Longer Trips - Limitations and Solutions

The biggest issue with the Nissan Leaf is the inability to fast charge it more than twice in a day.  For the standard 40 kWh version, with a range of 220 to 240 km or so, it makes trips exceeding 600 km virtually impossible, and trips between 350 and 600 km  should be carefully planned.

As an example, I do take the Leaf to the cottage successfully, but have an interesting way to accomplish it. The cottage is about 460 km from our home, so I leave Tavistock fully charged, and drive 130 km to my parents for a visit. using the 240 v outlet installed in their garage, I use the Nissan EVSE to charge back up to 100 percent (from 30%) in under four hours. then I depart Toronto for either Peterborough or Norwood, fast charge at a Flo DC charger from 30 to 90 percent in about 40 minutes, and continue to the cottage in Barrys Bay with 15 percent juice remaining. It is a long yet easy drive , with a nice stop in at my parents for a visit, and a nice break when I stop to charge up for the last leg.

The use of the level 2 charger at my parents means the subsequent fast charge in Peterborough is always pretty fast and efficient. Once I arrive at the cottage, I immediately plug the Nissan EVSE into the newly installed outdoor wall outlet, as pictured.

 

Fast Charging - On The Road

When travelling, the only real solution to getting from points A to B that are farther apart than the Leaf's range is to stop at a fast charger, also known as a Level 3 or DC fast charger.  Currently there are a fairly large number of different networks or companies that have fast chargers installed in Ontario. Flo, Ivy, and Chargepoint are three fairly established names. Petro Canada also has a network of fast chargers, mainly on the 401 corridor.

Payment at these chargers are usually not as simple as filling up with gas at a station. The majority of charging networks have a subscription plan, where a physical card or app on your smartphone is preloaded via credit card. The specific charge each time you use the account is deducted from the balance, and you simply re load the account as need be.

Some networks such as the Petro Canada one, are set up to accept a traditional card payment method, such as Debit, Visa, or MasterCard.

 

Welcome to our new Leaf

After milking as much life as possible out of our 2003 Toyota Echo hatchback (445,000 kilometers, give or take) we purchased a brand new Nissan Leaf.  Specifically a 2019 SV with 40kw battery, new in July of 2020.

Our move to an electric vehicle was mainly justified based on total cost of ownership and operation over ten years, comparing the Leaf to something similar like a Nissan Sentra or Quashquai. We knew we would be paying in the range of 10,000 dollars more for an EV (Electric Vehicle) as compared to a similar ICE (Internal Combustion Engine vehicle). Secondary was the idea of being 'green' or reducing our carbon footprint.

After some calculations, based on our current driving habits, the cost of electricity, gasoline, and the purchase price of various vehicles, we stood to saving anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 dollars over ten years of ownership.  A couple of months later, we picked up this sweet little vehicle from Greg Vann Nissan in Cambridge, Ontario.

Charging - What Do Levels Mean?

So you are new to EV's and aren't quite sure what the distinction is between various charging 'Levels'... well here is your thirty second primer.

Level 1 Charging:  This means 120 volt charging by plugging your EVSE (Electrical Vehicle Supply Equipment, commonly called your 'charger') directly into a 3 prong 120 volt, regular wall outlet.  Very slow and archaic, but all that is required by someone who only commutes up to fifty kilometers a day in their car.  Expect charging speed to add up to ten kilometers of range per hour of charge.

Level 2 Charging:  This is 240 volt charging, either by plugging your EVSE into a range outlet installed specifically for that purpose, or by charging from a permanently mounted Level 2 charging unit with a J-1772 cable, either installed at your home, or at a public charging station. Ideal all round charging setup for majority of users, these units can add 20km to 40km of range in an hour, depending on amperage settings.

Level 3 Charging:  This is also known as DC fast charging, which utilizes the big "Chademo" DC charging port under the black cap (on the left as you face the vehicle)  This charging is for the express purpose of quickly charging the vehicle while travelling on longer trips. Charging speeds vary greatly, and can range from 50km range up to 200km range added in about an hour

Home Charging Options

In all likelihood, you will end up with some sort of Level 2 charging setup at home...  For simplicity, these can be divided into two different types...  a wall mounted outlet, into which the EVSE plugs in, or a separately purchased wall mounted EVSE or 'charger'.

Option 1:  Wall mounted outlet... In this case, the outlet is located outdoors, so is installed in a special all weather receptacle enclosure, purchased as a complete package. If located indoors, all you need is a large square metal box for a range outlet, and the range outlet itself.

Option 2:  Wall mounted EVSE (Charger). This is a Canadian made unit, the Flo G5, which includes the charging base and the cable, and it is directly wired to the electrical breaker panel. The one advantage of these, beyond looking fantastic, is that you can keep the portable EVSE supplied with the car in the car at all times for travelling.