Is an EV range accurate? Stress test on the 30kWh Nissan Leaf

In my last video, I went into some detail about the Nissan Leaf that's currently in stock, and the warranty 'repair' that took the range to an apparent 90 miles, from the previous 65. Following on from a viewer's request, I decided to see if that was indeed accurate, and just what range the warranty repair had actually given the car, if any.
www.rasmoco.com
www.rutlandgardenvillage.co.uk/cafe (The Radish Restaurant)

[@solentbum]

A few points to note- The car is several years old with a recorded mileage over 74k miles. According to many naysayers the car would already have died, or need a new battery, or have caught fire. Instead it is able to complete a journey longer than most commutes in the UK. Like most ICE cars the LEAF will continue to drive for some time after the available range display goes blank, I once drove a similar LEAF for 20 miles after the display went blank. The range available (displayed) can depend on the way it was driven immediately before hand, if the previous five miles was driven flat out the guessometer will adjust the 'range' to take that into account for the next drive. In the real world, when not under test, a prudent driver would 'top up' the battery when they could. Perhaps pick a Cafe with a destination charger, to fill up whilst you fill up? As a long standing EV owner this was an enjoyable and amusing video showing how 'range anxiety' is as much in the mind as it is in reality.

[@starting_rascasse]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! Totally agree with you about the harbingers of doom saying this should be unviable!

[@user-ig1ej6lf1w]

Absolutely mate, loving the video’s keep up the good work, Marcus

[@salibaba]

Well done persevering holding your ground with Nissan. It measures up pretty well and 2 bars missing for a 74k 30kWh car is about normal. Those packs have been seen to degrade a bit quicker than the older ones, probably due to the higher range giving confidence to travel further and need to rapid charge them more. The scale for degradation is 1st bar - 15% 2nd bar - 10% Each subsequent bar - 7.5% Your 90 mile range is bang on for the original range being 120. Considering the leafs are the absolute worst case scenario a battery can get this isn’t bad and will be an interesting few years coming as we start seeing more banger leafs, Zoes, i3, egolfs, e-souls

[@SamiHentunen]

The car is identical to our jammer, except the colour and the fact that yours has the 6.6 kW charger upgrade. No point skimping on heat, the Nissan's heatpump is really efficient and only robs a small handful of miles unless it's well frosty weather. That being said on a warm calm day this car could break the 100 mile barrier driven carefully. And yes always charge that extra 10 miles if in doubt.

[@user-ig1ej6lf1w]

Good video Martin, good job you didn’t eat all the black pudding, the extra weight would of stopped you getting back

[@starting_rascasse]

It was very tempting but I physically couldn't move after half of it! But you gotta do it for the clicks, right?! 😂

[@andyt1048]

Hi Martin just done 50,000 miles in our 30 kWh Leaf and we are still holding on to all the bars, your Leaf did a great job that probably would be our limit especially in the cold too. Thanks for a good honest review.

[@starting_rascasse]

That’s a well managed battery for you - well done. Yeah, was proud of the one I have. If you forgive it its looks, it’s actually a great car. Thanks for watching and your kind words.

[@davefitzpatrick4841]

This being a 30kwh leaf with 2 bars missing, it would be worth ringing Nissan up and seeing if its had the BMS update, this could potentially being one or both bars back and increase the range . But these are good town cars and great for lical commuting and using as a second car if you have off street parking .

[@starting_rascasse]

Hi Dave, take a look at my previous video *Spoiler alert* that's exactly what I did to get it to ten!

[@Zlin0035]

looks like you got 2 bars of battery degradation also so considering you got 90 or so miles is pretty good! with a full health battery easy over 120 miles.

[@starting_rascasse]

I really should have researched what the original range was on the Leaf when new, but my 64kWh Kona had about 270 range on it when new so makes sense it'd be about 130. Thanks for watching

[@brendandoherty2159]

Haha, the "anxiety" was tangible mate.....does it have a towbar fitted? If yes, one could mount a small wind turbine on a trailer, find a cafe on a hilltop or by the coast and you'd be golden.....well.....eventually!!!

[@starting_rascasse]

The only thing it was towing was my hopes, dreams and underwear! Thanks for watching.

[@Checker63]

To be honest I did not expect you to get back to base. Fair play to the car. However, for me, I want a less stressful journey and don't want to have to clench my bum cheecks on my way home. Great looking breakfast by the way.

[@starting_rascasse]

The breakfast was great, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t regret it! Thanks for watching.

[@ziggarillo]

There was no bum clenching involved. Just the inconvenience of paying public charger rates.

[@randunufdo1]

You would have got a bit more out of if if you had it B mode as it regen more but well done for making it back without having a tow 😅

[@starting_rascasse]

Every day's a school day - where's 'B' mode?

[@hologram1954]

@@starting_rascasse When the cars in D mode move the shift knob back to drive and it comes into B mode.

[@salibaba]

In fairness, B mode doesn’t use any less power/energy at the motor. It increases the amount of regen recovered automatically when you lift off. As seen in the video, the driver is pretty economical at driving and I’m sure would have been feathering the throttle to coast as much as possible. Going slow and steady is always more efficient than gunning and then trying to recover it all back into the battery.

[@dodgywheelsandropeywiring5697]

Just thinking, my old diesel hatchback could make this journey there and back 3 times on a single tank with no anxiety whatsoever. That said, I do actually like EV's but still too many flaws with the tech, charging times, weight etc.

[@starting_rascasse]

I was thinking the same on the journey too, but then you have to remember the tailpipe. I know it's clichéd, but those gases are poisonous. Air quality is improving massively in this country but no-one notices so no-one sees the benefit. Which, in my opinion, is a real shame. Thanks for watching!

[@davefitzpatrick4841]

This is an old EV with a low range , charging on a rapid charger from around 10% to 90% would take around 25 mins . Personally my EV saves me around £1500 a year compared to my previous ICE car ( was brought used also , as new EVs are just to expensive) . A modern EV is capable of 250-300 miles , the average commute is around 25 miles . The majority of people will Only go over the range a few times a year and by then they would have done 3-4 hours of driving, so most people will be ready for a natural break ( especially if you have kids ) so a 25 minute stop will take you back up to around 80% range . The only problem with EVs currently, is if you don't have off street parking, then the public charging is far too expensive to be cost effective.

[@Joe-lb8qn]

Yeh, theres just the one flaw with the disel, it spews carcinogenc fumes that kill tens of thousands of people prematurely every year in the UK that everyone has to breathe. But yeh as consolation you cont have to refill it very often. Weve normalised that its fine for cars to emit this shit. If we all drove EVs and then someone came along witha carcinogenic spewing long rangecar it woudnt get off the drawing board. We used to think itw as OK to smoke in enclosed places, on airplanes, even in hospitals. In 50 years time people will look back and shake their heads this was allowed. FWIW in the mid 1700's it was OK to put arsenic in bread to make it whiter, that needed legislation to stop it as people were like "yeh we;ll theres not THAT much arsenic". And in teh 1960's it took 5,000 dead people in London in a week AND emergency legislation to stop smoky coal being sold because again people would have just continued burning it because it was cheaper. (for them. not for society, or soemones elses gran who died and 'she was old anyway she'd only have had a few more years')

[@ziggarillo]

"Tech, charging times, weight etc" what on earth are you talking about?

[@dodgywheelsandropeywiring5697]

@@ziggarillo The charging times are excruciating and they weigh 50% more than a real car. What's with the stupid questions?

[@user-ig1ej6lf1w]

Hello mate, All ok? You have been quiet? When’s the next video coming out?

[@starting_rascasse]

Thanks for helping me get off my arse pal ;)