Nissan LEAF. Is it still relevant? EV Review and test drive
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 พ.ค. 2024
- EDIT - I guess not as Nissan stopped production in early 2024! The Nissan LEAF is older than it looks, with a heritage dating back to 2010. We tested a 2022 Tekna (top of the range) to see if it still has a place against ever-stronger competition in the EV market.
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We owned 2 generations of Leaf. The 30, and then 40 kWh Leaf. 30 struggled as we live in rural Ireland but the 40 was a brilliant car. The issue with charging didn't bother us as we charge at home 99% of the time. Hugely comfortable cars, very good at what they do, even if slightly dated at this stage.
The best thing about the Leaf is the fact the computer systems have been fully hacked or reverse engineered. Thats what has has allowed third parties to do some great things that stop the car from being scrap before its CO2 debt of manufacturer has been paid off.
All manufacturers need to be forced to release their information so the aftermarket can create a proper repair industry
If you like EVs, buy one and drive it. If you prefer ICE vehicles, buy one and drive it. The choice should remain for many years to come by which time the charging network and/or battery tech will be much better.
And I suspect it will remain the case. Government aims are utterly out of step with reality.
Totally agree with you. 10 years driving an EV and I totally love it. But I'm also realistic and know it's not for everyone (at the moment).
@@HubNut same with most things they try to meddle with
Politicians are not engineers and they have little to no idea how much of a task it is to electrify cars, never mind an entire society. They think punitive taxes and juicy subsides are the solution to every problem.
My sentiments exactly. Love the new tech of EV but still can't resist any ice with more than 5 cylinders. A bit of a fine line in leaving it to market forces but at the same time pushing for change and being at the forefront of it. I doubt it won't be the last time a UK government pushes back the full adoption period.
I had Tekna 40kw and now a Tekna 62kw. I have only charged once at ChaDemo point with my second car as Nissan "paid" for a charger for my first. I use my "granny charger" (13amp plug) when overnight visiting. I use the E-Pedal as much as possible. Some other EVs don't have the same level of recharge on braking that I am now used to. I fitted a spare wheel and a custom made boot floor.
1-pedal driving is godsent when you do a lot of driving in stop-n-go traffic.
The Japanese model did came with a space saver spare tire, its placed under the car at the rear. You do have to the metal rack type of thing to hold it and a bolt to lower down that metal rack.
Thank you, I was not aware of that neither was the dealer. I believe that Australian cars must have a spare wheel supplied. The spare tyre jambs in nicely between the Bose woofer and the rear panel and is clean if I need it.
@@lordpitnolen2196 Yes, but do check it again as if I'm not wrong you guys have the UK made Leaf and I don't recall they have spare tires.
Work colleague has the older one, bought cheap, crap range but used just for his work commute and local journeys, he reckons he’s saved a fortune and virtually no service costs. Not bad for a now 10 year old car.
Local commute fine, repair costs out the envelope.
The comments are hilarious Pro vs anti EV. Calm down people. There’s a place for both EVs and ICE and I think that’s the issue, at the moment with the current battery technology, EVs cannot replace ICE for long journeys but for the cities they are perfect. Now the problem is EVs are getting bigger and bigger requiring bigger battery packs and you’d could argue that’s not an efficient use of resources. Small and light would be the way to go for use in cities. At the moment, it seems that plug in hybrids would be the best of both worlds, smaller battery packs with a range of 50 or so KM with the ability to hold the charge for city use. That range would suit most people’s daily driving and you have the ICE for longer trips then there’s no need for 90kwh of expensive and heavy batteries - a better use of resources cheaper and the ability to get more of them on the road.
The way this comment seems to violently force me to write a comment when reading ICE as a German is peculiar. But lucky me, it’s delayed.
The issue with hybrids is the complexity and servicing costs of having both powertrains. Totally agree with the polarisation though - otherwise nice people seem to turn into rabid dogs because of a poo-storm created by some tabloids and a handful of TH-cam influencers creating hand-wringing anti-EV content for clicks.
Hyundai created the sweet spot EV, the original Ioniq. Ultra-efficient design and smaller, lighter battery because, well, less power needed to drive the same distance. But it was binned - presumably because of market demand with people believing they need 65kWh+ batteries for one journey a year. Every other EV since, other than the Tesla, has been a step backwards.
I'm very sanguine about the future of EVs. Sooner or later sanity will reassert itself and lighter, smaller EVs whose manufacturers don't think we all need stonking 0-60 times and a ton of pointless gadgets will appear; new battery technologies will reduce weight and overheating problems, and the charging infrastructure will catch up. People will eventually realise that EVs may cost more to buy, but fuel and maintenance costs are less, so we need to adjust to a new model of car ownership. @@MrBinabanana
@@MrBinabanana agreed. There needs to be a mix of powertrains to suit the use. A 650kg 100kwh battery pack just doesn't make sense to me.
If we all drove normal-sized cars with a ~150-200bhp engine, weighing ~1,500kg, with a small electric motor that would do 40 miles on a charge, our personal transport environmental problems would be largely sorted. (And it would be safer for cars/pedestrians we hit.) 40 miles covers most journeys and means a small battery - less pollution from heavy metals.
Most of us could do that. We don’t need pointlessly heavy SUVs/crossovers (you can have an estate for extra space). We don’t need 500bhp in a family car. Or even 300.
