[Paul]

This is really good news, our dealer spoke about this potentially happening, but I had started to think it was never going to happen.

Nissan UK have launched CARE-EV, which is a full package of "after care" measures for Nissan LEAF owners, the best part for us is the following:

BORROW A PETROL OR DIESEL ENGINE NISSAN FOR UP TO 14 DAYS
If you need an extra car for a special occasion, you can now borrow a petrol or diesel engine Nissan free of charge. Your dealership can make one available to you for up to 14 days a year, for the first three years of your ownership. To take up this offer all you need to do is cover the fuel and insurance costs and give us seven days’ notice.

Terms & Conditions apply

Full details on the Nissan UK website: http://www.nissan.co.uk/GB/en/vehicle/electric-vehicles/leaf/discover/owner-benefits.html

 

[Paul]

For those wondering, the Nissan LEAF UK twitter account has confirmed this is for all those who purchased a Nissan LEAF from new (within three years).

Very good to hear that.

 

[brian orr]

Well, I'm not with you on this. Nissan are simply matching the offer from BMW and the objective is marketing parity - nothing else?
This is not a concession this is another 'costed' extra that all further bloat the LEAF price!
If I buy a TV or a washing machine - I never buy the extended insurance. My view is that I can amortise the risk. If I get it wiring I just buy another - at least the emplacement is new and fully featured. If I am buying a car - then I want to buy a car at a fair price! Yes the builder can make a profit - but if a keen deal is on offer - that is even better!
If I wan to hire a car to stand in for my EV - I will hire one cost effectively from a car hire company! Nether BMW, or Nissan can offer a cost effective car hire service - the cars would be idle 95% of the time. The bean counters will be obliged to cost that in! Even if you are give a demonstrator it doesn't affect the equation - that is a saving the dealer will take!
The irony of this is that these 'offers' are reported to be based on owners opinions! For me that reflects badly on those who made the inputs. If they 'need' an extra - they should pay for it and not ask others to share the cost!
Drive ON!

 

[Paul]

Is there a price increase I've missed or are they absorbing the costs of this at some level?

I think this all makes sense in terms of incentives, for those with no second cars it just takes away an objection for when folk ask "what about long trips" or "not sure about hour holiday then". I'm sure BMW, Nissan etc have got this from research, so they're only going on what people have supposedly been saying.

My only gripe on the surface is why no insurance cover to go with the car, that may be expensive, maybe more so than a budget car rental.

 

[brian orr]

The costs have to be met and every company that has a profit motive has all these costs identified and defrayed. So it will be there in future pricing for sure.
I don't see that the limitations of a LEAF are that major that the manufactures have to make a special provision. Lots of people chose small cars for reduced cost of ownership - but Mini and Fiat don't feel it necessary to put on a 'special deal'. Leaf owners need to get past the range anxiety neurosis - the car is a generous size with good boot and fold down seats; how much more spec could a family need? Further with Rapid Charging journeys of 300 miles are quite feasible in a day (though maybe not yet on all routes) - so how often do people need to go further?
Range anxiety is a neurosis due to previous generations of EV - it should no longer be considered a 'major' constraint. If you plan a journey then range anxiety can be ruled out of the equation, before you start.
Advertising 'loaner cars' is just reinforcing the range anxiety myth and maintaining it in the mind of future customers - and therefore holding back sales!
Everything you buy has 'limitations' and you know that when you buy it. You don't buy a small suitcase and then go back to borrow a bigger one? You don't buy a small bed and the ask to borrow a bigger one!
Parking your Leaf and picking up as Note, Juke, Quasqui will give you how much of an advantage? If you are hoping to get the loan of a 7-seater, or a 4x4 then I feel sure that sort of capacity will not be on offer.
Lastly - Nissan dealers are not in the car hire business - so it will be admin intensive and unreliable! However, phone Enterprise Car Hire and the will pick you up and you are on your way in half an hour! Market price and maybe even heavily discounted!
Range limitations mean that we have to stop more often; however, it a trivial limitation since your 'tank' is being filled for free! Lets exploit the 'up's and minimise the 'downs' of EV motoring!
Drive ON!

 

[Paul]

I do agree with you in terms of personal attitudes need adjusting, I just think this counters what LEAF dealers probably hear quite often regarding that one-off "what about my holiday in Cornwall or The Outer Hebrides".

I still worry a little with longer journeys, I'm only 5 or so months in to ownership though and with every long(er) journey the concern gets less and less.

Overall I'd still rather rely on range than charging, Tesla style, and that WILL come for sure, just not quite yet. I do hear horror stories of dead rapid chargers and such ruining journeys, and although they're the minority, it does raise concerns.

 

[garry]

This is really good news, our dealer spoke about this potentially happening, but I had started to think it was never going to happen.

Nissan UK have launched CARE-EV, which is a full package of "after care" measures for Nissan LEAF owners, the best part for us is the following:



Full details on the Nissan UK website: http://www.nissan.co.uk/GB/en/vehicle/electric-vehicles/leaf/discover/owner-benefits.html

Great News.

 

[garry]

This is really good news, our dealer spoke about this potentially happening, but I had started to think it was never going to happen.

