Tuna55 is internet famous.

On The Truth About Cars.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/06/reader-ride-review-2013-nissan-leaf/

Well done. This is a much better review than 90% of Leaf reviews I've seen actually, and does a good job pointing out the lack of competition.

Compliance cars drive me nuts. The new electric Mercedes B-class was reviewed in the Chicago Tribune of all places. Good luck finding one.

I drive 1000 miles a week and never see a Leaf. See plenty of the Tesla on the road.

Good for Tuna.

I had a hard time getting through the writing.

Yup, that was entertaining. I really didn't want to be in the picture, though. Neat writeup and certainly better than most LEAF reviews.

And we finally meet Mrs Tuna.

NOHOME wrote: And we finally meet Mrs Tuna.

no no no, that's Caroline

I have a friend that has a Honda Fit EV. He loves it. He has even taken trips with it having found where he can recharge. He finds other things to do while it is charging.

He carries a folding bicycle.

I'd prefer a Fit EV to my Leaf. Unfortunately it's only available in a few states, and Honda has limited itself to producing just 1,100 of them over 2 years. Nissan sold 22,000 Leafs last year.

Sine_Qua_Non wrote: I drive 1000 miles a week and never see a Leaf. See plenty of the Tesla on the road.

From Cleveland to Dayton up to 1500 miles every week, this is my experience

I literally see them by the dozens on local roads, because Atlanta.

Every day I saw at least 5 parked in front of the office building at which I attended training while I was down in the Atlanta area. There were free chargers for them, too.

Multiple Leaf and Teslae in Gainesville.

aussiesmg wrote:

Sine_Qua_Non wrote: I drive 1000 miles a week and never see a Leaf. See plenty of the Tesla on the road.

From Cleveland to Dayton up to 1500 miles every week, this is my experience

Yup, I see a row of leafs charging at Detroit Metro and never see one on the road. I do see teslas but really it has to do with range and available charging locations here.

tuna55 wrote:

NOHOME wrote: And we finally meet Mrs Tuna.

no no no, that's Caroline

Does this mean we can then covet Caroline or would that be in bad form?

I saw a lot in Knoxville, along with Volt, Tesla and those small plug in Chevys'. I don't think I've seen an electric car in Texas yet.

TIL that there is more to Tuna than a cool truck, six kids, and a @#$% ton of patience.
Cool!

if my job ever put in a bank of chargers (at least three, cause two people here have an EV currently), this would be a no brainer. but at 74 miles, though it WOULD make the drive, i wouldn't feel comfortable.

SnowMongoose wrote: TIL that there is more to Tuna than a cool truck, six kids, and a @#$% ton of patience. Cool!

Four kids.

But yeah, as interesting and unique as the LEAF is, essentially it was a math problem. The LEAF does a nice job of being very competitive with a newer used car in terms of total cost for a mid range ownership (five years was my bogie), plus it future proofs me against rising gas prices.

JohnRW1621 wrote:

tuna55 wrote:

NOHOME wrote: And we finally meet Mrs Tuna.

no no no, that's Caroline

Does this mean we can then covet Caroline or would that be in bad form?

You'd have to ask her, I guess.

Brett_Murphy wrote: Every day I saw at least 5 parked in front of the office building at which I attended training while I was down in the Atlanta area. There were free chargers for them, too.

free to them maybe …. someone is paying for it

wbjones wrote:

Brett_Murphy wrote: Every day I saw at least 5 parked in front of the office building at which I attended training while I was down in the Atlanta area. There were free chargers for them, too.

free to them maybe …. someone is paying for it

As far as free charging goes, there is a lot to that story.

As I understand it currently, an organization needs a very elusive permit to sell electricity. I have not seen anyone try to do it, nor charge for the parking space, yet. Also bear in mind that in terms of cost, an hour at a charger costs something well under ten cents, so the purchase of the charger, which would likely be provided by some form of grant, is the largest cost by far.

Additionally, the businesses are doing it for the press. It's a convenience, in the same way that some businesses downtown leave water bowls out for hot dogs, or let you use their bathroom despite not buying anything. You don't pay for those things either.

Additionally, your oil companies are subsidized, so it's not as it EVs having public chargers all of the sudden turns you into a socialist with free stuff everywhere, it's just a different perk.

On the other hand, I have used public charging exactly twice.

I'm not seeing much subsidizing at the gas pumps these days

those that purchase EV's are given tax breaks … that's coming out of my pocket … the drivers of EV's aren't paying road use tax, that's coming out of my pocket …

I'm all for innovative ways to transport folk around the country … but I firmly believe we all should pay our way … add credit card slots for recharging and I'm fine with um

now get off my lawn

Congrats Tuna, I'll note that I see exactly zero EVs in Lexington.

Given that our electricity is made by burning coal, using the heat from that to superheat steam, turn a generator, generate electricity, transmit said juice through an aging and overtaxed grid, stored in batteries that are made from nasty earth unfriendly chemicals.... Sorry, just channeling my inner Jeremy Clarkson.

In reply to KyAllroad:
Yes, I had commented on here before that if I had a Leaf here, I would have a rear window banner made that said, "Powered by Coal" and I would have some sooty smoke coming out of the chimney made from the last letter in coal.