Calling all Nissan LEAF Owners in Ireland...

Daegerty

coffin wrote: »

@daegerty
Me too! But there is a politician standing in my way! Grrrrr!

Useless ould shower them politicians and never up to any good

grudgebringer

I recently just bought a new Hyundai from a local dealership who also supply Nissan, I have to say I was VERY impressed with the nissan Leaf and even watched the Parade on Paddys day on tv to see the Leaf's come out.
I would not be in a position to shell out 30k+ for one of these but would deffo look into getting on should the price come down in the future. I think a great combo here is one Petrol/Diesel wagon for the long hauls and one of these EV's for the inner city runs. Also saw some app in iTunes which seemingly allows you to connect to your car and start it up/turn on AC etc remotely from the iPhone app, great for winter mornings to switch on the heater a few minutes before you get in and AC in summer.
One question for the owners .... how about the noise (or lack of), did Nissan fit them with some kind of noise similar to regular engine sound, no noise from the car at all could be very freaky :eek:

Daegerty

grudgebringer wrote: »

One question for the owners .... how about the noise (or lack of), did Nissan fit them with some kind of noise similar to regular engine sound, no noise from the car at all could be very freaky :eek:

Below a certain speed it would make artificial noise. If I had an electric car I'd take the snips to that mechanism though because one of the great advantages is lack of noise and I hate to see a disadvantage from petrol cars being brought over to electric ones and emulated artificially just because people can't adopt to change

coffin

Daegerty wrote: »

Below a certain speed it would make artificial noise. If I had an electric car I'd take the snips to that mechanism though because one of the great advantages is lack of noise and I hate to see a disadvantage from petrol cars being brought over to electric ones and emulated artificially just because people can't adopt to change

Hey Daegerty,

I hear ya. I agree. However, I do understand the concern in particular for the visually impaired. They also say it is for cyclists although I see plenty of cyclists out there who use earphones while cycling, so I can only imagine they don't hear any vehicle approaching from behind, no matter how quiet or loud.

For what it's worth, right now you can switch the sound off as there are no official rules of the road to govern this. I have no doubt though that the RSA will insist on some sort of legislation to ensure that it is switched on always.

It does seem a little silly that we have to take a retrograde step backwards and add an artificial sound to the vehicle. I wonder if there isn't a better way to do this?

RedorDead

Problems with Leaf before it is even launched here.

Reuters wrote:

Nissan says restart problems reported in Leaf electric carsApril 11, 2011 11:00 CET

TOKYO -- Nissan Motor Co. has received complaints from owners that its Leaf electric car on occasion fails to start, posing a potential setback for the automaker's goal of promoting zero-emission vehicles.

Nissan said on Monday it was looking into the exact cause, which it traced back to the Leaf's air-conditioning unit. Nissan is investigating whether the glitch was in a certain component or the programming, spokesman To****ake Ino****a said.

Nissan plans no recall for now since the issue does not affect safety, but will decide how to proceed after identifying the source of the problem, he said.

"When we know the exact cause, we will decide whether to issue a service bulletin, or take other steps," Ino****a said.

He added that the phenomenon was reported in both the United States and Japan, although he did not have an exact figure for the number of complaints.

Nissan and its French partner Renault SA are aiming to become leaders in the nascent field of electric vehicles, which plug into an electric outlet to power the car's batteries and have no tailpipe emissions.

Nissan launched the five-seated Leaf in Japan and the United States in December, as well as in Portugal, the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands earlier this year.

It sold more than 3,300 units in Japan as of February and delivered another 452 in the United States through March.

Production at Nissan's Oppama plant south of Tokyo, where the Leaf is made, resumed on Monday on a normal basis -- from supplier-delivered parts -- for the first time in a month, after it was halted by a devastating earthquake that rocked northeast Japan on March 11.

Source: Reuters

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110411/ANE/110419996/1494#ixzz1JDzOeIaA

Daegerty

RedorDead wrote: »

Problems with Leaf before it is even launched here.

Ah Jaysus you're going to have to reboot your car now. and no doubt their system is so horribly proprietary and locked down it will involve well punctuated stops at the Main dealer, though in fairness Nissan are famous for this kind of sh1te on their petrol GTR too

Stinicker

That has to be one of the ugliest cars I've seen in a while, the front of it even looks like Kermit the frog. I'm all for the idea and if I was to get one of these type of cars ever I would generate my own green energy for them also. The Chevy Volt/GM Ampera seems like a more practical option though.

As for me well I stuck between choosing a 20mpg SUV or a BMW 3-series and my personal Co2 emissions are 100 tons this year and 450 tons since 01/01/2010 so I won't be doing my part for the environment unfortunately!

Daegerty

Stinicker wrote: »

. The Chevy Volt/GM Ampera seems like a more practical option though.

The problem with the GM Ampera is that it's made by GM and it's therefore a hape of oul shoite. Audi are coming up with a similar system with a rotary engine, would prefer that over paying good money for ould GM shoite

Stinicker

Daegerty wrote: »

The problem with the GM Ampera is that it's made by GM and it's therefore a hape of oul shoite. Audi are coming up with a similar system with a rotary engine, would prefer that over paying good money for ould GM shoite

It seems to be getting good reviews out west in the US, a good Diesel car is still more practical I think.

Daegerty

Stinicker wrote: »

It seems to be getting good reviews out west in the US, a good Diesel car is still more practical I think.

They are not used to much over there in fairness. A petrol drinking slushbox with an iPod connector is all those lads want

coffin

With regard to the original call to all Nissan Leaf and EV owners, I have set up a new group: www.IrishEVOwners.com. If you are interested in contacting other EV and Nissan Leaf Owners please contact us at questions@irishevowners.com. We are currently working together to try to resolve the impasse with regards to the government's EV Incentive Scheme. All are welcome.

jonnysimples

Daegerty wrote: »

600km if you toodle along probably. The new battery still only lasts 1,000 charges.

