feeling like giving up on electric

[Pipcecil]

don't forget the plug-in accord either. EV range is in between the energis (both cmax and fusion) and the PiP. There are other options and if battery degredation was your big problem there are other EVs that have better TMS and get better range - Honda Fit, Fiat 500e, Rav 4 (mentioned previously), Focus (yes I know its only the EPA range thats better, but its still has a TMS built in).

My wife has a Volt and loves it. The longer battery range (compared to other plug ins) is worth it for her. The car is also a very excellent build. I would say the only downfall is the size, its a subcompact, but if that doesn't bother you then its a strong alternative. In additional, because the way the volt operates, it still drives like an EV, even after the generator kicks in (versus the other plug ins that drive like a hybrid when the gas engine kicks in).

 

[apvbguy]

and be willing to make some personally suboptimal choices to be part of helping make it happen.

that is it in a nutshell, you have to be willing to deal with sub par performance, sub par comfort in order to be ahead of the curve. hoving to plot your daily trips, driving at 60 MPH on freeways with the heat off in winter to conserve range is not something the majority of people are willing to do.
as long as gas/diesel is plentiful and reasonably priced EVs with limited range will remain cultish

 

[adric22]

I always notice that everyone who is disappointed in their Leaf are always the ones with the really long commutes, the ones that push the envelope. I have a short commute and I thought the Leaf would be a perfect fit for me. And 3 years later I can say it has been a joy to drive.

 

[epirali]

and be willing to make some personally suboptimal choices to be part of helping make it happen.

that is it in a nutshell, you have to be willing to deal with sub par performance, sub par comfort in order to be ahead of the curve. hoving to plot your daily trips, driving at 60 MPH on freeways with the heat off in winter to conserve range is not something the majority of people are willing to do.
as long as gas/diesel is plentiful and reasonably priced EVs with limited range will remain cultish

Actually it's all about picking the right car for each person. IMO SUVs are cultish. They are not better than big wagons, nor more capable than pickup trucks.

You have to pick the right car for your drive. I think it's just as stupid when people drive giant SUVs or pick up trucks as daily commuters with one passenger for a 30 mile total trip as it us to freeze my butt of just to make a daily 80 mike trip in a car whose range limit is too low. Has nothing to do with electric vs gas, just basic common sense.

 

[KillaWhat]

Oh stop whining.
The earth isn't as flat as we were led to believe, and electricity is probably here to stay.
Embrace it.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

My wife has a Volt and loves it. The longer battery range (compared to other plug ins) is worth it for her. The car is also a very excellent build. I would say the only downfall is the size, its a subcompact, but if that doesn't bother you then its a strong alternative. In additional, because the way the volt operates, it still drives like an EV, even after the generator kicks in (versus the other plug ins that drive like a hybrid when the gas engine kicks in).

Truth #1. GM managed to create the only no-compromises powertrain solution. The only thing standing between the Volt and greatness is they opted to make a smaller vehicle instead of a midsize or CUV.

I always notice that everyone who is disappointed in their Leaf are always the ones with the really long commutes, the ones that push the envelope. I have a short commute and I thought the Leaf would be a perfect fit for me. And 3 years later I can say it has been a joy to drive.

Truth #2. There is no range anxiety as long as you are using the car well within its range. You don't care if capacity loss, or cold weather or cranking the heat shaves even a substantial chunk off that range, because you are still well within what you need without giving it a thought.

 

[Nubo]

I think Nissan was correct with the notion that the Leaf is really designed for someone with a 30-40 mile commute max. If the leaf is properly matched for the task, you just don't have to worry so much about the heater, the outside temperature, the range or the long term battery life.

Agreed. My commute is short enough to where I can drive the car without compromise and I love it. For longer trips without I find the careful driving and planning for charges to be kind of a fun adventure. I imagine I might get tired if every day was a hassle. There's no shame in admitting that LEAF is not for everyone. It was never meant to be. But that still leaves a whole lot of folks for whom it can serve very well, imho.

 

[Valdemar]

my cmax energI is really great.Averaging about 75 mpg on the past few gas tanks.I mainly use it for longer trips then leaf can handle.Plus when it is cold the heater is awesome.When I do shorter runs the energI averages 100+mpg per tank.Best of both worlds.Ford is really giving great deals on the car also.

I was circling around it during the LA auto-show last November, sat behind the wheel, really liked the look and feel, and then I popped up the cargo door. "Oh no", I said to myself and never seriously thought about this car again since.

 

[Valdemar]

Btw, C&D recently tested a 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid (not a plug-in version), 41mpg real life fuel economy is pretty impressive for this type of car.

 

[adric22]

I was circling around it during the LA auto-show last November, sat behind the wheel, really liked the look and feel, and then I popped up the cargo door. "Oh no", I said to myself and never seriously thought about this car again since.

I don't have that problem. I looked at the energi model as well and while the battery was noticeable, it was obvious there was still quite a lot of cargo space available. It isn't as bad as it looks at first glance. The Fusion energi, on the other hand, would be a problem since it is not a hatchback.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I think Nissan was correct with the notion that the Leaf is really designed for someone with a 30-40 mile commute max. If the leaf is properly matched for the task, you just don't have to worry so much about the heater, the outside temperature, the range or the long term battery life.