And we could still have sports cars, etc. for occasional fun.
The current situation is what happens when you let people selfishly do whatever they want - and allow big businesses to propagandise them through advertising to ‘choose’ to drive needlessly large vehicles.
And the government have no intention of improving the charging network because rich people have driveways and garages, so they’ll be fine. That is the key problem with electric cars - or do you have spare hours a week to ‘fill’ your car? Electric cars are still the preserve of the rich - the poor will be shafted once they’re forced into them.
Interesting review. I bought a new Mercedes 220d 3 years ago, it does 60 to 70mpg day to day and I only need to fill it up once a month, a full tank gives a 900 mile range. It’s a lovely car and very convenient and cost effective to run. Recently I’ve been looking at a Polestar on a scheme through my work. With a wall box I could keep it charged at home no problems with fuel costs being a little lower than the diesel Mercedes. What puts me off is the charging network away from home. Last year we did a road trip to Scotland in a PHEV car. We couldn’t find anywhere to charge the battery. Domestic supplies tripped out on the 3 pin plug, service area chargers were all in use, we found a bank of empty chargers but you needed an app to use them and there was no mobile internet to download the app…..Luckily we had the option of just running on petrol so did that instead.
Why not get a Tesla? No worries about the charging network then. Alternatively, pay for a Tesla subscription and use the Tesla chargers that are open to non Teslas.
Stick with your diesel.
It's fascinating to watch how divided people are over EV's to the point of insulting complete strangers online
I don't notice the same zealotry between diesel and gasoline
I'm putting it down to the cancerous effect of social media
Short memory huh? 🤣🤡
There used to be lot of petrol car owners hating on diesel.
Yeah, watch any old review of a diesel on youtube and the comment section is filled with "derv" insults.
@@GoldenCroc "old TH-cam video" there's an oxymoron
@@Pyjamarama11 Well, everything is relative. Could be "old" in the sense of "earlier" or "old" in the sense of how some people percieve it. I took a little bit of both into account. More concretely, Reviews posted 3-4 years ago should suffice to see what I mean. Cheers mate.
The leaf connector is the betamax of the EV world. Great review as always 👍
I never get why Nissan never hasn't updated it. With Aria out they have the software and everything ready. But no. So stupid
Just to say Ian. Another wonderful in depth video. 👏👏👍👍
I still have my 2016 Leaf. Still working perfectly for my needs. Mostly home charged but often top up on the 6KW chargers at supermarkets - why not. No drop in range, still about 120-140 in practice, and still plenty for the tootling around I do. And as you say, so easy to drive. Chademo isn't a problem for me as i only ever used that a couple of times.
Ive had a leaf now for almost 5 years. Its a great family car, for the price, an interesting option for those able to charge at home.
Another issue with the Leaf is that the battery is passively cooled which means, a) when traveling, charging slows down with each successive recharge, and b) the battery degradation over the life of the vehicle is far worse than any other EV.
Best thing is that they still have buttons in it, instead of a touch screen to control everything. Great video and review. Thank you.
I have 2 EVs, and charge them both with the granny chargers. Not everyone needs a wall box
True, although it does depend on your driving profile I guess....
Every honest review of EVs highlights the charging issue. Really puts me off buying one. Got to sort it out EV manufacturers!
I've had a 2014 Leaf (24kWh) since 2019 and it was the most expensive second hand car I've ever bought (£7,500). But 4½ years later it's paid for its purchase price in fuel savings alone compared to the 2005 Honda Civic it replaced. In October we had a V2H (Vehicle to Home) charger fitted and now I can charge it on cheap overnight electricity and use it as a battery to power my house (and soak up free power from my solar panels). For our family it's the gift that keeps on giving.
It's a great daily driver, like you said it's not exciting but it's very competent and it only costs us 2.3p/mile if we charge at home (we get a lot of free solar miles in the Summer too).
The bump in the middle of the rear floor is where the high voltage emergency disconnect lives, in the event of an accident the emergency services can pop it open and remove a plug to isolate the battery. With regard to Chademo, we're just beginning to see CCS to Chademo adapters as commercial products (>£800) so there will be some scope to keep using Chademo vehicles in the future.
EV’s would have a better chance if politicians never got involved.
Or the media, too much influence!
You can clearly see when something was made up behind a desk.
I’ve had my 2018 leaf Tekna 40 kwh for 3 years , It has 98000 miles on the clock but still drives perfectly and everything works as it should . Leafspy says my battery capacity is ~86.2% . Great little car .
Good review. Saw you guys yesterday in cardigan. Was rushing somewhere so didn't stop to say hello 😊
Excellent review Ian. Very complete and informative.
A superb, very objective review!
Enjoying the variety of content on the channel 👍👍👍
I had a Leaf for two years. After 8000 miles its range was 35 miles in winter at night (- heater, lights, wipers etc). It needed a new £5,000 battery. Factor that into your running costs - £2500 per annum for batteries. The dealer said the 5 year warranty is void because I plugged it in to recharge it when it was already 80% full. Apparently the same applies if you let the battery go below 20%. In which case the useable range is actually 60% of its real range, which in turn is probably 85% of the manufacturer's claimed range. I have solar panels at home so of course when the sun shone on them I plugged it in. You would, wouldn't you? The dealer never told me not to plug it in if it was already 80% full, and why did the stupid computer on board allow this? That's the last time I have an EV.
