250Wh per mile and electric at $0.11 per kWh it would cost $0.0275 per mile.

Given their 16kWh-usable battery that would be a 64 mile range. Is your number adjusted for coasting and regen or steady power?

[TheForce]

Originally Posted by ItsNotAboutTheMoney

Given their 16kWh-usable battery that would be a 64 mile range. Is your number adjusted for coasting and regen or steady power?

No just heavy usage on on a short ~10 mile all electric trip.


If the Leaf has a 16kWh usable battery then that would make it 160Wh per mile @ 100 mile range or $0.0176 per mile @ $0.11 per kWh.

160Wh per mile is about what I get driving all electric at a steady speed at about 35mph in my Prius.

[basjoos]

Have they come out with any estimate of battery life? If you plan to keep this car for several hundred thousand miles, you are going to have to budget for one or more battery replacements, and this needs to be added to the cost of driving the car. Even if you don't plan to keep the car long enough to have to replace the battery, its remaining expected battery life is going to have a BIG effect on the car's resale value.

[pcs0snq]

Thanks for the input......

battery life is one thing the web site says something about 5 to 10 years depending on the phase of the moon and how is elected to the supreme court.

I was hoping someone would find a real review and or some OEM published data.

I think it's insane that a potential buyer has to guess at this basic part of owning the car.

BTW If you look at it from the only thing published you have to account for all the Ele losses.

Charging is far from 100%. I'd guess at least 5% lost in the charger electronics and loss in the wire. I*I*R
Also Batteries and motors as well as the Ele stuff to regulated the energy to and from the Motor and Battery has losses.

Are EV's going to be loved like Hybrids on Clean MPG?

I mean will Wayne review one?

To be honest at the current fuel costs, I can drive for .05 to .06 in my gas powered Fit with zero range issues and if you guys are right and the cost is in the .02 to .03 range with an initial cost of $25k, it sure does not look like a sweet a ride as the the OEM hip.

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Originally Posted by pcs0snq

Thanks for the input......

battery life is one thing the web site says something about 5 to 10 years depending on the phase of the moon and how is elected to the supreme court.

I was hoping someone would find a real review and or some OEM published data.

I think it's insane that a potential buyer has to guess at this basic part of owning the car.

BTW If you look at it from the only thing published you have to account for all the Ele losses.

Charging is far from 100%. I'd guess at least 5% lost in the charger electronics and loss in the wire. I*I*R
Also Batteries and motors as well as the Ele stuff to regulated the energy to and from the Motor and Battery has losses.

Are EV's going to be loved like Hybrids on Clean MPG?

I mean will Wayne review one?

To be honest at the current fuel costs, I can drive for .05 to .06 in my gas powered Fit with zero range issues and if you guys are right and the cost is in the .02 to .03 range with an initial cost of $25k, it sure does not look like a sweet a ride as the the OEM hip.

Well, I assume a non-optimistic 80 AER from the 90% efficiency of charging of the usable 16kWh. Our electricity is (expensive) $0.14727. Last gas was $2.849 for a gallon.

Comparing to 50mpg that gives a saving of about $0.024 per mile. Not so much.

Of course, as gas prices increase the difference grows. Add in the reduced maintenance and expected longer life and it looks like a better deal.

And there's always the zero tailpipe emissions, reduced gas consumption and reduced noise.

[TheForce]

Life of the batteries is still unknown because modern lithium batteries have not been out long enough for that data to be available. If you go strictly on charge/discharge cycles the batteries could last between 5-15 years depending on how deep you discharge them. But even after that amount of time you would still have about 80% capacity more or less depending again on how deeply you discharge them.

[Mendel Leisk]

If I'm reading through a sales presentation with a question on my mind, likely a very common question, and I'm not finding any answers, I start to get sceptical.

Saving money is practically the raison d'etre for this vehicle: if they're not upfront (and prominent) about operating costs in their presentation, that smells. And that's a shame: this does seem a promising vehicle.

[pcs0snq]

Originally Posted by ItsNotAboutTheMoney

Of course, as gas prices increase the difference grows.

I think cost at the plug will track cost at the pump over time. In NA they are both from fossil fuel for the most part.

Originally Posted by ItsNotAboutTheMoney

Add in the reduced maintenance and expected longer life and it looks like a better deal.

Here I was thinking the major maintenance cost would be more. Oil and filter are the only items that go away and that's very little cost. Most gas powered cars can go 10years and 250k miles these days with typical driving without anything major. What is the expected life for the Motor? battery I think will be 10 years perhaps less. What will they cost?