golfcart said:
WetEV said:
With a 20 mile commute, this would be very acceptable. National median commute is just under 20 miles round trip.
For the right person I agree 100% because how much range one needs is entirely unique to their circumstances. If you have a 150 mile daily commute then you need 250+ miles of range to make sure you can still make that commute in winter 10 years from now but if you only have a 10 mile commute and you're in a two car household (where the leaf is a grocery-getter and commuter) then 60 miles of range is great. That's why I don't get what these other posters mean by "range is a strawman argument"...
You make the point for me. Most people bought their Leaf as a commuter car. They don't drive more than 30 mi/day and usually have access to a ICE for longer trips. Range on a single charge is irrelevant. What does matter is how long the battery lasts in typical use. That includes charging it to 100% because Nissan doesn't have a option to charge it to a lower value. If you live in the right climate, that 30KWH battery will last a long time and if you only need to drive it 20 miles a day, it might last the life of the car. If you have a 55 mi commute like I do and need A/C in the Summer and Heat in the Winter, then the 30KWH doesn't look too good. The truth of the matter is that unless you're a mechanic and can buy a salvaged battery and intstall it yourself, it probably makes more sense to buy a newer lightly used Leaf instead. It's hard to make the case for buying a replacement battery for $8K for an older Leaf let alone $17K.