Why Did You Choose the Nissan Leaf over the Chevy Volt?

[spike09]

[haiku]
The Volt Is Quite Nice
Not A Pure Electric Car
The Leaf Needs No Gas

 

[defiancecp]

Several reasons - bad prior experience with chevy, lack of need for the extended range made me unwilling to pay the premium, added complexity means more to break, and a natural aversion to paying above MSRP (maybe not a problem now, but then it was a huge issue with the volt).

If it weren't for the first of those, we might consider a volt to replace our second (gas) car when it dies in a few years. As one car in a two-car household with the other car being gas, the leaf makes a LOT more sense. But if you're replacing the gas car in a household where the other car is a leaf, now that equation may tilt more toward the hybrid EV. We'll probably end up getting something volt-like, as by then there should be lots more options (there are already a few more) like the plug-in prius)

 

[smkettner]

I was set on the Volt. Then they put a gasoline motor in what was supposed to be an EV.
Then I read about that complex transmission and really glad I don't have that.
Leaf is a simple EV exactly as I expected.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

1) $5k cheaper - the Leaf was more than I would have liked to have spent so Volt was going the wrong way, out of the question really, so other the other reasons may just be rationalizations but I will list them anyway...

2) Volt complexity scared me, I wanted something that wouldn't have the maintenance or problems of a gas car, not just pile electric car concerns on top of gas car concerns

3) Leaf has a roomier interior, hatchback style is more versatile

4) Leaf has longer electric range

5) We have other cars available so if we need to go further than Leaf range we just take a different car

 

[Bassman]

No gas needed.
Cheaper to operate.
Less maintenance.
Cost less to purchase.
Larger than a Volt- 5 person versus 4 person.

 

[adric22]

For me, the primary reason was cost. The Leaf was just about at the edge of what I could afford as it was. And that was back when the Leaf was actually a good bit cheaper. The Volt's price-tag was out of the question. However, in retrospect, I ended up leasing my Leaf and had I done the same with a Volt, the monthly payment would have been pretty close.

Also, like others have mentioned, I really didn't need the extended range ability. We have a Prius in the household as well, so we can use that for longer trips.

Also, I must confess. I actually think the interior layout of the Volt is ugly. I mean, the instrument panel and the NAV are fine. I don't have a problem with the screens. It is just the rest of the design and moldings and stuff. The Leaf just seemed a lot nicer to look at on the inside, which is where I spent most of my time looking at my car.

 

[caffeinekid]

Several reasons - bad prior experience with chevy, lack of need for the extended range made me unwilling to pay the premium, added complexity means more to break, and a natural aversion to paying above MSRP (maybe not a problem now, but then it was a huge issue with the volt).

If it weren't for the first of those, we might consider a volt to replace our second (gas) car when it dies in a few years. As one car in a two-car household with the other car being gas, the leaf makes a LOT more sense. But if you're replacing the gas car in a household where the other car is a leaf, now that equation may tilt more toward the hybrid EV. We'll probably end up getting something volt-like, as by then there should be lots more options (there are already a few more) like the plug-in prius)

X2

Only I would put much more emphasis on the bad Chevy experience. Also, Toyota has more than a decade now behind its hybrid flagship. It is a proven performer at a lower price point, while Chevy is essentially only now really sort of maybe kind of thinking perhaps in the right frame of mind.

 

[planet4ever]

I was totally on board to get the Volt until

• Nissan beat out GM on setting up a reservation system
• It became obvious that mileage in CS mode wouldn't be even close to Prius mileage
• I started thinking more about how many parts there were to be serviced
• The rumored $30K+ price became $40K+
• The transmission was much more complex than I expected, and wasn't a pure serial drive at all
• I actually tried to sit in one. It was awkward for my old bones to get into and out of, and I felt claustrophobic with the wraparound instrument cluster and the low roof line.

Ray

 

[thankyouOB]

why did we chooose the Leaf?
I chose it because it was pure electric, therefore it is cleaner, uses no gasoline, can be filled up at home, improves the environment.
For distances, I have a second car that is an ICE and quite nice. We need two cars.