Which is a range of 600,000km over it's lifetime... not sure i see a problem

colm_mcm

coffin wrote: »

With regard to the original call to all Nissan Leaf and EV owners, I have set up a new group: www.IrishEVOwners.com. If you are interested in contacting other EV and Nissan Leaf Owners please contact us at questions@irishevowners.com. We are currently working together to try to resolve the impasse with regards to the government's EV Incentive Scheme. All are welcome.

Maybe email the dealers or nissan ireland with a link. I know if I was selling them I'd want to read up on peoples experiences, objections, opinions etc.

ShadowHearth

Holy crap - smug alert!

This thread reminds me of south park episode with prius lol...

Satanta

I heard on the radio yesterday that no electric cars have yet been sold here, because the grant hasnt been made available yet, and so dealers dont know how much they will actually be.

Done a quick search and seen this article from the begining of April on the matter:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0402/1224293652495.html

C4Kid

With regard to the original call to all Nissan Leaf and EV owners, I have set up a new group: www.IrishEVOwners.com. If you are interested in contacting other EV and Nissan Leaf Owners please contact us at questions@irishevowners.com. We are currently working together to try to resolve the impasse with regards to the government's EV Incentive Scheme. All are welcome.

I was thinking & hoping somebody would set up some form of Irish EV site & look forward to seeing it. Fair play for deciding to do it yourself.;)

Didn't the first person to drive an electric car In ireland already receive their Leaf ?

Did they just pay the full price without the grant or somehting...:pac:

Daegerty

Is delaying the grant some money saving tactic?

C4Kid

Is delaying the grant some money saving tactic?

Sure looks like it! but I honestly can't see how putting it off is going to save the govt "a single red cent":D

cianof

Only first 1,000 electric car buyers to get €5,000 grant.

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...t-2624421.html

Wish I could afford the leaf. Test drove one. Amazing vehicle.

jackbauer

Another ev article in the irish times today :
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/motors/2011/0420/1224295055029.html
this one a little closer to my heart.

It is good to see people actually buying the leaf here. And equally frustrating to see the usual red tape holding up progress. I'll be retaxing my ev next month. €146. Hard to believe its a year........

If i had 30k i'd buy one. Then pull the traction system and install it in an E39:D

cianof

Here's the official press release about grant from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/Minister+Rabbitte+launches+Electric+Vehicles+grant+scheme.htm

CompleteCarGuy

Grant is now through. I get the Leaf press car for a week this Tuesday

C4Kid

Grant is now through. I get the Leaf press car for a week this Tuesday

I saw one on the back of a truck leaving cork port yesterday, I was wondering if it meant they must finally be getting delivered.

CompleteCarGuy

My day today in the Leaf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zrmj8N9kvI&feature=channel_video_title

cianof

Cool video. Looks like you had plenty juice left to get home.

How does the Leaf compare with the iMiev?

CompleteCarGuy

cianof wrote: »

Cool video. Looks like you had plenty juice left to get home.

How does the Leaf compare with the iMiev?

I didn't go home in it in the end, because the charging point that the ESB put into my gaff is the wrong one! Doh!

There is no comparison between LEAF and iMiev. Leaf is a proper car, iMiev is an electric toothbrush with wheels.

CompleteCarGuy

ESB ecars Fast Charge Point Rollout Plan Announced
ESB ecars has announced detailed plans for the rollout of fast charge points in service stations across the country from next month.
Under agreements with Topaz, The Maxol Group and Lidon Limited, a number of fast charge points will be available in service stations along inter-urban routes from May and throughout the summer, enabling drivers to charge electric cars from zero to 80 percent of their capacity in less than 30 minutes.
The first fast charge points will be operational from next month in Topaz stations in Monaghan and Cashel, followed shortly afterwards by locations in Cork, Athlone and Cavan in June 2011.
A Memorandum of Understanding has also been signed between ESB ecars and Topaz for fast charging in a further ten service stations. Standard charge points will also be installed at these locations.
ESB ecars has reached an agreement with The Maxol Group about installing fast and standard charge points at a number of Maxol service stations across the country, commencing with Navan, Co Meath which is expected to be up and running by June.
ESB ecars has also finalised an agreement with Lidon Limited (trading as Junction 14 Mayfield) to install both fast and standard charge points on the new motorway service area on the M7 (junction 14), Monasterevin, Co Kildare. These charge points are expected to be also operational by June.
Under the partnership agreements, a total of 30 fast charge points are planned to be installed at service station across the country by the end of 2011. ESB ecars will place the fast charge points in strategic locations so that electric car owners can travel easily between urban centres.
All installed fast charge points use high speed electronics to turn mains electricity into high power (Direct Current/DC) and are built to the Japanese Chademo standard which was launched in 2010. Because of Ireland’s leadership role in the area of fast charghing ESB has been nominated to the European Chademo Steering Group.
A spokesperson for ESB ecars told CompleteCar.ie that it would cost "around €6" to charge an EV to 80 percent from depleted at one of these fast chargers and added that they are also in discussions with AppleGreen, who operate the service stations on the M1 Motorway about having fast charging installations placed on this route.

Daegerty

So using the charge point is already more expensive than charging it at home?

cianof

Daegerty, its a fast charge point. These cost €25,000ish so €6 for a fast charge isn't too bad.

Daegerty

cianof wrote: »

Daegerty, its a fast charge point. These cost €25,000ish so €6 for a fast charge isn't too bad.

So their slow charge points charge a lower rate? what is the rate per KWh the ESB are charging for these?