johnlocke said:
DaveinOlyWA said:
iirc, a 40 kwh pack would be $120 a month. Seems to me the price is $3/kwh. A rental option would work for a significant niche, especially the ones who are simply waiting for the technology to mature. With more uncertainty in the government than not, it's anyone's guess where incentives will go and who they will benefit most. Getting a cheap LEAF for $4-$5,000 is now doable. Lots of them out there simply because they are not really selling. A few DIY'ers out there and clueless bargain hunters, but no one else. Everyone is opting for more expensive, newer, more reliable, etc.
But if Fenix Systems does what they say they will do and it seems they are on the cusp of doing something here in next few weeks, then what do you think will happen to the "over" used LEAF market?
So it appears to me that the only ones benefiting are the ones who got in early, paid $30,000 after incentives and want more for their investment. How many of those are left? Its been nearly 8 to 9 years. I am guessing only a very small handful have held out that long.
If you can find a $4000 Leaf and spend $1500 to have the battery replaced and then spend $120/mo for service, after five years you will have spent $7200 on the service and still do not own the battery. You would still need to find someone to agree to continue service or spend $1500 to have a Nissan battery put back in. Under those circumstances, I doubt you could get much for the car. As a short term solution where you only need a couple of more years out of the car and are low on cash, it could make sense if you don't mind walking away from the car. $5500 for the car and $120/mo to drive it for while. A couple of grand when you sell it on to the next person ( remember that they have to take over the lease) or you just give the car back to Fenix and let them deal with it? A 12 year old Leaf with a small clapped out battery won't be worth much anyway.
Comments based on using the car as some sort of investment tool is really nonsensical. If you drove 15,000 a year which is middle low end discounting people who drive little or not at all, that is 16.9 cents a mile basic cost based on your 5 year scenario.
Verses... a new EV with average price in the mid to low 30's after incentives (if you qualify for all that) meaning you match the above TCO when you hit about 200,000 miles. ($32000)
Now we are comparing new to used so there is an expectation of a price premium but no finance charges are considered along with the other "perks" of owning new verses used. So, I am ignoring the fact that longer time frames have escalating costs, higher insurance, loan costs, maintenance costs etc...
So the Fenix plan doesn't work for you but it is still a good solution