[Smythy buzz]

What's everyone's opinion on the 6.6kw charger option on the Nissan leaf? Is it work the £850 quoted ???

 

[jontracey]

I cant make a value judgement for you but if I was buying a leaf today I would want that option.

 

[Peter Waller]

Yes. If it was available when I got one I'd have it too. Makes those 30 min charges worth having. Just been to Asda. Only got 1.73kw. Would have been 3.4kw's. 6 miles or 12.

 

[Edd Beesley]

Don't forget to budget another £400 or so to purchase the "brick", the charging cable with a 3 pin plug on the other end. It's extremely useful but not included with the car if you get the 6.6kw upgrade.

 

[Dave Davies]

Don't forget to budget another £400 or so to purchase the "brick", the charging cable with a 3 pin plug on the other end. It's extremely useful but not included with the car if you get the 6.6kw upgrade.

Just buy from a dealer that throws the evse in, no way should you pay for that, if one dealer can give it to me gratis they all should/can

 

[Robert McAdam]

I regret getting the 6.6kW option. Its costing me £25 a month extra, most of my charging is at home, work or rapids. Seemed a good idea at the time

 

[Paul]

Got it, glad I have it.

Use it at home and hour top-ups give me a decent boost. Had to use it once when a rapid was down, THAT made a massive difference to the journey time!

Got the EVSE brick too, but it was a freebie due to a Nissan error.

 

[Peter Waller]

I regret getting the 6.6kW option. Its costing me £25 a month extra, most of my charging is at home, work or rapids. Seemed a good idea at the time

Well £25 per month puts it into perspective. It should be standard. Can't cost anymore to make.

 

[Paul]

Well £25 per month puts it into perspective. It should be standard. Can't cost anymore to make.

Bigger electric funnels and pipes, bound to cost more.

Knew those hours in A-Level physics were not entirely wasted.

 

[Darren Griffin]

Didn't spec it, haven't missed it once. There's nowhere I go that I would benefit from a slow charge at 3 or even 6kW. Apart from rapids all my charging sessions are at home and my usage wouldn't benefit from the extra expense of speccing it. Bought a Type to to Type 1 cable, used it once to test and that's it so far!

Doesn't mean I don't think the 6kW charger should be standard though!

 

[planetf1]

I have had a 2012my for 2 years. I would definately pay for 6kw. No question

 

[Robert McAdam]

I think if I was to buy one instead of leasing I would probably pay for 6.6kW

 

[PaulMorris]

I paid the extra on the My Electric Avenue lease. It didn't even add to the GFV of the car!

The value to you will depend on how you foresee yourself using the LEAF. I've had the LEAF just under a month and not regretting the decision.

I've had to make four journeys this month >100 miles e/w. Having to rely solely on Rapids is stressful and time consuming, not even counting the odd occasion someone may be using the charger and you have to wait.

Having 6.6kW means I can get a 100% charge with the car parked up for 4 hours, as I did in London this week which then means I leave both ends on FULL and only have to make one Rapid charge somewhere along my 120 mile journey home.

As for it's worth & value, like I said - it depends. For me, it saves me time, stress, and means I take the LEAF on more journeys than I would otherwise. 850 business miles in the LEAF this month rather than take an ICE.

If you have to put a monetary value on it, then the LEAF has raised £382 in mileage expenses this month as a result of those trips.

 

[AndyG]

I paid the extra on the My Electric Avenue lease. It didn't even add to the GFV of the car!

The value to you will depend on how you foresee yourself using the LEAF. I've had the LEAF just under a month and not regretting the decision.

I've had to make four journeys this month >100 miles e/w. Having to rely solely on Rapids is stressful and time consuming, not even counting the odd occasion someone may be using the charger and you have to wait.

Having 6.6kW means I can get a 100% charge with the car parked up for 4 hours, as I did in London this week which then means I leave both ends on FULL and only have to make one Rapid charge somewhere along my 120 mile journey home.

As for it's worth & value, like I said - it depends. For me, it saves me time, stress, and means I take the LEAF on more journeys than I would otherwise. 850 business miles in the LEAF this month rather than take an ICE.

If you have to put a monetary value on it, then the LEAF has raised £382 in mileage expenses this month as a result of those trips.

Dont you love putting in the mileage claim at work for your EV, my wife's expenses some monthe's covers half the finance cost. Wonder when that little benifit will get knocked on the head

 

[PaulMorris]

Dont you love putting in the mileage claim at work for your EV, my wife's expenses some monthe's covers half the finance cost. Wonder when that little benifit will get knocked on the head

Yep, it's not sustainable. There's an argument that the advisory mileage rates cover all running costs, and depreciation on an EV is likely to be pretty scary, especially if technology improvements pick up in pace.

That being said, I'm glad I had the forethought to ask our expenses department what they wanted me to do. Our system doesn't cope with EVs at all - took a while to explain there is no equivalent engine cc. HMRC position is that EVs are entitled to advisory mileage rates. Wouldn't want to be accused of mileage fraud, especially as the 'freeness' of public charging has peaked the interest of colleagues.

Charges for public charging will normalise the situation, but in the meantime the sun's shining, make hay

 

[Paul]

Dont you love putting in the mileage claim at work for your EV, my wife's expenses some monthe's covers half the finance cost. Wonder when that little benifit will get knocked on the head

Shhhhh. Little victories.