Looking for a solution to Charge the LEAF at an Autolib Station

Since last saturday, when we found out that an Autolib Charging cable is too short for a LEAF, I have been looking for a solution ....

All Autolib charging stations have a Type 3 outlet and plug, a J1772 to plug into the car, (and third party EV ones have a regular 220V outlet)


First I thought, let's get a Type 3 (only in France ...) to J1772 cable, 7 meters long at least to go from the back of the car to the front charge port; I found one on Yoann's Automobile Propre Online Store
But it is too pricy for me ...


Also found one on Leboncoin.fr, but it is also 300EUR and 5m long only ... and the LEAF is 4.5m long, so it is too short too




Then I thought: No this Type 3 will eventually come to an end since it is not used at all other than in France, and all Europe is using Type 2 / Mennekes
So let's stay with Autolib J1772, and extend it to the front of the LEAF with a J1772 Extension Cable, yes it does exist, in the US at least, and a good one



After requesting a quote, it comes to 385USD shipped to France, too pricy still, but looks very well built, and has been sold by hundreds I was told
Here is a picture of a user who charges his Tesla Model S with it in Hawaii



Finally this morning, I came across this French guy's website on his Opel Ampera (= Chevy Volt in Europe) and all his charging adpators (a lot)

I asked him and it looks like it has been made by a company in Germany, and I am trying to get in touch with them to get one 

I will use it on the Autolib charging station, unplugging their Type 3 plug, and plugging this one instead, and plug my regular LEAF EVSE ...


onto the European outlet using an inexpensive adaptor

Tesla Motors gaat vanuit Tilburg elektrische auto's leveren in Europa

Tesla Motors opens a Final Assembly Facility in the Netherlands to sell the Model S in Europe



"Onder massale belangstelling van autojournalisten heeft het Amerikaanse bedrijf Tesla Motors donderdag zijn Europees distributiecentrum in Tilburg officieel geopend."

"Under massive interest from automotive journalists, the American company Tesla Motors Thursday officially opened its European distribution center in Tilburg."


Tiburg Facility

Model S coming out out a shipping container

Model S on a lift 

The Euopean Mennekes / Type 2 outlet will be installed here (?)

Final charging before customer delivery

Tesla Model S Charging Inlet In Europe

Tesla Motors recently started selling its Model S in Europe.

As Elon Musk stated at Geneva Motor Show (see video below), the European Model S is equipped with a different charging inlet than in the US, because it needs to handle 3-phase that’s popular in Europe.

Q: Definitive answer on the charge-plug on the EU versions?
A: Mennekes Type 2



In fact, Tesla adopted the Mennekes Type 2 charging port, but reinforced it for higher power needed for Supercharging.

According to Mennekes, the standard Type 2 can handle up to 43 kW AC (3-phase), 70 kW DC and about 100 kW with additional DC pins.

Tesla used a version without additional pins, so 70 kW was too low for SC.

How much current will the European Model S plug and inlet handle now? We’re still unsure, but we’re assuming it’ll probably be comparable to the Model S in the US.

The same inlet will be of course used for AC charging via an on-board 10 or 20 kW charger. Both three phase.

Model S owners will be able to charge from any Type 2 points without adapters in Europe, and from 1- and 3-phase via adapters.

Sadly, at least for now, Model S owners will not be able to charge from CHAdeMO or CCS.

In other words, in terms of DC charging, Tesla go its own way as it does now in the US.



Source: Inside EVs

MENNEKES Connectors in the EV world

Check out this interesting pdf file by and on Mennekes Products

http://elbil.pbworks.com/f/MENNEKES%2Band%2BEV.pdf

DBT-CEV installed all the charging stations at Leclerc

As you already know, Leclerc supermarket chain has revealed a partnership with Renault, buying their Twizy and Zoe and making them available to their employees and customers, last week at Pont l'Abbé in Brittany, France.



