90,000km

Another 10,000 km have passed and LEAF keeps going happily.

The 90,000 km service was performed ($89) and they updated the firmware (first time since it was built). I think this fixes a corner case where the battery can reach 100% and the charger does not disengage immediately.

HV Battery 293A0-3NA0C --> 293A0-3NA0D
Charger/PD Module 296A0-3NA5A --> 296A0-3NA7A

Since the hot weather rolled in, 80% charge is going 100 km easily. When it was cooler,  I would drive to work and the battery would report five bars remaining, but when I would get back to the car in the afternoon, it would report four bars. After driving about two km, the battery would read five again. I have to take the car back to the dealer in January to have the battery checked (before the battery warranty expires).

Graph of electricity usage from the EVSE

Costs for 90,000 km ish

80,000 km in a Nissan LEAF

My Nissan LEAF has made it to 80,000 km on the original tyres!

The energy consumption has dropped due to moving to the Redlands, which is relatively flat compared to Logan. I have not done any more long trips as it has been very busy at work :(

I still have 9 capacity bars. I am not aware of any range loss as winter obscures the maximum distance I can travel. My car warranty expires next week, but the battery warranty is still valid until 100,000 km. I can't wait for the rumoured 30 kWh battery (I would buy the battery upgrade if available).

For approximately 2 months, braking on hills induced pulsing between regen and friction brakes (very annoying). It has not happened since the 80,000 km service. So I guess the replacement of the brake fluid reset something?

80,000km and still travelling along happily

Cost per 100km 

kWh per 100km

Stats for my LEAF

Service Costs

During the May AEVA Brisbane meeting, some new EV owners came along and let us look at their cars. This is the largest number of EVs that I can remember coming to a meeting.

Tesla Model S, Mitsubishi iMiEV, Suzuki Swift, Honda City

Everyone loves checking out the Tesla Model S

Everyone loves checking out the Tesla Model S

Simone and Dave inspecting the BMW i3

Mitsubishi iMiEV and Nissan LEAF

Awesome custom converted Mazda MX5

I also attended the Logan Eco Action Festival at the Logan Griffith University campus (Meadowbrook) in my Nissan LEAF with other members of the AEVA (who brought a BMW i3, Zero Electric Motorbike and Custom Suzuki Swift). We were next to the Mitsubishi PHEV display. It was a great day and I met lots of people interested in Electric Vehicles.

L.E.A.F. 2015

I was lucky to get a free pass to the Australian Energy Storage Conference http://www.australianenergystorage.com.au from Gabriel and Kymberly at Recharging NSW http://rechargingnsw.com.au Was a good conference and I learnt lots about battery storage and how the grid operates with renewal energy.

Recharging NSW display 

ELMOFO Electric Radical SREV

Next weekend I am going with other AEVA members to the RACQ Motorfest. Hoping to chat to lots of people about my car. I better give it a clean. The interior has scratches and scrapes from moving house.

Trip to Byron Eco Park

This weekend I attended an AEVA Electric Vehicle display at the Byron Solar Revolution in the Byron ECO park (Tyagarah, near Byron Bay). It is about 340 km round trip and needs four charges.

I drove 72 km from Cleveland to the Gold Coast using the motorway. It was 6:30 am, so I drove at 90 km/h (is a 110 km/h zone) to lessen the charge time. I used one less bar than a previous attempt using the side roads.

Cleveland to Surfers Paradise using Pacific motorway

Arrived about 7:30am at the Bruce Bishop Carpark in Surfers Paradise

While waiting for the car to charge, I went to the coffee club for breakfast. When I got back I cleaned the car ready for the display.

Took about 2.5 hours to charge

The next leg was from Surfers Paradise to Tyagarah (about 80 km). When I entered the motorway at Tweed Heads, it began raining heavily and the wind was blowing hard from the side. I could barely see the cars in front, so I dropped to 80 km/h. It stopped raining about Brunswick Heads. Which was good as showing cars in the rain is a pain. I arrived with 20 km on the range meter. On a sunny day, I think I would have had 30+ km left.

I put the car on charge, but was only able to leave it for 90 minutes as the power point was not where the display was. It was enough for the range meter to display 50 km.