I call BS on this story. Totally made up. The 20/80% guideline is just that. No issue charging to 100% or running down to zero occasionally. No impact on warranties. No dealer would say what you claim. A warranty repair would be good for them. I know you want to spread fairy stories but do not pretend they are real. Just be honest that you do not like EVs for some strange reason.
Either you are...economical with the truth, or the dealer pulled a fast one on you. Warranty should have been in effect.
It didn't need a new battery. It needed a battery pack refurbishment, which costs roughly the same as fitting a new clutch to an ICE car..... Please explain why you felt you'd have to spend £5000 on a new battery on a 2 year old Leaf, when the battery has an 8 year warranty?
@@Brian-om2hh I didn't have to spend £5,000 on a new battery, the next owner did. I had it on a 2yr PCP and just gave it back to Nissan. The dealer said that the warranty was void, not me.
Not a fan of EV's too expensive for likes of myself, maybe I'll be catching the bus as I get older, the infrastructure is tosh 😂
but that's every car. No room for cheap n cheerful because 5% profit margins for city cars back in 2014 are worth way less than in 2024.
Interesting that you have a Toyota Aygo as your pfp
We can all roughly agree how much better the Aygo/C1/108 was compared to the stand alone monstrosity that is the Aygo X.
That's an interesting one. I lease mine on a salary sacrifice scheme. As I no longer worry about servicing, repairs or depreciation and save a lot on money on fuel with chargers at home or work I am not spending much more than I was running the 11-year-old high-mileage diesel Mazda that finally expired on me, but the EV is a huge amount better in every way.
If you don't own one, how do you know the infrastructure is tosh?
@@PhineasPhlobbloke down the pub…..
@@MagicRat Yep, fat George down the Slug & Lettuce.
We have a 2016 Tekna leaf which is only 24kw, it fits in with our life style perfectly. We both work from home, it's perfect for whizzing around locally for picking up and dropping off kids etc. We love it, so easy to drive and still able to shock boy racers at the traffic lights 😂. I think the type of EV you chose is definitely proprationate to its use and your life style and the leaf ticks all those boxes for us. I should add we still have a diesel as a second car which we don't use that often but still need for towing the caravan 🙄
I doubt any boy racers would be shocked at a leaf tekna's acceleration. It's equivalent to most standard petrol cars let alone a hot hatch. Also give it the beans a few times and watch your range disappear quickly. EV owners going on about acceleration always make me laugh as you never see one going quick on the road as they're too worried about impacting range.
I think you have it pretty much spot on.
If your daily driving isn't a huge distance and your company has charging points an electric vehicle is a fantastic choice.
I mean getting the boss to pay for your driving is a win.
If your drive is longer or you need to carry weight then EV are not the greatest.
What we do need is those who drive I.C.E. and Electric vehicles to realise is we are all road users, stop fighting each other and turn our gave onto those who are not delivering what they are supposed to The Government who for many years have let our roads turn to into a potholed mess.
@@lordbungle6235 can't argue with that. The holes round my way are getting so bad it would be best to simply resurface entire roads.
@@noggintube I am thinking about converting my vehicles to hovercraft 🤣 The only way I won't hit potholes.
As far as cold weather goes ... the 2019 LEAF we bought two months ago has just been through a week of sub-minus-30 weather. (I live in Saskatchewan, because I am insane.) Never needs a boost, the cabin heats up in five minutes compared to 20-30 for the old Civic. The range isn't great even with the 62kWh battery, probably 150km in that bitter cold, but we're not regular highway drivers so it's just fine - and that's a worst case range, worse than worst-case for you Brits. Plug it into the side of the house at night, it's charged in the morning and you really don't need more than that. Best winter city driving car I've ever owned. I kinda like the "old-fashioned" interior with buttons for most things rather than having to navigate touch screen menus, too.
Fine review Hubnut. Thanks!
I think the work you have done on EVs is some of your best. Straight to the point covering off my interests and concerns.
A fair and balanced review, most likely another car I would consider alongside the MG4 if I had to Change the family car. I actually need to drive a Leaf again and see how it compares to the MG4 I reviewed.
A very fair and, dare I say, professional review. Well done.
Great review.
Love the commentary and your style, good info
You nailed it in regards to driving an ev in a rural area. I live in a larger rural city and we have two public plugs in town. Many people like me do a lot of miles since everything is far. Unless you have an employer that you can charge at, it’s a tough sell in rural areas. Keep up the great variety!
A very thorough and interesting review. Thanks 👍
Brilliant video, always enjoy the electric reviews, enjoyed the Fiat 500 onto videos also.
Modern cars for ya!
More Bongs than the Hippy at Glastonbury's chillout tent ⛺ 😀
Im happy with my ev as a daily. I have a classic car for fun. If it works for you try it. Im not going to preach to others about it. Thanks for a fair review as allways.
I think I speak for the whole market when I say I think it’s probably just about the right time to launch the Leaf Mark III.
Excellent review right here , Thanks.
It’s a good reliable and affordable EV for people who are really on a tight budget and who wants an electric vehicle it’s simple and minimalistic.
Wow, i didn't expect to hear Aberystwyth when clicking on this video. Lived there for 3 years and i miss is dearly, i'd move back in a heartbeat if i could.