Also it was ready first
also less complex
also cheaper
also HOV privileges right away

regrets? just not made in USA

 

[adric22]

[*]The transmission was much more complex than I expected, and wasn't a pure serial drive at all

I've yet to fully understand why that is so important to people. The Prius isn't a fully serial system either. Obviously it was designed to be as efficient as possible when running on gasoline and at highway speeds, it makes perfect sense. There would be significant energy loss by constantly converting gas to electricity and then electricity to motive power. As far as I'm concerned, if the car is running on gas because it is out of power in the batteries, then it needs to be as efficient as possible.

That being said.. I still have great hopes that we'll see some serial hybrids that run on micro-turbines for electricity generation. I think in that case, it would have to be a true serial system, but not necessarily.

 

[laalan]

Car Pool stickers for Southern California carpool lanes

 

[TRONZ]

GM! They are just a front company for oil interests.

1. GM buys the EV1 from Aerovironment, then has them crushed.

2. GM buys control of Ovonic's battery division in 1994, then sells these battery rights to Texaco/Chevron who do nothing with it.

3. GM lies about how the Volt works to get government bailout money. Turn out its a very expensive PI Hybrid.

4. GM creates and preaches the term "Range Anxiety" to scare potential EV buyers, and THEN see #5...

5. GM writes CA legislation for access to public chargers the Volt does not even need. Promoting Range Anxiety and the chance real EV's can get stranded.

6. GM designed the Volt so it does not rely on or develop longer range EV batteries. AKA - burning gasoline is the best "EV" technology. :roll:

Take your pick.

 

[MrIanB]

Several reasons, I don't buy American cars with their subpar reliability, fit and finish, poor resale value to name a few. All my Japanese purchased cars I make sure they are built in Japan and not in their u.s. sister plants. I don't want uaw workers f'up my car by dropping a screw or nut that I will forever have to hear the rattle.

I like being ahead of curve, early adopter on tech that I believe makes sense, cheaper in long run and that is coming from someone who does not recycle. I know, don't hate.

With gas prices going up till who knows when, I feell I have made the right move and will be saving around $4k in gas money over length of lease.

Ian B

 

[mitch672]

Full Disclosure: I have rejected both of them.

Additional full disclosure: I am already a 2 vehicle person, a 2010 Prius V, and a 1994 Suburban rust bucket with 160K miles on it (and a Fisher plow) that I plow the property with.

Leaf: Cannot replace my exisiting Prius for longer trips, Suburban is in too rough a shape and gets extremly poor mileage to be used on >70 mile highway trips. Leaf was orphaned on 1/30/2012, dealer finally sold it 3 weeks later.

Volt: I cannot physically get in or out of it easily, the roofline is too low, and my old bones just can't get in the damn car. Their is essentialy no rear seat, when I have the front seats adjusted so I can propel myself into the car sideways. The trunk is a joke, its sunken down and is not a hatchback, so I am not a fan. In short, I could accept the Volt, as a replacement for my prius if it where not for the above items.

So, I am left driving a 2010 Prius, "only" getting 45-50mpg, until something comes along that can replace it, and thats probably not a PiP, although I have one on order (the dealer will be happy to sell it on their lot when I reject it). My Schnieder EVSE and my soon to be completed Open EVSE await...

 

[MrFish]

the week before my Leaf was due in, I called my local Chevy dealer whom I have bought cars from before. The Volt was limited and carried a "premium" and was going to be ~ 48,000 with tax and license. The Leaf, 38,000 out the door. Add to that, free charging at work, full Ca rebate of 5,000, and white carpool stickers the difference was too much although, at times I do wish I had a range extender.

 

[yoyofella]

I wanted a Volt, actually. was eyeing it since 2007 when the concept car was first announced. I actually have the Volt concept car model sitting in my cube as we speak.

However, there are several deal breakers for me:
- concept car price was $30k, production car >$41k
- poor MPG (concept car said 50mpg, production car delivered 37mpg, worse than Cruze)
- Leaf showed up, cost $6k less without rebates, and has extra $5k rebate from California, so price difference of the two cars became too great
- No HOV access privilege. This is GM's fault and absolutely the deal breaker for me.
- crappy mileage

other benefit for leaf: longer all electric range, expected lower TOC.