Surfers to Tyagarah using the Pacific motorway

Our display - Outlander, iMiEV, Custom Echo, Custom Suzuki, LEAF

I left for the Chargepoint at the Macadamia Castle at Knockrow. I had never been there before and didn't realise the hill was so steep. I travelled 20 km and had 10 km on the range meter. I parked under the solar canopy and plugged in about 6 pm. Luckily there is free wifi, so I had a snooze and read some forums.

Tyagarah to Knockrow up the gigantic hill

Parked under the solar canopy as it started to rain

It took approximately 3 hours to charge. During this time a huge thunderstorm rolled through. One thunderclap was really loud and made me jump in my seat.

The range meter was lower than normal as I had climbed the hill

I set off from Knockrow with 99 km on the range meter and 96 ish km to travel. Carwings warned me multiple times about not being able to make it to the destination, but once I descended the giant hill, the range meter stayed on 95 km for about 20 minutes. It rained the whole way to Surfers Paradise, but the wind was low. I stayed on 80 km/h as the road was super quiet (most of the time there were no headlights in sight). There was a lot of traffic round Broadbeach, so it took longer than I expected. I made it to Surfers Paradise about 10:30pm with 18 km left.

Knockrow to Surfers Paradise using the Pacific motorway

Arrived with heaps to spare

I was super hungry as I had not had anything to eat since 5pm, so I went back to the coffee club for dinner. Not sure why I went back to the same place (normally I prefer to try out new places I wander past). It stopped raining, so I took a walk down main beach and headed back to the car. I charged to 80% this time as it was 1:00am and I was tired.

Off home from Surfers Paradise

I drove about 80 km/h on the motorway with hardly any cars on the road. Sailed in home with 20 km to spare.

Home at last

Next time tho, I will book a place in Byron Bay and stay for the weekend, much too nice a place to only visit for a few hours :)

Energy consumption

 9 KW/h for 72km -> 12.5 KWh / 100km BNE to GC
15KW/h for 98km -> 15.3 KWh / 100km GC to Knockrow
 9 KW/h for 96km ->   9.3 KWh / 100km Knockrow to GC
10KW/h for 72km -> 13.8 KWh / 100km GC to BNE

70,000km Already

Hello, 

this post is very delayed (somehow forgot). Nothing much has happened since the last post. I bought a KeContact P20 from Recharging NSW ( http://rechargingnsw.com.au/products/kecontact-p20-series/ ), but have not had any time to check it out (work has been super busy). I am still looking at places to install charging stations.

Due to the installation of new chargers, I have been travelling to places that I was not able to before :)

I did a video of my trip to Binna Burra. Also I am going to Byron Bay for a car display, so will make a video about that too.

My LEAF went for the 70,000 km service ($95). The normal person was not there, so I was not able to find out any real information about how my battery is going. The page attached lists 5 stars.

70,000KM and still rolling along

Still using about $4 per day

Trip to the Beach

The Gold Coast City Council installed a charging station in the Bruce Bishop Car Park (near Cavill Avenue). http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/thegoldcoast/bruce-bishop-car-park-22661.html  I took a trip to the Gold Coast to have a swim and try it out.

About 75km using the freeway

I left with 100% charge and arrived with 30km remaining (used air conditioning as was 30C+). Car was charged to 100% in less than 4 hours (consumed about 10KWh). Parking fees were $9.20, charging was free (not sure if you can park anywhere in Surfers Paradise for free).

Bay I9 on the Ground floor (to the left, past the ramp, when entering from Beach Road). 

Charger is free. You need a Chargepoint card to activate

 Also I went for a Tram ride from Griffith University to Broadbeach. Was fun to zip around in the air conditioning. No need to travel to Melbourne anymore :)

68,000km and 9 Bars of Range

Hello,

I lost another bar of range today. Happened when I was sleeping :(
Luckily I have moved and the daily commute is now 64km per day (was 80km+), so no range issues.
Will have to see what Nissan say at the 70,000km service.

Someone stole my Capacity bar :P

80% Charge is now 100km ish (in ECO)

100% Charge is now 120km ish (in ECO)

Also, I had good news today, The Gold Coast City Council has installed a Chargepoint brand charger in the Bruce Bishop Carpark at Surfers Paradise. So be good to go to the beach :)