Nissan: Leaf will snag Prius owners

[scottsim]

The Prius still gets all of its energy from gas. But, 50 mpg is better than 22 mpg. I await a really good EV. The LEAF is a good start, but still rather heavy, not aerodynamic, etc., so it uses too much energy per mile.

Not my Prius...grin

 

[Pipemajor]

Although the wife drives a 2010 Camry Hybrid (we love the car and the TCH is currently the 2nd best selling hybrid on the road), my LEAF will replace either an 18 year old ICE Camry or a 19 year old Mazda pickup as both of those are destined to be handed down to the kids.

I commute only 2.4 miles locally to the bus stop where I then change over to public transit and the remaining 11 miles to my office. Living in Minnesota, the ICE car barely warms up before I have to park it and hop on a hybrid bus then switch over to an electric light rail powered entirely by renewable resources. When it's -10º F and you can literally "see" the exhaust billowing out of the tailpipes of ICE cars idling at stop lights (it actually refreezes onto the road surface creating dangerous black ice conditions) it will give me a HUGE comfort of mind to know my LEAF won't be contributing nearly as much of either condition.

I realize hybrid vehicles were introduced merely as a stop-gap solution. Until the Prius proved the economic viability of hybrids, most offerings were huge financial risks to auto makers. Honda's lame attempt at hybridizing the V6 Accord failed within a few years of it being introduced. Likewise, Honda's original 2 seater Insight was simply too impractical for a large enough market segment. It too, was withdrawn and now they've released an updated Insight which is definitely more Prius-like.

In my situation, the 100 mile range of the LEAF fits perfectly into my daily driving habits. I "suspect" I could probably get away with only having the 120v already in the garage to slow charge overnight since I won't be "refilling" a 100% depleted battery pack.

 

[scottsim]

Sometimes I feel like I'm the lone person here who isn't buying a Leaf because it's the green thing to do. :twisted:

I'm encouraged that about half of Leaf reservation holders aren't Prius owners!

I lost interest in the Prius because, at the end of the day, it didn't really meet my goal of not wanting to use gasoline for my commute anymore. I must admit that I might have gone Prius at one time IF they'd come up with a PHEV version from the factory. But now affordable and highway capable EVs are on the horizon....not a chance.

Right now it is looking like I will drop my Leaf reservation, though I had even scheduled the charger assessment for next month. I need more range, and my PHEV Prius is a good place to wait for either an EV with better range, or better charging to be implemented.

 

[adric22]

Sometimes I feel like I'm the lone person here who isn't buying a Leaf because it's the green thing to do. :twisted:

I'm encouraged that about half of Leaf reservation holders aren't Prius owners!

Actually, I'm with you there. I'm all for green stuff, but that isn't my primary motivating factor. I like electric vehicles because it just seems more logical. Gasoline cars seem way too complex of a machine just to drive around in. Not only that, but they are filthy, oily, smelly, and loud. Electric cars are clean and quiet. Besides, I really hate going to the gas station, it is a huge inconvenience. Filling up in my garage seems a lot more convenient to me!

 

[sjfotos]

Right now it is looking like I will drop my Leaf reservation, though I had even scheduled the charger assessment for next month. I need more range, and my PHEV Prius is a good place to wait for either an EV with better range, or better charging to be implemented.

scottsim, it certainly makes sense to go with another alternative if range is number one on your priority list.