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I bought a used 2017 Leaf a few months ago, and it’s been great. I commute 75-90 miles per day depending on the route I use. There are no chargers at work (whi
by GlenTheMachine 7y ago
I bought a used 2017 Leaf a few months ago, and it’s been great.
I commute 75-90 miles per day depending on the route I use. There are no chargers at work (which is a military installation). The Leaf is technically rated at 95 miles range, but I am getting 120 out of it. However, the Level 1 charging wasn’t going to cut it. I would fully charge the car over the weekend, but I’d never quite get back to full during the week, and would have to track down a DC fast charger on Thursday. Which are quite expensive, actually; the cost is equivalent to the amount gasoline would cost for the same number of miles you get. Installed a Level 2 charger (for $2000) and since then there’s been no problem.
I do have other vehicles, but given how much less expensive the Leaf is to drive than my previous ride (a Honda Fit) if I didn’t it would absolutely make financial sense to rent a car the five or six times a year I make road trips. The car is so inexpensive to drive that it actually makes more sense for us to park my wife’s fully paid off F150 and get her a Leaf as well. The amount we’re spending on gas and repairs on the truck is more than the monthly payment on the car loan for the Leaf plus the electricity.
- RickJWagner 7y agoWow. When the 'expensive' vehicle is a Fit, that's saying something.
- GlenTheMachine 7y agoI was spending about $130 a month on gas for the Fit. It didn’t break down much but at 130,000 it needed both front axle bearings replaced. And of course it needed belts, oil changes every 10,000 miles, and brake pads and rotors every 30,000 miles or so. The Leaf costs me $30 a month in electrons.
- gambiting 7y agoI mean, not that you're wrong or anything but the leaf also needs annual service which isn't any cheaper than that for a petrol vehicle even though there's no oil change to be done, and it will eventually need new brake pads and rotors too. Same with suspension bits, those things will deteriorate exactly the same as they would on an ICE vehicle.
- tialaramex 7y agoBrake pads are physically worn by braking. But the EV has an electric motor, which is the same thing as a generator. I don't mean they're pretty similar, they're the _same thing_ because of how electricity works‡. So this means (albeit with some extra circuitry) the EV can just run everything backwards and turn your movement back into electricity to brake the vehicle. It does still need brakes, but it uses them much less than an ICE vehicle. ‡ And likewise an electric pump and a turbine are the same thing in opposite directions. At Dinorwig, for example, the pumped storage facility, when water flows down it drives a bunch of huge turbines to make electricity for peak usage and when they have spare electricity to store those same machines function as pumps to move the water back up to the top lake.
- RickJWagner 7y agoYes, true. Prius has a well-earned reputation for never needing brake pads. Regeneration takes the brunt of every stop, the physical brakes are just the final part. I bought a used Prius for my son, it's been a great vehicle.
- m463 7y agoI talked to a man charging his leaf at walmart at the evgo fast charger. He had leased it new, commuted 100 miles a day, charged once via the nissan no charge to charge and said he was way ahead of gas for his previous car. and he was driving a late model car too. On the other hand, he probably was pretty dependent on fast charging.
- mandeepj 7y ago> he was way ahead of gas for his previous car Wait until his current battery dies, and he has to get a new one. For Tesla, it's close to 10k-12 or more.
- woodandsteel 7y agoThat's many hundreds of thousands of miles down the road.
- m463 7y agoBut he leased the leaf. they don't degrade much in 3 years. truly not his worry.
- derekp7 7y agoI have similar experience with my hybrid, compared to my previous paid-off F150. Although still a gas car, the cost savings of driving it (gas, plus oil changes are half as often) pays for about 80% of my car payment. My next car in another 10 - 15 years will definitely be electric.
- Taartvarken 7y agoWhy do you buy a F150 if you can manage with a Leaf?!
- jjeaff 7y agoWhy buy a leaf when you could manage with a 1990 Honda Civic?
- sundvor 7y agoWhy buy a 1990 Honda Civic when you could manage with a bicycle? (Sorry; it was there for the taking. Also, downsized from 2 cars to 1+bicycle.).
- GlenTheMachine 7y agoBecause I have a farm. We have to have a truck regardless. But at the moment my wife is commuting in the truck.
- woodandsteel 7y agoYou will be happy to learn that electric pickup trucks are coming real soon.
- solarkraft 7y agoIf a Leaf does the job, why do does she own a Ford F-150? Is she a fan of agricultural devices?
- dbancajas 7y agowhat is the monthly cost of a fully paid F150 in terms of gas and repairs?
- GlenTheMachine 7y agoWe are currently spending $75 a week on gas. Repairs for us average $2000 a year. Trucks are expensive to repair. We've had it for two years. It has needed a catalytic converter, a new belt, a new brake caliper, and it probably right now needs a head gasket. It's losing oil. Cost of my Leaf loan payment is $250 a month. Plus $30 in gas, for a total of $280.