BrockWI
Well-known member
Going in to this, we thought we would like the car and use it about for about half of our mileage, we are using it more than either of our other two cars and more than my wife or I imagined. I think for us that was the biggest surprise, how capable the car is and how "use-able" it is and that we can use it for more of our daily tasks than we had imagined. The first week we only had the 120vac charger and found there were a few times we couldn't take the car again the same day because we didn't have enough charge left and / or couldn't get enough charge in overnight for the next day's running. So we added a level 2 charger, now we can keep running all day and evening. Last Saturday we drove just under 200 miles running errands and running the kids around. My wife really likes it because we can "fill" it up at home, not taking the time or going out of our way to stop at a gas station.
So our first month’s numbers all charged at home.
1511 miles, 384 kWh @ $.0631 (all off peak) / kWh for a total of 1.60 cents per mile or $24.23 total for the month. We got 3.93 miles / kWh (from wall) and growing each week as we figure out how to drive more efficiently and it’s getting warmer so we aren't using the heater as much. Comparing the cost to the previous month, moving that 1500 miles back to the wagon and van we would have consumed a minimum of $200 in gas and diesel saving us at least $175 this month.
We are a bit worried about running 1500 miles a month, but we are hoping it is just an "it's new phase". Between all three cars we usually drive about 2000 miles a month and thought 1/2 would be the leaf, but again we found we can use the leaf more than we had anticipated.
We have 4 kids and another interesting thing we found it is less expensive to run the leaf at about 2 cents a mile and the VW diesel wagon, about 10 cents a mile (12 cents a mile for both) than to all pile in the van and run 20 cents a mile. We used to try to time it so we all went at the same time in the van, now we don't have to do that and are actually consuming less energy as well. Of course for longer trips out of town the van will still be the work horse.
Overall we couldn't be more pleased with the new vehicle.
So our first month’s numbers all charged at home.
1511 miles, 384 kWh @ $.0631 (all off peak) / kWh for a total of 1.60 cents per mile or $24.23 total for the month. We got 3.93 miles / kWh (from wall) and growing each week as we figure out how to drive more efficiently and it’s getting warmer so we aren't using the heater as much. Comparing the cost to the previous month, moving that 1500 miles back to the wagon and van we would have consumed a minimum of $200 in gas and diesel saving us at least $175 this month.
We are a bit worried about running 1500 miles a month, but we are hoping it is just an "it's new phase". Between all three cars we usually drive about 2000 miles a month and thought 1/2 would be the leaf, but again we found we can use the leaf more than we had anticipated.
We have 4 kids and another interesting thing we found it is less expensive to run the leaf at about 2 cents a mile and the VW diesel wagon, about 10 cents a mile (12 cents a mile for both) than to all pile in the van and run 20 cents a mile. We used to try to time it so we all went at the same time in the van, now we don't have to do that and are actually consuming less energy as well. Of course for longer trips out of town the van will still be the work horse.
Overall we couldn't be more pleased with the new vehicle.