One of the best and impartial reviews on an electric car .I am not a fan of EVs but that Nissan has got a lot of things right so silly huge touch screen plenty of normal switches and dials looks like a "normal" car not ugly but no need for all that power and still the charging issues in the real world
Nice review.
I test drove the Hyundai Kona and I believe it has similiar bhp, and again if you put your foot down all hell would break loose, it's too much power for the car to handle, and probably most people too. I drove the 150bhp Leaf and it was fine, and the VW ID 3 which was 200+ bhp but rear wheel drive, it seemed a lot more refined. The VW was like £37k and didn't even come with rear speakers as standard, it was far too basic and feature-less. Anyways I got annoyed with the whole thing and still have a diesel car, no regrets.
The weird cubby in the back is the battery breaker. Pull off the plastic cover, unscrew the metal cover underneath and yank the big orange handle underneath. If you crash it and the fire brigade turn up, that's what they'll do.
We were told recently that you break even with emissions at 70,000 mile or 7 years. BUT, we need to consider that the battery will require changing shortly after this time period, at a cost of over £10,000 in most cases. Some cars are requiring batteries early, some later. But for me Ian, it has to be insurance. Insurance companies are writing these cars (EV cars) off with very minor damage. One chap just had a slightly scuffed floor and it was completely written off because the insurance company couldn't tell if the battery had been compromised. Also, why are we seeing so many EV cars catching fire? One poor lady lost her entire house in the States, because her rental Mercedes caught fire and took her house with it. I like the idea of EV cars, but I find them stressful. Is it going to catch fire? Is the insurance going to be too expensive? Am I going to be landed with a huge bill for a new battery? Remember, it only takes ONE cell to short, and we get ourselves into a Thermal Runaway situation, which will engulf the entire vehicle in flames! Plus the elephant in the room is the purchase price. Who can afford them?
Wrong. The battery won't require "changing". It can be repaired or refurbished for a fraction of the cost of replacing it. Cleveleys Electric Vehicles in Gloucestershire, carried out a battery pack refurbishment on a 10 year old Leaf around 3 years ago. The work took 4 hours, and the cost was £500. Cleveleys posted a video of the refurb here on TH-cam, specifically to allay the fears of people who seemed to think you had to spend the cost of an Apollo Moonshot on a new battery..... And equally, this EV fires nonsense is often grossly over stated. Did you realise around 300 petrol and diesel cars catch fire each day in Britain? With respect, your post contains some often quoted points and statements, usually from unverifiable sources..... For example, any reputable insurance company worth it's salt, could readily verify whether an EV battery had been compromised after an accident... In fact many modern EV's have battery management software with an integral facility to test the voltage of individual battery cells..... And affordability isn't the issue it once was, as many who choose an EV will lease it, not buy it. Plus there's also the used EV market. I saw someone get a 2016 Renault Zoe with 35k miles on it, for £4400 a few weeks back.... And incidentally, it was Volvo who published those 70'000 mile claims. Unfortunately those claims didn't take into account the Co2 and other pollutants produced during refining petrol and diesel. Nor did they factor in that older EV batteries can be 95% recycled, and the lithium and cobalt can be 90% recovered and reused. There isn't anyone recycling and reusing old burned petrol and diesel as far as I know. And you might notice that Volvo still continued to produce EV's, and have even introduced new models since making those claims.....
Not a shred of evidence to support the idea batteries only last 7 years.
@@simonhudson5033 Who needs evidence? It's fat George down the pub again. He's "heard" lots about electric cars from sources that can't be verified so it must be true.... Even a cursory glance at a few EV manufacturers websites would have illustrated the fact a new EV battery has an 8 year warranty, and won't suddenly stop working at 8 years and 1 day old. The likes of the Daily Mail are responsible for publishing drivel such as this....
Great video. The competition has leapfrogged the Leaf, that mattered to me, but it doesn’t matter to everyone.
I hope the CCS charger adapter becomes widely available for these cars to keep running. Whatever your opinion, keeping cars on the road longer is a great thing, cheap motoring is a lifeline for many people, particularly if they need an “auto” this would be a great motor used at less than a fiver to charge at home on the right tariff with minimal maintenance.
A more balanced review of a fairly modern car regardless of the power source.
A vehicle with a reliable 150 miles even in winter is more than sufficient for 95% of drivers. The average car use per day is around 20 miles in the UK and most people do not go on journeys of over 100 miles with any sort of regularity.
We have an EV. It's not a Nissan though it has similar battery capacity and motor power but will do more real miles than the Nissan does. Our everyday need is low but round trips with an oldie to the hospital can result in 80 plus mile days.
We now have the ability to charge on cheap juice overnight even though we live in a Victorian terrace. Local authorities are slowly but surely making this happen.
I love cars and my all time favourite is the Ford Anglia 123E Super with the 1200cc engine. We had a 1967 vintage version and I loved everything about that car. To be brutally honest though in the modern world a modern car is so much safer and more practical.
There is a Brazilian Company featured on Dala's Ev repair that has Beta stage CCS adaptor for the Chademo Nissan and some people bought and used it and improved it by giving the Adapter a bigger battery.
Why do modern cars look so big on the outside without having practical loading? We've gone backwards. I'm spoiled with my Peugeot Partner I guess but for me it's not the leccy power plant that puts me off cars like this it's the impractical load area and terrible visibility.
