EVDRIVER said:
LEAF delays were the result of rushing a car to a lightly tested production line and then a natural disaster that slowed parts delivery, many auto makers had reduced production rates as a result of the earthquake. Tesla does not make a mass produced EV yet, selling 1600 or so Total roadsters since day one does not remotely compare to the almost 10K cars Nissan has sold in under a year with supply issues and destroyed inventory. If you want to took at the amortization rate of the LEAF look at the lease numbers even though that is not the point since the auto makers and consumers have little impact on market values unless they conspire to keep the improvements stable. MY PC analogy is simple, if the pack on a 2013 Leaf is 50% better than a replacement pack on a 2011 with the same capacity is $15K (likely higher) then the 2011 model ends up with little value. The LEAF is an cheap econo box with a very low cost drive system, all the cost is in the pack. The motor, transaxle and related parts are not costly, not event at dealer retail prices. Without affordable pack upgrades the cars value will sink and I don't expect Nissan to offer even moderately priced pack upgrades in the next few years. The only upside is the slow delivery and lack of other EVs on the market. Don't expect any affordable Nissan charger upgrade either, not on a 2011 LEAF that is or ANY firmware updates to the NAV or instruments that will change any functions on the dash, expect updated clusters and radio units in the future.
EVDRIVER and I are generally on the same page, but it is good to remember that "
Better is the enemy of
good." While I fully expect future editions of the Leaf to have different capabilities and possibly lower costs, the 2011 model is good and will meet our needs as long as we have a back-up ICE for the longer trips. At some point, a company has to lock down the configuration and put the product on the sales floor. Would I like the ability to upgrade? Sure, but even that would have its costs and associated timeline.
Perhaps Ford will eventually be given kudos for taking their time and finally marketing their ideal Focus EV, but that is unlikely, even given the benefit of the doubt for good intentions. Better stuff will always become available after they make the production decision. In the meantime, they take (deserved) hits for total silence on features, prices, and schedules since their car's "debut" at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show. OK, I will admit that "total silence" is an overstatement because they
have released some of the sounds the system software will generate. :lol:
I, for one, am glad that Nissan has been willing to get this ball rolling again. No, the first product is not perfect, and yes, there will certainly be valued improvements in the coming years, but I am not going to question their decision-making processes or motivations if they are moving positively in the right direction.