Leaf and Life Style Changes

[pauldesr]

I've had my 2013 Nissan Leaf for three months now, and can't get over how pleasant it has made many aspects of life.

It's nice to drive a quiet car with plenty of zest. It's really nice not to have to mess with the whole process of buying gas, from the expense, to the discomfort in bad weather, to the outrageous cost of gas, to the machines that don't work, to walking off with smelly hands every time.

My Leaf has required me to be much more thoughtful about my driving. I need to plan trips, to seek better ways to get places, to combine errands. But that's all good stuff. The whole process causes me to be a better citizen, making very positive steps to improve the environment.

Plus driving the thing is so much fun!

Paul

 

[TomT]

That's all well and good, and I am happy to hear it, but it is not going to sell EVs to the masses... Most people do not want to have to change their life style to accommodate a vehicle...

My Leaf has required me to be much more thoughtful about my driving. I need to plan trips, to seek better ways to get places, to combine errands. But that's all good stuff. The whole process causes me to be a better citizen, making very positive steps to improve the environment.

 

[DannyAmes]

I've had my 2013 Nissan Leaf for three months now, and can't get over how pleasant it has made many aspects of life.

It's nice to drive a quiet car with plenty of zest. It's really nice not to have to mess with the whole process of buying gas, from the expense, to the discomfort in bad weather, to the outrageous cost of gas, to the machines that don't work, to walking off with smelly hands every time.

My Leaf has required me to be much more thoughtful about my driving. I need to plan trips, to seek better ways to get places, to combine errands. But that's all good stuff. The whole process causes me to be a better citizen, making very positive steps to improve the environment.

Plus driving the thing is so much fun!

Paul

Could not agree more!

My friend a regular ICE driver who drove my electric said the same thing about having to be mindful basically of your energy use and then also stated that for ICE drivers (in general) most drive mindlessly regarding energy (you can just go brain dead) and simply pump and pay at the next filling station.

Danny

 

[garsh]

That's all well and good, and I am happy to hear it, but it is not going to sell EVs to the masses... Most people do not want to have to change their life style to accommodate a vehicle...

Quite true. It takes a certain kind of person to accept these current deficiencies.

But if Tesla can offer 200+ mile range at a $35-$40k price point and supercharger access in the next few years, you'll see a lot more people being able to accept the tradeoffs.

And if they ever can get recharge times down to 10 minutes (as they're hoping to do), then we have a game-changer. At that point, electric cars would probably become the no-brainer decision.

But it's going to take some time to get there. For those of us who can handle the current deficiencies, it's nice having a taste of the future.

 

[Foible]

I agree wholeheartedly, the Leaf has made my life better.

Driving is fun again! I roll through my neighborhood with the windows down in the early morning just listening to the birds. I find twisty routes for my errands to enjoy the handling.

The biggest game changer for me was ECO mode. I love the fact that my battery is recharging when I'm gliding down the hills on my commute. I am constantly passed by the ICE crowds since rolling is their only way to conserve kinetic energy. Since I am not over the speed limit on the down hills I don't get used to the feeling of "five over" and then unwittingly maintain that for the uphill portions of my commute. In ECO I have to deliberately choose my speed at all times and that's made me a much more conscientious driver.

I worry a bit that I'm a bad advertisement for the Leaf. Do people think I have to drive slow and steady, that the car can't do more?

For two days last week I tested the Leaf using my obnoxious old driving habits. No ECO mode, jackrabbit starts off of every light. I'd race to every red light and stop hard at the last second. Parts of this test were very fun. I don't think I lost once drag racing at the lights. By the time an ICE had revved the engine and dumped the clutch I was already gone. When their horsepower would be kicking in we'd be at the speed limit or the next light. I was also reminded of the down side of that style of driving. If you drive faster than traffic long enough you will get behind an unpassable clump of cars. That used to cause my road rage but now (with the exception of my two day test) I never see it.

My single biggest revelation? A hundred mile range is plenty. I don't want to be carrying around another half-ton of batteries but I would like my next electric vehicle to support an auxiliary battery pack (in the trunk or a trailer) for road trips. Then I could ditch the ICE all together.