Evoforce said:
V8BoatBuilder said:
Seems like lots of Leaf haters and battery worry-worts on this forum. I find it hard to believe that the Leaf can't handle Florida heat if you are not fast-charging.
Where is the evidence to back up telling this guy not to buy?
People with experience are offering good advice. I see you are in NJ. That is one of the better climates to utilize a Nissan Leaf. Florida is not. Please spend some time reading about the history of Nissan Leaf's battery shortcomings throughout this forum. You and I may not want it to be true, but the truth is inescapable. Because of those problems, the Nissan Leaf also suffers from crushing quick depreciation.
Depreciation is also high because of the tax credit(s), which new cars get and used cars do not. This adds $7,500 to $12,000+ to the depreciation.
Depreciation is also high because of the improving market for EVs. A 24kWh Leaf sold nationwide was a groundbreaking market leading development in 2011. When I bought my 2014 Leaf, a used Leaf sold for almost the same as I did buy a new Leaf for, after tax credits. A 40kWh Leaf is behind the market in 2018.
Depreciation is also high because of how Nissan sells all cars at a discount to MSRP, and how depreciation is (often) calculated using MSRP.
Yes, some of the higher depreciation is due to the faster capacity loss in hot places. But the observation that there a lot of Leaf haters is correct. Some of them seem to own Tesla stock, and are trying to cut down on the competition. Some live in hot places and didn't have a good Leaf experience. One wants to promote hydrogen cars. And so on. And some can't seem to paint in greys or colors, only black and white.
However, there are many people that love their Leafs. Most of the people I know in person. Unlike some of the competition, few drive trains have been replaced, no major "Stop Safely Now" errors, no traction battery fires, no battery with half charge suddenly empty errors and so on. For the commute and around town car, it really is a nice ride. Comfortable, safe, reliable. Perhaps not as durable of battery as one might wish, especially the 2011 and 2012. The 30kWh battery had a capacity reporting problem, and otherwise the question isn't settled as to how durable the battery is.
Someone buying a Leaf in Florida should be aware that the best case is that the battery drops below the capacity threshold just before the warranty, and not just after the warranty.