So much for a Nissan Leaf!

[AaronS]

I'm not going to read through 72 pages of posts, but if anyone does have a Leaf, I have a home charger for one for sale.

 

[mikehaugen]

I'm not going to read through 72 pages of posts, but if anyone does have a Leaf, I have a home charger for one for sale.

Just curious... how did you end up with that? Do you still have the car? Perhaps you could share your thoughts/experiences with it. Most of this thread has been heresay, it would be nice to hear from an actual owner.

 

[AaronS]

My wife leased a Leaf before we were married. After we got married our situation changed and it didn't make sense to keep it. She loved it for the purpose it was intended for, but you had to plan your trips. You couldn't just hop in and take off with no regard to distance and even terrain. She would plan short trips to take advantage of hills and stops for braking to recharge the battery. She couldn't use it to take the kids to sporting events too far away for fear of running out of charge. We live on a farm out in the country, but if you lived in a town/city with a modest commute, it could be just the ticket. She was very happy with it and said it had a surprising amount of zip. When our situation changed, we paid to get out of the lease, but the charger still hangs on the wall of the barn.

 

[houstonscott]

My wife leased a Leaf before we were married. After we got married our situation changed and it didn't make sense to keep it. She loved it for the purpose it was intended for, but you had to plan your trips. You couldn't just hop in and take off with no regard to distance and even terrain. She would plan short trips to take advantage of hills and stops for braking to recharge the battery. She couldn't use it to take the kids to sporting events too far away for fear of running out of charge. We live on a farm out in the country, but if you lived in a town/city with a modest commute, it could be just the ticket. She was very happy with it and said it had a surprising amount of zip. When our situation changed, we paid to get out of the lease, but the charger still hangs on the wall of the barn.

Interesting account, what you have described is commonly referred to as "Range anxiety" and is the main reason sighted for the failure of the modern all electric car, and it's second coming. HS

 

[mikehaugen]

My wife leased a Leaf before we were married. After we got married our situation changed and it didn't make sense to keep it. She loved it for the purpose it was intended for, but you had to plan your trips. You couldn't just hop in and take off with no regard to distance and even terrain. She would plan short trips to take advantage of hills and stops for braking to recharge the battery. She couldn't use it to take the kids to sporting events too far away for fear of running out of charge. We live on a farm out in the country, but if you lived in a town/city with a modest commute, it could be just the ticket. She was very happy with it and said it had a surprising amount of zip. When our situation changed, we paid to get out of the lease, but the charger still hangs on the wall of the barn.

Thanks for the feedback, that's about the experience I would expect from one. I very casually thought about one as a commuter car, but 38 miles one way to work just wouldn't work out... especially in winter. I may be able to get my work to allow me to charge there, but what if there was an emergency and I had to go home early?

 

[Loren49]

Another experience:
A Year and a Half With a Nissan Leaf (Part 1): The Acquisition

Loren

 

[houstonscott]

Another experience: A Year and a Half With a Nissan Leaf (Part 1): The Acquisition Loren

I've always wondered about the thinking reasoning of people who say I only have 11 miles to drive to work so I'm thinking about a small do nothing car constrained by an electric cord or a small high milage car. Seems to me if you only drive 11 miles to work daily milage wouldn't be an issue and might allow you to buy a vehicle that has more capabilities during non commute travel because the lower mpg of the vehicle wouldn't be impacting you for the commute, but you could use the more useful vehicle on weekends when you might want too. Seems like if you commuted 100 miles a day you might be interested in a high milage vehicle dedicated to the commute, something the electric will not due, but high pressure diesels do easily. The whole electric car thing makes no sense. HS

 

[sld]

I've always wondered about the thinking reasoning of people who say I only have 11 miles to drive to work so I'm thinking about a small do nothing car constrained by an electric cord or a small high milage car. Seems to me if you only drive 11 miles to work daily milage wouldn't be an issue and might allow you to buy a vehicle that has more capabilities during non commute travel because the lower mpg of the vehicle wouldn't be impacting you for the commute, but you could use the more useful vehicle on weekends when you might want too. Seems like if you commuted 100 miles a day you might be interested in a high milage vehicle dedicated to the commute, something the electric will not due, but high pressure diesels do easily. The whole electric car thing makes no sense. HS

That's about the situation I am in. I have a 10 MPG F250 but my commute is only 6 miles round trip. Even with the bad gas mileage I don't spend much per month to get back and forth to work. Getting a commuter would never work out for me.

On the weekends the truck gets used for pulling the camper, boat, tractor, etc....Wouldn't mind one of the new F150's with the Ecoboost. I could save a little when we take the current truck on longer trips.

 

[Loren49]

I've always wondered about the thinking reasoning of people who say I only have 11 miles to drive to work so I'm thinking about a small do nothing car constrained by an electric cord or a small high milage car. Seems to me if you only drive 11 miles to work daily milage wouldn't be an issue and might allow you to buy a vehicle that has more capabilities during non commute travel because the lower mpg of the vehicle wouldn't be impacting you for the commute, but you could use the more useful vehicle on weekends when you might want too. Seems like if you commuted 100 miles a day you might be interested in a high milage vehicle dedicated to the commute, something the electric will not due, but high pressure diesels do easily. The whole electric car thing makes no sense. HS

Your view/opinion is very clear. You seem really bothered by those who feel that electric cars do make sense. You certainly should not invest in an EV.

Something other than fossil fuel vehicles will catch on as time passes...its really OK...just relax and do your own thing. Its not necessary to continue to be amazed that others choose different paths! :thumbsup:

Electric car use by country - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
As of June 2014, there were over 500,000 plug-in electric passenger cars and utility vans in the world,[2][3] led by the United States with a stock of over 226,000 highway-capable plug-in electric cars.[4][5] Due to its population size, Norway is the country with the highest market penetration per capita in the world, also the country with the largest plug-in electric segment market share of new car sales, and in March 2014 Norway became the first country where over one in every 100 registered passenger cars is plug-in electric vehicle.[4][6][7] Estonia, which has the second largest EV market penetration per capita after Norway,[8] is the first country that completed the deployment of an EV charging network with nationwide coverage, with fast chargers available along highways at a minimum distance of between 40 to 60 km (25 to 37 mi).[9][10]

Half a million draw a different conclusion...its ok...take a deep breath...and lots more would choose electric in the right situation. Some of us don't want to drive an F350 to carry us around.

Loren

 

[k0ua]

The question in my mind as well is why not drive the F350 to work if it is only a few miles.. If it is a bunch a miles.. It is a real problem due to cost.. but If you use a gallon a day, it is not going to break the bank to drive the big honking truck, but if you use 10 gallons a day, it sure as heck is! Is it a stigma thing? Dont want to be seen with the big truck? Pixx off your sandal and sock wearing friends? What?:confused3: