New owner's guide to the Nissan Leaf 24/30kWh
Thank you for buying a Nissan Leaf from Go Green Autos. Below are some useful tips to help you get to grips with your new electric car.
Insurance
All you need to do before your vehicle is delivered is to arrange your insurance. You'll need to insure the vehicle from delivery or collection day, not payment day.
Which insurer to use?
As always, it is best to shop around. The online comparison sites are a good place to start. But be aware that not all insurance companies are represented on these comparison sites. Aviva and Direct Line are never on comparison websites and can often be very competitive. If you're looking for commercial/business insurance, then it can be a good idea to use a broker.
If you want someone to do the hard work for you and find the best price, or your a business, then we would recommend you speak to Harry at A-Plan Insurance. He has plenty of experience sourcing EV insurance for our customers. Put your details on this form and Harry will get back to you.
Getting started
This video explains the basics on how to use and drive your new Leaf.
If the vehicle is to be used by multiple drivers, please share this video with all drivers.
Useful tips
It's very easy to forget about the foot brake and pull off with this still engaged. The motor is so powerful, it will drive with the handbrake on tight. If you see an explanation mark light on the dash, it is likely you've left the handbrake on.
On the Leaf you'll hear some knocks and clunks when parking or manoeuvring slowly and these are normal. You'll find the steering knocks on full lock and the brakes can clunk. All common Leaf characteristics.
First time EV drivers will often drive much faster than they would normally, due to the lack of noise ,vibration and the linear smooth acceleration, which doesn't give you the same feedback of speed. EVs hide their speed well. To drive efficiently, you will need to accelerate gently and keep your speed down. It may feel like you're driving slow, but you're probably not!
Your brakes may sound noisy and you'll get rubbing or squealing noises at low speeds. All pretty normal for an EV as there's no engine noise to drown it out, but will be worse initially as it has not been used for a while and has been washed recently (wet = brake corrosion). This video explains more https://youtu.be/OzY0PGWwTyc.
The range meter may be showing a lower range initially. The range meter is only an estimate and is based on past driving. When vehicles are stored and not used for a while, it throws out the range algorithm. As you start to use it and re-charge, it will get more accurate.
You want to aim for a driving economy of 4.5 mpkWh in the summer and 3.5 mpkWh in the winter. To drive economically, accelerate gently, keep the power meter in the lower section while driving and do all slowing down without using the brakes. Further information and tips are in the FAQ page.
In the winter, EVs use more electricity for heating and are therefore less efficient so you'll see less range. But when it comes to Spring and the temperatures improve, so does the range. Further information in the FAQ section.
Portable chargers
Please read the Using portable chargers page to make sure you understand how to safely use the portable charger.
Other information
Setting up the Nissan ConnectEV app
New owners frequently asked questions
Information on public charging
Information on home charging
Change your electricity tariff
Now your transport fuel is electricity, it is important you review how much you pay for that electricity and switch to the cheapest and greenest.
The majority of EV drivers switch to Octopus Energy. Use this link to switch and we share a £100 credit if you're a residential customer or a £200 credit if you're a business customer. If charging on the overnight Go tariff, the £50 free credit gives you around 4,000 free miles in your EV!
The Octopus Go tariff gives you a cheap rate electricity at night which is ideal when charging your EV. You simply schedule your vehicle to charge from 12.30am to 4.30am and the electricity is only 5p per kWh, vs around 14p during other times. You driving costs reduced by two thirds! You do need a smart meter to use timed tariffs, but Octopus can arrange fitting free of charge.
Using timed overnight charging helps balance the grid and the energy is at its greenest too and is powered by the wind.