The only thing that counts is if you like it or not. If it fits into your lifestyle ok then all is good.
I'd love to see this car in sub-zero Arctic temperatures
Bjorn Nyland probably has made dozens of videos like that. Any EV would do better than the LEAF regards to extreme cold or hot 😅
Yup, Norway has PLENTY of experience of EVs in the cold. Doesn't seem to be s big problem.
Great down to earth review.
I'm surprised at how far behind Nissan are with the Leaf in the EV world. As you alluded to, their focus now is on the Aria. It's a shame that so many manufacturers seem intent on releasing SUV after SUV which is why I've not gone for one until fairly recently. I love the idea of EV and have just ordered my first, a BMW i4 eDrive 40 M Sport Pro which I'm eagerly awaiting. Not very HubNut, but happy to lend it for a test drive if you ever feel the need (I'm in Wales too).
I don't get the hatred towards EV. Like you've also alluded to in other videos, it's nice to have a variety in the fleet. I like all sorts of cars regardless of propulsion. I have my V8 in the garage. I love the smooth and effortless driving dynamics that EV offers for daily driving. Did not order mine to 'save the world', I ordered it because I actually enjoy driving EVs for daily driving.
I do like the look of the current Leaf, it's a shame the tech is lagging.
Still can't believe they didn't offer a CCS option. I supposed it's a bit of a BETAMAX Vs VHS situation.
I used to have a SEAT Mii electric which was a superb little car. Genuine 160 mile range with a battery that didn't intrude on space vs the petrol model at all. Exactly what you want when people say EVs are too big and fancy. Shame they only made a handful of them before stopping production.
Cool, i genuily been quite intresstes in the i4, bmw seams to be on of the only companies out there with some real towing capcity, 1600kg would be perfect for me. Just wish they wouldn't have switched to that horrible touch screen only. Have to wait until one of the first year version with at least some buttons are back from there lease.
I also don't mind EVs but I can't stand the Tesla boys that claim nothing goes wrong with them and everything is perfect. Witch simply is not true. They are the type of people that makes the hate for ev grow.
Nissan is just stupid not offering it with CCS today, since they have the technology with Aria
I've currently got a 30kwh leaf, had it 4 years and love it, but the passive cooling and Chademo have become an issue which they failed to rectify.
Mine still has all 12 bars ( allot don't) but what I don't understand is why all EV manufacturers ( and public) seem obsessed with SUVs/ cross overs , in a EV you are looking for efficiency but manufacturers have just made bigger, heavier less aerodynamic EVs and just put in ever bigger batteries to accommodate them on range.
Seems like madness to me .
I'm currently looking at Hyundai Ioniq 38kwh ( discontinued for some stupid reason) that's a decent family car that often achieves well over 5 miles per kWh, on a small battery does 150-160 miles in winter and 180-200 in summer.
The battery management is also fantastic with little degradation, only really let down by fairly slow rapid charging ( max 50kwh) but to me that's the way car manufacturers should be going, efficient vehicles.
@@davefitzpatrick4841 Just did some research and the ccs chademo adapter seams to be working now.
Apperantly it was to weak battery in it so it couldn't pull the contactors.
Classic Ioniq is cool but not certified for towing snd therefore i class is as worthless.
@@Iceeeen yea just watching Dala's video now Which is good , see he's going to order one so that will be interesting, fingers crossed, but for me the leaf is still let down by range and battery management, as I've said mine was a great first dive into owning a EV , I understand you need to tow so yea the Ioniq isn't for you , but for my needs I think it's just about perfect, I could stretch my budget and get a 300 mike EV but in reality I only do long journeys around three times a year and with a disabled wife we tend to take our time on those trips .
Either way I won't be going back to Ice cars ( doesn't make sense when I also have solar) although the leaf has it's flaws It has shown me EVs are the way to go ( for me personally) .
Thanks for the video, Ian, solid review. If you can't charge at home, you're in trouble and that doesn't appear to be changing any time soon. So where does that leave us? Also note: Funny how EV videos get spammed heavily with positive comments from people with strange posterior-related photos.
Normally that phenom is quite the opposite spammed full of gammons
Lol unless you're talking about the busty bait bots 😂
Sorry. I'm a bit late dealing with the inevitable bots today...
Hi Ian. Just to to put a counterpoint to all the negative comments, interesting to see the the viewpoint of someone like yourself on such cars, and no car is going to be everybody's cup of tea. They will be the perfect car for some folks - just not for those folks who seem to posting angrily for some reason. Reminds me of the Daily Male strip in Viz 😅
Very fair and balanced assessment.
Hi Ian, great video. The motor produces 217bhp not 241 as you stated. I thought it seemed a bit high when you said it. Keep up the great content
Its power is quite exaggerated by the weight bias by the battery that makes traction tricky, especially if fully laden.
200 bhp is sufficient for a typical EV, will be more than enough in any normal situation.
Great video 👍 There is a CCS to ChaDeMo adapter but very expensive at almost 2k dollars 😬 Dales EV repair has some great videos about the development and final product. BR, Per (Denmark)
Not sure about the quality of that adapter ?!
This video was electric 😂
another great video has always Ian and miss hubnut and hublets and hubmutts 👍
It's VHS vs Betamax all over again.