 

[EricBayArea]

Disclaimer: I like the Chevy Volt. I like how it looks, I like its techy interface. I like that it is an extended range.

The reasons I did not buy the Volt:
-It was going to cost a lot more than my 2011 LEAF.
-The back seat has 2 buckets and not a bench, which does not fit our needs well.
-The LEAF felt like a larger car inside which we liked.
-We felt that if we got a Volt the only need we'd have for our other car (Subaru) is going to the mountains and we didn't want a purposeless vehicle sitting around that we pay insurance on. With the LEAF we always use it unless our travels are further than 80 miles, at which time we're happy to take the Subaru.

P.S. Unlike the LEAF target demographic, we had never owned an alternative fuel or hybrid vehicle before we bought our LEAF.

In an ideal world, I'd take a pure EV (LEAF) and an extended range plug-in AWD vehicle.

 

[hill]

I do think the volt is the best thing going at GM since the EV1. Still, as Tronz points out ... there are trust issues that I too struggle with. This isn't meant to be a 'vent on GM' thing, it's simply a trust thing. From our Chevy Vega falling apart after it was only 1,0000 miles out of its warranty period, to the crushing of trolleys many decades ago, to the more recent crushing of EV1's, to showing up before congress in private jets to beg for big fat money handouts, to the toxic - abandoned manufacturing sites ... cleanup debts. GM left those wastelands behind via bankruptcy, & the costs are now part of the Fed cleanup superfund that you & I now have to shoulder. No director ever faced criminal prosecution. Yet GM's commercial's tout their greeness.

"oh that's all in the past". Really? Feds own the lion's share of GM stock. Yet misleaging ads suggest we're almost paid up'. Is GM's primary goal to buy that stock back ... or help pay for their toxic cleanup, even though they don't have to? From yesterdsy's newspaper:

I know, I know, lots of multinational corporations lack community responsibility. But GM is the biggest. I wish there was a way for us to trust GM . . . even as GM strives to sink Chademo by working to introduce a Q.C. format for non-existent SAE formated QC EV's. I hope there ARE enough middle class left that can hopefully make the volt a huge success. And if we ever see corporate integrity at GM, I'd be glad to give it a try. Sorry for the negativity - maybe I shouldn't let that stuff get to me . . .

.

 

[davewill]

I wanted an EV...we already owned a hybrid...so I bought the LEAF. The Volt was never a serious contender. When my wife's car was up for replacement, however, I was quite interested in the Volt as a replacement for her Prius and as a complement for the LEAF. The idea never got off the launchpad, however.

I insisted we go and test drive one "just to satisfy my curiosity". My wife HATED the thing from the first instant she laid eyes on it. She didn't like the styling. She thought it was too "big". The interior was complicated and "too weird". I can see what she means, too. It seems a little masculine, probably that "sporty" styling.

She loves the LEAF however. She thinks it's "cute", and loves the EV "ride" (which is why I had thought the Volt might have half a chance). She'd take my LEAF over in a heartbeat, except that her commute is longer, range anxiety would become REAL anxiety much too easily for her...and I'm not dead yet.

So, we got her another Prius.

 

[siai]

I owned a Rav4 EV which I sold last Summer. I had no problem committing to a LEAF. However, from time of reservation until delivery of the LEAF, the Volt was starting to become available. I drove a Volt demonstrator for a 24 hour period and found several issues that I didn't like. The Volt is a fine car for someone with a 37 mile or less daily commute and/or someone that has no other car at their disposal for extended travel. After you go from EV mode to gasoline mode it gets what I consider poor fuel economy for a sedan of it's size and requires premium gasoline. As it is actually a plug-in hybrid, it should have economies closer to the Prius or even a Cruz Eco then a standard sedan. I have an older dog who lays in the back seat of my vehicles and the console in the rear of the Volt (housing some of the batteries in the "T" arrangement) makes it impossible for the dog to lay across the seat. It has less room for passengers and storage then the LEAF. The Volt with my driving cycle didn't make any economic sense when I drive 60-75 miles a day and don't have the ability to perform a charge cycle during the day. Although the Volt (in my humble opinion) is a little easier on the eye, the rest of it is too hard on my wallet.