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Dec. 22, 2011 5:19 p.m. Keith SuperDork

wlkelley3 wrote:

After reading this thread for a couple days and still not knowing what a Nissan Leaf was. Now I know.

I was ambivalent about the concept until I saw one on a trailer in Nova Scotia when I was on the way home from Targa Newfoundland. It was registered in Ontario, which was odd.

Then, when I was in Ottawa, there was some fanfare about the first Leaf being delivered to a customer - and there was the same car. It had to be trucked in, there's no way it could have driven. If I wanted to go to a hockey game in Denver (as I did a few weeks ago), I would have to make an overnight stop in Vail and again in Georgetown. So you're pretty much required to have a second car.

Extended-range hybrids like the Volt (which to me is an electric car with a generator, not a Prius which is a gas car with a battery assist) make a whole lot more sense in that light.
Dec. 22, 2011 5:48 p.m. procainestart Dork

In reply to kreb:

Your impressions mirror my own when I had a chance to drive one a month ago. I thought it was a good car, well executed, and not underpowered (for what it is).

There are a lot of them here in Seattle. A guy who works in my office building traded in his Audi A8 for one. He's had it for about 6 months now and still loves it. He does not fit the stereotype of left-leaning tree hugger.
Dec. 23, 2011 9:36 a.m. iceracer SuperDork

irish44j wrote:

integraguy wrote:

I know there are folks who don't care what a car looks like but want to be "supremely" green....I guess they will buy a LEAF.

But I think Nissan missed the boat by not making this car a bit more attractive..

psh...alot people don't really care that much about BEING "green," they just want to be PC and LOOK like they're being green. And if it looked like a normal car, then other people wouldn't be able to see how awesomely you are going out of your way to save the planet. I mean, who wants an all-electric Versa? Then people would just think you're cheap and bought a cheap Versa, not realizing how you're really far superior to them in their gas-guzzlers....

A guy I work with has a Prius and always brags about his awesome mileage. But here's the rub: He lives out in the countryside and commutes about 50 miles each way, all highway/rural highway. Almost no stop-and-go or city traffic where the electric hybrid motor is useful. I once pointed out to him that for the ~40mpg he gets in the Prius on his 70mph commute, he could have spent half the money and gotten a Fit or Corolla or something that is pretty close to the same mileage on the highway........he blustered a bit and then went on about how his "hybrid" was more environmentally friendly than a Fit or Corolla.
Dec. 23, 2011 9:39 a.m. iceracer SuperDork

I explained all of that to my grandson who lives in similar circmstances. He was thinking of getting a "hybid' car.
Dec. 23, 2011 11:36 a.m. kreb SuperDork

The main thing that bothered me was the slow steering. Aren't some cars "steer by wire" now? If so, you'd think that one could dial in a steering ratio. That would be sweet!

The other take-away was that it's a great performance motor in search of a better package. It'd be great if they'd offer then driveline/software package the same way that you can buy a crate motor from GM.
Dec. 23, 2011 2:29 p.m. oldopelguy Dork

Supposedly there is a sub-cult out there building tiny trailers with generators on them to use as range extenders for EVs. That opens up an interesting possibility for the Leaf, drive it around all electric for the 90% of the time you are just commuting, pop the generator on when you need to go to Grandmas house.
Dec. 23, 2011 4:30 p.m. mguar Reader

In reply to forzav12:

Extra ducats for the volt?
it's more than twice as expensive.. (and only a tiny bit more exciting) however the Leaf is restricted to extremely short hauls if you want to safely get home.. At least the Volt can be driven wherever you want..
Dec. 23, 2011 4:42 p.m. mguar Reader

In reply to integraguy: I'm not a fan of the Leaf but you really haven't figured out the market for the hybrids or electrics. I suppose there may be a tiny handful of people who buy it because it's green.. Most buy it because it's cheaper.. WHAT?
YEP! CHEAPER! Take the Ford Focus Hybrid for example.. It's a little cheaper than the Ford Sport. (about $65.00) but over the next 10 years assuming gas doesn't go above $4.00 a gallon. You will save $20,000 over covering the same mileage with the sport. It goes up roughly $5000 for each dollar gas goes up).. That's based on 15,000 miles per year 80/20 rule. 80% commuting to and from work,shopping and other urban type driving) 20% vacation and other rural type driving. On top of that there is a much better warranty on Hybrids, plug ins, and plug in hybrid electrics. (up to 150,000 miles or 10 years on all hybrid components) Ford has been making SUV Hybrids since 2004 and checking around at local dealers nobody has ever replaced the batteries..
Dec. 23, 2011 4:45 p.m. mguar Reader

In reply to MrJoshua:

One is a simple electric. The other a far more complex Hybrid..