Wales' 20mph in a land cruiser 80 series is 4th gear at 900 RPM very peaceful mellow experience!
It is Japanese yes dated in design and tech but it will be reliable if looked after! Think about that aspect.
The Chadamo makes it the betamax of modern ev cars. Just charge at home and you'll save money and time. Avoid roadtrips.Nice car, good review.
There is an adapter now for ccs. th-cam.com/video/wydql2N_F-k/w-d-xo.htmlsi=UoofopgdPmbgOELm
EVs are a controversial topic and this is a great hubnut quality video about an EV. To fuel the discussion, the battery capacity of the nissan shown is equivalent to 1.36 uk gallons of diesel. For me, this small calculation is the strongest argument in favour of EVs. Cars with petrol engines, what a (really nice) waste 🙂
As always pro’s and con’s fully explain, with real world experience, such as charge point. There is a place for all, these should be championed alongside ICE, as better is some circumstance, such as short urban journeys and where home charging allows
Driven one for twelve months nearly. Love it, as a vehicle to both drive and enjoy - and with 99% of charging at home on off-peak it's very cheap also. I've needed a rapid charge I think five times in that time and never had a problem finding a chademo. In the UK there are probable more CCS, it just isn't as much of an issue as I think people are making it - to most users
Nice mullet ian...welcome to 1985😊
Having direct experience with a Leaf the chadma charging port was an issue.I looked into an adaptor to use CCS but its not as simple as a different plug its a different ampage so the actual entire charging system needs changing aswell.Classic example from my experience was choosing to charge at Peterborough services on the A1.There were 8 charging points but 7 were CCS.We were stuck there for 2 hours waiting for the Chadma point.EV,s outside of your home charger are a bloody nightmare and pounds per mile are no longer cheaper than diesel.Even 7kw/ hour home charging now costs about twenty quid to fill for 120 miles.
Predictably, plenty of comments from people who despite not owning an ev or ever even driving an ev somehow think their opinion is worthwhile.
Everyone's opinion is worthwhile.
The main reason that the prices are either staying static or dropping is because of all the bad press. That's because of the poor quality Chinese batteries that are being used in order to keep production costs down and profits up.
I think that when a cheaper and safer alternative to this generation of batteries is developed and made available then the prices will stabilise and people will be more willing to put their hard earned cash into the product.
Am not American, but from what i gather online, there are people out there thinking EVs will be the death of America and proud owners of the last remaing gas guzzlers in existence.
Brilliant observation about the handbrake. My Renault Zoe has an electric handbrake that the car insists on turning on and will not allow me to park off handbrake free. If I leave the car for two days or more it welds itself on and I get endless weird error messages as I try and force it to release it. A good BANG!!! later and it finally releases which is loud enough for pedestrians to turn their heads to see what has happened. It really is a major pain and shows simple bad design.
Hi Ian, what are the chances of Nissan Leaf Chademo to CCS conversion kits or adaptors ?
There is talk of them, but I'm not 100% sure how viable they are. Worth keeping an eye on.
@@HubNut Dala is testing one now. Just starting to become available to buy.
I still love my MK1 leaf and it it's used daily for the work commute of about 35 miles per day for which it's perfect for.
Mine is the 24kwh so summer range is around 90 miles and winter around 55 miles.
99% of the time mine is always charged at home overnight so it's very cheap to run.
Like Ian says a CCS adaptor is currently in development which will be great and keep the Leaf current for many more years.
I do intend to upgrade to the Gen 2 leaf maybe soon to one with the 60kwh battery for longer journeys.
In the same boat, have a 2014 24kw for local stuff. 90 miles a bit optimistic for mine (10 bars). Only charge at home but not convinced with current energy prices that it's the amazing saving over diesel that it used to be vs running our qashqai 55mpg. Brilliant car though, love turning heating on via the app!
@@JamieMcAlley I am lucky that I still have 12 bars on mine and its a late 2015 with 56k miles on the clock.
I think that for me personally it's cheaper than running a diesel also when you take into account the lack of Road tax and servicing costs there is still a saving there.
I've got the MK1 30kwh , had it 4 years it is a fantastic car let down by the battery tech and now Chademo.
I'm looking at the Hyundai Ioniq 38kwh , CCS charging a realistic range of 150-160 in winter and around 180-200 in summer, owners often reporting their cars achieve well over 5 miles per kWh, proper battery cooling/management and you can pick 2022 models up for around £18 .
Whilst I love my leaf I wouldn't touch another because of the passive cooling and poor battery management, the fact that although there are Chademo chargers still being installed far , far fewer than CCS that is though and they are generally dual purpose ( so CCS and chademo) and with more and more EVs on the road it's only making longer distance travelling in the leaf more problematic.
Leaf is a great commuting car, if you can charge at home.
Now. Where did I leave that tripod?
Do the brake lights come on when you stop quickly using regenerative braking, and what's the purpose of the battery under the bonnet?
The 12V battery does all the normal car stuff, the lights, the radio etc. The main high voltage battery is just for drive.
Yes, the brake lights come on at higher levels of regen. As Dave says, the 12v battery is still used for normal car things.
The lights do come on afaik
@@HubNutTo anyone that finds that odd, ask why the headlights and radio in your car don't run on petrol.......
