The Nissan Leaf should meet my commuting (~19miles each way) and weekend errand needs. I will have a 220V home charger, a charger at work. In addition, I’ll have a fast charging capability (80% charge in ~30min), which I don’t plan to use much. It does provide a charge-in-pinch capability. Integrated telematics wireless and on-board battery monitoring system should keep most people from getting a bad case of “range anxiety”.
Anyone thinking of buying a Leaf should understand its limitations, and will need to do some adjustments, like remembering to plug in your car.
As for looks, it is not the prom queen, but I think it actually looks pretty good, especially this Lance Armstrong Leaf. Like momma used to say…..Isn’t what counts is what’s on the inside? ha ha
My current negotiated price (before, taxes, title, etc is) $20,200 after Fed $7500 tax credit and California $5K rebate. There is still cash in the California Clean vehicle rebate program, although it is finite. According to recent announcement “commission is restricting their funds for rebates for highway-approved vehicles capable of carrying four passengers, such as the Nissan LEAF, Honda Clarity (fuel cell) and other zero emission cars due to come onto the market in 2011”
As for grid-tie PV systems, I’m still in early stages of evaluation. I have gotten a couple quotes already at various system sizes, but will wait until 2012 until I get some long term data on the electric car and home usage. I don’t want to overprovision a PV system. I now have a smart meter and can track usage down. I’ve been instituting some good kWh savings already with CFCs, timers, training kids to turn off lights, etc.
We’re averaging around 350-400 kWh a month, and our peak usage is actually in the winter time. We’re not big users of AC with it typically on for about week or so a year past couple years in Carlsbad.
Coastal Southern California is nearly the best you could possible do with a potential PV-EV system. If PV-EV economics doesn’t eventually work here, it won’t work anywhere. No freezing batteries, plenty of sun, no very hot temps for improved solar panel efficiency. As the 3 little bears said….not to hot, not too cold. Move slightly inland and you can minimize marine layer. Even with all that, I agree that business case for a truly economical PV-EV system is probably not quite there, and relies on tax credits, high gas prices, lower cost and higher efficient PV systems. For me, I may still go ahead to insulate myself from vagaries of the energy market. Rough calculation for a full PV-EV system, Nissan leaf + PV Solar system 7kWh year to cover my entire household and 1 full electric car system is approx $40K. This is after tax credits, and rebates.
For SDG&E customers, electric rates depend on your usage, your climate zone, among other factors. You are assigned a baseline usage at rate X, 1-30% over baseline rate Y, 30-100% over baseline rate Z, >100% over baseline rate A. In the end may decide just to provision enough to get me into lowest baseline rate with very fast payback period. Or not do it at all.
All this complexity on the rate side is forcing me to put together a complex spreadsheet. That is why I’m waiting until I get better data on EV usage.
On the PV cost side, we will likely see further improvements in cost structure in panel. Chinese are now mass producing good quality Solar panels in volume, and going down cost curve quickly. It is probably gonna take futher improvements in cost and solar panel and inverter efficiency to make economics stronger.
I’ve been investigating micro-inverter systems that offer some better efficiency and other benefits. I’ve been following companies like Enphase, and Transphorm. Transphorm is backed by some heavy hitters including Kleiner Perkins, Google Ventures, they are claiming breakthrough in conversion loss efficiency using GaN fast switching. Probably could be used in DC to AC microinverters in solar PV systems.
This whole thing has been actually a fun interesting, little hobby. Will keep you guys updated on status of this mini-adventure.
