Nubie help, please

M

maintenancenot

New Member
Brand new to forum and very interested in do's/don'ts of purchasing a new or used Nisan Leaf. My state of WA gives up to $1,600 rebate/used, up to $3,500 new plus the fed gives up to another $7,500. We own a 2005 Prius which has served us well up until the past two years when $2000 worth of maintenance started showing its ugly head. That said, we are now in the market for a Nisan Leaf. The Leaf seems to be in our retired-budget range and has the same amount of cargo room as our Prius.

Our local trips are minimal and less than 100 miles, round trip, max. We do enjoy a vacation trip and are worried that the Leaf will not find quick charge stations along the way.

Can you recommend a good charging map that has quick charge stations included in both US and Canada? Also, can you tell me about home instillation costs and the best way to go on that. Any other thoughts/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Last edited:
1. As DJP already posted, PlugShare.com is far and away the best website for finding fast-charging stations.

2. The cost of installing an EVSE (private EV charger) varies widely. Get at least 2 or 3 estimates before going ahead. And make sure your installer is a licensed electrician; many people hiring out as an electrician are not properly certified. Those who have an installation done by someone who doesn't know how to properly check and isolate the charging circuit may be creating a serious fire hazard in their home or garage. Clipper Creek and JuiceBox are the two brands of EVSEs recommended most often on EV forums.

3. Among modern production BEVs, the Leaf is probably the very worst choice for a long road trip. Seriously consider renting another car when going on a long trip. At the risk of sounding like a commercial, Enterprise will bring the car to you, so that's relatively painless. They also have a very attractive weekend rental rate. I've rented from Enterprise and have found them to be very easy to deal with, and their rental rates for compact cars are quite low.
​
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top