Chademo is an actual standard whereas CCS has variations between manufacturers. Chademo is also designed with V2G in mind and V2G/V2H functionality was mandated for Japanese manufactured EVs in the wake of Fukushima as is presents the potential for EVs to provide grid resilience by acting en-masse as a utility scale grid storage facility.
We're onto our second Leaf (2012 24kWh, 2016 30kWh) and use of public charging is virtually nil for us. The upgrade was actually done last year with V2G very much in mind as we have solar and I'm hesitant to spend money on a static battery when a Leaf can do the job plus provide mobility.
Some very interesting info to be had in Robert Llewellyn's interview of David Slutzky of Fermata Energy on V2G's potential in electricity supply resilience and gaining income from your Leaf by way of their bidirectional charging functionality. Worth noting also that EV manufacturers are reacting to V2G demand and are now increasingly incorporating this in their vehicles, but the humble Leaf has had this almost from its debut.
Yes, I'm disappointed that V2G seems to be dying a death. Especially now EVs have so much more capacity.
My biggest upside on CHAdeMO is that when I go to charge my car it is almost always vacant. There are not so many other cars that use it. So I hardly ever have to wait for charging. Although very rarely I have found a place where all the stations are taken (so the CSS connectors are also usually available).
About electric hand brake. I have Nconnecta model so I can say that it doesn't have that. Instead it has a foot pedal break and it works by pressing the pedal down (and also releases by pressing it down). Is it still hand brake if you use it with your foot? I don't know. But it works very well and it never goes on or off by itself. It is all manual.
Having driven the earlier leaf and this one I think they’re ok at what they are designed to do. Somewhat lacking in character but a reasonable car if you have off street parking .
Hubnut can you do a review of a Ford festiva like circa 1988? I think they also went by the mazda 121 and kia something. My wife and I bought one new in I think 1987 or 88. Loved it! Drove great and ours was extremely reliable. It was very very hubnut imho.
I'd love to. Great cars. As you say, sold as the Mazda 121 and then the Kia Pride here - their first car sold in the UK.
I love my Nissan Leaf, but I do wish it had from the onset ATM and CCS. Though at least there's an adaptor on the way. And it's perfect for my needs. Not to mention that it drives well in the winter, if for the shortened range.
I can't believe Nissan didn't upgrade to CCS for the European market.
Exactly. A CCS can easily fit beside the CHAdeMO
But Nissan as is their reputation cheaped out
Oddly, Nissan did go with CCS on their new Ariya.....
"Cubby" in rear floor centre - does this make it a 4 seater ? Did I miss the triangle of doom segment 😉
I'd already filmed a wiper test in my 10 years of HubNut video with this car.
@@HubNut My apologies 👍🏻
I really don't like that analogue speedo.. much more difficult to read while driving than the digital heads-up display in the old Leaf
A lot of noncense, i drive a Nissan Leaf since 2018. . No problems at all. Okay chademo not the standard anymore bur available , I drove from Holland to the south of France. , nor any problem by loading with chademo I like this car..
Thanks
Thank you!
Hello hello, my mum got a Dacia Spring and its a good eletric car even though its a bit small. Sorry for asking but what are the Plans that the germans might get a chance to have merch too. Greetings from the cold germany.
Thank you. We do hope to find a solution this year.
@@HubNut Thats great News. I Wish you all the luck to find a fitting solution.
I'm thinking of trying either a late 30kwh gen1 or early gen2 leaf on my parents. They are getting on and increasingly use their small car for very short trips, less than a mile and a half each way. They used to walk most of the time but aren't so capable of that now. The small petrol car they have doesn't even fully warm up, sometimes for several trips in a row and as a result is causing the warning light to come on. They never take it more than about 30 miles from home either and rarely that far, so an 80 mile range and only home charging is no problem. An electric motor doesn't care how short your journeys are.
The only problem is my Dad won't have one because it wouldn't be capable of a theoretical journey that he hasn't been on in the last 15 years and never will go on anyway, but he will have a petrol car even though it is likely to mean some huge bills in the future when the catalytic converter dies due to the useage.
you can pick up a gen1 Leaf (go for 2014 or later) for peanuts now. Get a Tekna trim so they have heated steering wheel and seats, plus the all-round cameras.
I'd sack the person who signed off that wheel design.
I have the old typer and I love it.
As precarious as the oldest LEAFs are regarding battery health, I would still want one. Not least because if compared to any EV newer than 2015 - it should be a cost parity to give a 2011 LEAF a crash salvage 40-62kWh that enthusiasts offer in the Netherlands
Hi@@toyotaprius79 the last time it snowed it took 2 mins to get hot in my car and melt the snow. I will one day up grade my batties.It's crazy cheap to run. Before I got the leaf I had a old car that looked new but I got to ill to work on. That one goes on TV shows and films now. I sold it. It was on 'Good Omens', The leaf is stressless.
I was extremely tempted by one of these.
Ended up going for a plug in hybrid
Not sure if I chose right yet.
I nearly went PHEV Outlander last year but stuck with diesel. Couldn't decide if it was best of both worlds or worst of both worlds. Real life reviews of battery range were pretty shocking and I decided it was either ICE or full EV.
@@noggintube
The only thing that made me go for the plug in is because we go to Cornwall from Doncaster once per year and upto Newcastle every 8 weeks or so.
My wife can charge for free at her work so her commute is ultimately free and the 1st 20/30 miles of the weekend.