Nissan UK have launched CARE-EV, which is a full package of "after care" measures for Nissan LEAF owners, the best part for us is the following:



Full details on the Nissan UK website: http://www.nissan.co.uk/GB/en/vehicle/electric-vehicles/leaf/discover/owner-benefits.html

I will ask for a GTR

 

[garry]

Well, I'm not with you on this. Nissan are simply matching the offer from BMW and the objective is marketing parity - nothing else?
This is not a concession this is another 'costed' extra that all further bloat the LEAF price!
If I buy a TV or a washing machine - I never buy the extended insurance. My view is that I can amortise the risk. If I get it wiring I just buy another - at least the emplacement is new and fully featured. If I am buying a car - then I want to buy a car at a fair price! Yes the builder can make a profit - but if a keen deal is on offer - that is even better!
If I wan to hire a car to stand in for my EV - I will hire one cost effectively from a car hire company! Nether BMW, or Nissan can offer a cost effective car hire service - the cars would be idle 95% of the time. The bean counters will be obliged to cost that in! Even if you are give a demonstrator it doesn't affect the equation - that is a saving the dealer will take!
The irony of this is that these 'offers' are reported to be based on owners opinions! For me that reflects badly on those who made the inputs. If they 'need' an extra - they should pay for it and not ask others to share the cost!
Drive ON!

Well at least they are, well done Nissan. Drive on.

 

[garry]

I do agree with you in terms of personal attitudes need adjusting, I just think this counters what LEAF dealers probably hear quite often regarding that one-off "what about my holiday in Cornwall or The Outer Hebrides".

I still worry a little with longer journeys, I'm only 5 or so months in to ownership though and with every long(er) journey the concern gets less and less.

Overall I'd still rather rely on range than charging, Tesla style, and that WILL come for sure, just not quite yet. I do hear horror stories of dead rapid chargers and such ruining journeys, and although they're the minority, it does raise concerns.

Its right that Paul the more you use the car the less of a worry the range. Thinking of doing the drive to London and back just because i could.

 

[brian orr]

Paul, 5 months and you are still worried about longer journeys? You need to break out!
There is no mystique about long-haul - just look up a destination and plan a few comfort stops! OK, Nov is maybe the not the best time to do long journeys with small kids - but there is lots you can do with low risk! From MK you can radiate out in all directions (except E)! How about London for a Sunday drive - charge at London Gateway! Or Oxford or Bicester! Get into the habit of searching our garages with chargers and use them - Toyota are very agreeable - but also check the Zap Map and find ones not in the Leaf Sat Nav? Come the summer you will have the confidence to go to the coast! Bournemouth, Southampton and Portsmouth are all 'easy drives' from MK! Spend the petrol saving on a family treat!
Drive ON!

 

[Paul]

Used to live in Dorset and Hampshire areas so do plan to go there more than anywhere else in terms of longer drives. Been out to Kenilworth in one direction a couple of times, and hit North London once.

It's that "what if the charger isn't working" thing that's in the back of my mind, that's pretty much the only fear.

 

[brian orr]

I never go EV-ing without an I-Pad. The I-Pad maps (Zap, Chargemaster, PosPoint Ecotricity, etc) let you look for alternatives anywhere anytime! I've had 3 u/s rapid chargers in a row, which was a total disaster; however, having a fallback to a Fast Charger is usually an option. Just remember if you are using a Fast Charger as a fallback - you only charge enough to get on to the next Rapid Charger. I often take a 'sniff' just to get the range to get home!
In my vocab: I consider 'slow chargers' to be suitable for 'termini' - i.e. you get a bulk charge during a long charge; a fast charger is an 'enabler' - it enables me to get on route or back home - but is not normally a source of a bulk charge; a Rapid' charger is a 'booster' - I use it quick blasts (rarely above 80%) - just enough to 'slingshot' me along my way! London to York in 3 boosts - N'port Pag/Leicester and Woodall about 5hrs for 200+miles! I Leaf would do better, of course!
Drive ON!

 

[garry]

The costs have to be met and every company that has a profit motive has all these costs identified and defrayed. So it will be there in future pricing for sure.
I don't see that the limitations of a LEAF are that major that the manufactures have to make a special provision. Lots of people chose small cars for reduced cost of ownership - but Mini and Fiat don't feel it necessary to put on a 'special deal'. Leaf owners need to get past the range anxiety neurosis - the car is a generous size with good boot and fold down seats; how much more spec could a family need? Further with Rapid Charging journeys of 300 miles are quite feasible in a day (though maybe not yet on all routes) - so how often do people need to go further?
Range anxiety is a neurosis due to previous generations of EV - it should no longer be considered a 'major' constraint. If you plan a journey then range anxiety can be ruled out of the equation, before you start.
Advertising 'loaner cars' is just reinforcing the range anxiety myth and maintaining it in the mind of future customers - and therefore holding back sales!
Everything you buy has 'limitations' and you know that when you buy it. You don't buy a small suitcase and then go back to borrow a bigger one? You don't buy a small bed and the ask to borrow a bigger one!
Parking your Leaf and picking up as Note, Juke, Quasqui will give you how much of an advantage? If you are hoping to get the loan of a 7-seater, or a 4x4 then I feel sure that sort of capacity will not be on offer.
Lastly - Nissan dealers are not in the car hire business - so it will be admin intensive and unreliable! However, phone Enterprise Car Hire and the will pick you up and you are on your way in half an hour! Market price and maybe even heavily discounted!
Range limitations mean that we have to stop more often; however, it a trivial limitation since your 'tank' is being filled for free! Lets exploit the 'up's and minimise the 'downs' of EV motoring!
Drive ON!

Well, said brilliant.