Douaisienne de Basse Tension (DBT)'s CEO Hervé Borgoltz on the left, Leclerc's CEO Michel Edouard Leclerc on the right


Little was said about this now famous French charging station maker DBT / DBT-CEV providing the charge infrastructure on Leclerc's parking lot; They call it the first wave of  " ZE Ready " stations, meaning that they are compatible with all EVs.




Two Zoe plugged in and charging


" ZE Ready " Charging Stations


Michel Edouard Leclerc and Carlos Tavares from Renault plugging in


Brand new EV only parking spots ... Already ICEd ...

Renault ZOE Test Drive - My Video !

This is the 4th video featuring the real (not concept car) Renault ZOE, after the two BFMTV videos, a very short one just before the 2012 Paris Motor Show , the second one with French Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg, and AutoMoto test the  last week.

More Pictures here ...
Another Video here ...
And another one here ...

Mon Essai Renault Zoé :-)

This Fully Electric ZOE is going to be a Hit, there is

 no doubt about it !

Why ? => Small Price, Beautiful Design, & Performance

This morning I had the chance to test drive the Renault ZOE at the Renault EV Center and test track on Ile Seguin, in Boulogne Billancourt, next to Paris

I would like to thank the whole team there for the warm welcome and kindness to let us test drive at the last minute without any appointment; It was very nice from them :-)

ZOE sunny line up

The beautiful rear end

It all started with this: The ZOE test drive badge

Renault Ile Seguin Test Center, where all the Renault Z.E. test drives are taking place 

Then an interesting 20 minutes ZOE presentation,
 with a coffee (LED ligthting in the room)


Then came the test drive with the person who did the presentation
and he knew what he was talking about (it is not always the case 
when it comes to Electric Drive)

Our co-test drivers, a father and his son, like us, were very impressed 
with ZOE's acceleration (again with 5 people in the car)

The overall impression after few minutes of test drive is very good: Acceleration feels very similar to my Nissan LEAF, although we were five in the car (4 adults and my son) and the motor is theoretically less powerful, I did not feel any difference

Even with this top of the line version of ZOE (Intens at 15.500 EUR with incentive), the confort is a bit different from the LEAF, but for that price, it can not be beaten I think; Congratulations to Renault for offering such a well designed Fully Electric Car with that small price tag !

I even got in touch with a sales person who will study the possibilty of taking my LEAF back (we will see what they offer of course) and buy a ZOE instead... who knows, for the miles I am driving anyways, I could be a good idea, financially speaking ;-)

My son wanted to drive ... maybe in few years I said

This picture made me think of this slogan:

ZOE : An affordable Electric Car for the Future Generation, Available Now !

ZOE and Meudon hill in the back, beautiful ... (click to see a better quality picture)

Now, more about charging :

The charging equipement installed is from Schneider Electrics, 3kW and 22 kW AC charge stations

Schneider Electrics power supply central equipement for charging stations

Display close up (sorry for the sun reflection, that is the best I could do)

Charge stations, supplying 3kW , or 22 kW for faster charging of the ZOE 22kWh battery in just 1 hour ! ... 43 kW charging will be also be possible thanks to Three Phases AC 400V supply

... through the (French only) Type 3 outlet (should change later on to Type 2
 to become compatible with other European countries) 

Pretty cool charge station, showing outlet status and state of charge also !


Nice, very nice test center on this island "Ile Seguin", 
where used to be Renault's main factory for decades

More pictures of this Test Drive here

More about Renault ZOE (lots of pics & videos)

More about ZOE versions, prices and incentives

ZOE Colors available

Book yours today on Renault Z.E. (Zero Emission) Website

If you wish to come and test drive the Renault ZOE, please call or email them here for an appointment:

Zoe - Plugged in, not Charging

2012 Paris Motor Show

Renault ZOE plugged in (not charging really, just to show people how it works)

Z.E. logo is actually lit in blue, nice touch ...

Opened hood with Cameleon charger visisble and connector plugged in

The charge station has a Type 3 connector (standard in France, not in Europe, but this is going to change)