I think that when this finance is up I'll get a used Tesla
You can get a model 3 for 25k that's 3 years old.
I think that way we'd only have to charge on route when we go to Cornwall. We always go through the night so wouldn't have any of the issues waiting for chargers which are being seen at the moment.
It's tough to know what to do for the best at this stage of it.
Hi Ian, the sound is making your speech slower than normal, or you've spent too much time in the local hostelry
Wonder if you can get an adaptor for that charging? Just a thought .
you can, but it is expensive and doesn't always work
I looked up the kerb weights of various electric cars. The Leaf, at around 1.7 tonnes, is, believe it or not, one of the lightest electric vehicles there is, although it's only around the same size as a Ford Fiesta. I have a Ford C Max Grand 1.6 diesel which weighs less than a Nissan Leaf. Many bigger electric cars weigh in at well north of 2 tonnes. As a question to Ian, what is the point of the latest ad for a car (I can't remember which company it is, it might be Toyota) which burns petrol and then converts it to electric to drive the vehicle? Am I missing something here? It's like burning gas to generate electricity and then having a 100% electric cooker when you could have a gas one, or a dual fuel...
@@retiredbore378 As regards kerb weights, I have a 7 seater Ford Focus C Max Grand 1.6 diesel. It's considerably bigger than a Nissan Leaf, but its kerb weight is around 100 kg less. Compare the weight of a Leaf with a similar sized Fiesta, the weight difference is around 300 kg for a similar model, that's a substantial weight difference. According to the figures, hybrids are even heavier than EVs, so the gap in weight will be even bigger for hybrids compared to petrol/diesel versions. Throw in the extra cost for the cars that convert petrol to an electric drive train i.e. they need petrol to run all the time (such as the one I mentioned) and I honestly can't see the case for owning one, it would be better to own a smaller engine petrol turbo boosted engine or a Euro 6 diesel. Whichever way you look at it, these cars have to burn petrol in order to travel along the road, they're not going to do much to improve global warming, in the way other electric or hybrid vehicles do.
The models that burn petrol to generate power to drive an electric motor and thus propulsion are called e power and are made by Nissan, not Toyota. They rely on burning petrol to generate 100% of the electricity, they're the equivalent of a mobile mini power station which runs on oil, not gas. I still don't see the rationale here, all the extra cost and you still end up burning lots of fossil fuel, rather than that for an electric or hybrid model.
The BMW i3 is lighter than a Ford Focus.....
@@Brian-om2hh One particular model might be, but the vast majority of EV and hybrids are much heavier, many weigh in at well over 2 tonnes for a medium sized hatchback version. Congrats for your very precise selectivity here. BMW i3 32kW, kerb weight 1360 kg, 42 kW 1440 kg. Ford Focus 5 door weights are between 1276 to 1364 kg, the only model heavier than the lightest BMW i3 is the Ecoboost 1.5 6 speed auto, the top of the range, all other models weigh less. The BMW i3 42 kW is heavier than all Focus models, including diesels. As for price to buy, BMW starts at £37K, Focus £28K. As they say, spot the difference. At getting on for £40K, I'd say the BMW isn't going to appeal to most motorists. BTW, the Nissan Leaf shown here, which is smaller than a Focus, weighs in at 1700 kg, way above the weight of any petrol or diesel driven version of,the much bigger Focus. The simple fact is the vast majority of electric and hybrid cars currently manufactured are heavier than their petrol and diesel driven counterparts, and are considerably more expensive. People need to accept the fact, which some people here seem to be in denial of. As for the merits of ownership, that's an entirely different matter.
I tend to agree with you about power. I don't understand the fascination with manufacturers to have ridiculous bhp on EV's. I don't need silly 400+ bhp and sub 4 second 0-60 as seems to be common place on EV's. I'd prefer to have less and have more range. The top 3 selling cars in the UK for 2023 all have less than 200bhp. So give me an EV with 200bhp, 0-60 in 7 seconds, but a range of 400 miles please.
One word as to why the high power: Americans.
Regarding the more range in exchange for less power; thats not how EVs work. Effectively no such tradeoff for them. So your wish will likely not be fullfilled because of physics and market demands.
The power is essentially free and the more regen, the bigger the motor required. Having less power won't benefit range much at all; it's all up to your right foot.
I love my Leaf Ian... Ive just bought a 21 model 62kw Tekna like yours here for £16K at Car Giant in London with 20k on the clock... But sadly it might have to go back... why the insurance ! I was quoted £1500 for the year but when it came to buy the insurance 3 flags came up from my cousins additional car on my Employee Leasing Vehicle Scheme making my insurance jump to £7000 !!! 😧😲 Sadly EV insurance has narrowed and in the passed these flags could be overlooked as there was competition in the market 5 years ago,,, Now thats not the case and there is no market for Budget EV insurance as there is no competition there since Covid with many independent insurance providers falling by the wayside..
PAST not PASSED.
It has a Bose soundsystem, you just can't expect the bass to be 'rounder' , just more distorted.
I've experienced far better bass response in other cars.
I like the wheels, their design is reminiscent of the coil windings on an electric motor. There don't look like much fun to clean though.
If i haven't got a classic for Rustival i am bringing my 23 plate Hyundai Bayon Hybrid ( it's all ready booked in ) feel free to come and have a look over it
Not a problem! Everything welcome.