Agreed. My commute is short enough to where I can drive the car without compromise and I love it. For longer trips without I find the careful driving and planning for charges to be kind of a fun adventure. I imagine I might get tired if every day was a hassle. There's no shame in admitting that LEAF is not for everyone. It was never meant to be. But that still leaves a whole lot of folks for whom it can serve very well, imho.

I didn't give the length of my commute a huge amount of thought before I leased my Leaf. It turns out that I'm near the outer edge of what's acceptable for a Northern driver: 43 miles round trip. I have no range anxiety at all in Summer, Spring or Fall, and can even charge to 80% only in mild weather, while in Winter I'm fine 95% of the time just charging to the high 90s. There was exactly one night so far in which I had range issues, and most people would have simply used another vehicle that night - it was sub-zero both ways. I have a Nissan dealership with an always-on EVSE right where I can use it to best effect if necessary on the drive home, so I'm fine. My concerns about the Leaf are relatively minor, and I don't regret leasing it for a minute, even though I'm using most of my discretionary cash (AKA "spending money") paying for it.

 

[Devin]

I was circling around it during the LA auto-show last November, sat behind the wheel, really liked the look and feel, and then I popped up the cargo door. "Oh no", I said to myself and never seriously thought about this car again since.

I don't have that problem. I looked at the energi model as well and while the battery was noticeable, it was obvious there was still quite a lot of cargo space available. It isn't as bad as it looks at first glance. The Fusion energi, on the other hand, would be a problem since it is not a hatchback.

I thought the storage space in the Focus Electric would be severely limiting versus the LEAF, but I have found that it's really not that bad. It's in line with a small BMW and way more than a Mini with the seats folded, plus it's got oodles more space than our old Honda Civic GX (the CNG version) had. I wouldn't be bothered at all by the battery intrusion into the trunk of the C-Max or Fusion since I don't see either car as an SUV for my purposes, but then again my dad has an older F-150 (in addition to his Volt) that we collectively share for any big cargo so I suppose that biases me somewhat.

 

[evboy]

axel, looks like the Elio motors car is for you. 6800.00. they start making them in December. you can get it by april, if you put a all in deposit. they just signed their lease on the old GM factory, so it is officially a go. i don't see this being a fisker. Its 49/84 gas mileage ICE engine.you can buy 4 for the price of 1 leaf and the depreciation will be minimal, since its so inexpensive. I have decided to wait and buy a elio instead of electric for the time being. I am a city driver only, so 49mpg is fine with me. i can go about 200 miles for about 12.50. Thats 50 bucks a month, or 600 a year. read: http://www.leftlanenews.com/elio-motors-to-display-three-wheeler-at-ces.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

ok, you start with a post that complains about sufficient lack of public charging and so you go home and kick the car??

i mean like WTF? why you blaming the car?

EVs aren't for everyone and I notice you have not said a word since this post with misguided ill will towards a completely innocent car.

the charging infrastructure seems to be getting better and better every day but unless its in your employer's parking lot, I can see that as being a hassle but going to the gas station is a hassle too and I end up doing it twice a month which really isn't that bad since I logged over 25,000 miles last year.

I think you need to wait a year and see what's available. it will be much different than what we got now.

 

[Bicster]

The new Accord Hybrid needs to get some more love. It drives like an all-electric, especially if you keep it in low "gear" ... It's basically a Volt with the range extender running all the time. The gas engine only powers the wheels at highway speeds, and there's no transmission in the conventional sense... If the Toyota hybrids worked that way, I'd consider owning one. I can't stand they way conventional hybrids drive. As it is, I hope that Honda adds their new hybrid system to the Odyssey.

Those of you who talk about giving up on electric, making 'final' decisions about electric ... hogwash. Electric is not going away. Maybe none of the current or next-gen products are for you, but I can't see how anyone can seriously say they'll never drive electric again based on not liking an early adopter electric car. They're going to get significantly better.

 

[Valdemar]

They're going to get significantly better.

Or not. They will get better no doubt, but the significance of improvements is still an open question. I'm not holding my breath for any major breakthroughs in the next decade.

 

[Bicster]

Or not. They will get better no doubt, but the significance of improvements is still an open question. I'm not holding my breath for any major breakthroughs in the next decade.

Wouldn't something with the capability of a Model S, at half the price, be a significant breakthrough? They should be delivering by 2017/2018.

I had real doubts about Tesla's ability to deliver the Model S. Delivering their third-gen car will be a much more difficult task, but I think they've proven they have the chops to do it. I'll be putting down a deposit as soon as they'll take one!

 

[Valdemar]

Or not. They will get better no doubt, but the significance of improvements is still an open question. I'm not holding my breath for any major breakthroughs in the next decade.

Wouldn't something with the capability of a Model S, at half the price, be a significant breakthrough? They should be delivering by 2017/2018.

It will be no doubt. But for it to happen the cost of the battery will need to be reduced to 1/3 of what it is today. Just looking at the cost of raw materials used in the battery I remain skeptical. A smaller more basic car with 150 mile all electic range with cost 40-50k is more likely, I do believe Tesla will make it.

 

[apvbguy]

A smaller more basic car with 150 mile all electic range with cost 40-50k is more likely, I do believe Tesla will make it.

the guy who can bring this to market, maybe between 35 and 45k will be the winner. the LEAF is a fine start but it's range limitations kill it

 

[IBELEAF]

I had the same feeling after owning Leaf for a while so traded in for Volt when I had the chance without much loss and since then the feeling is gone. Volt is perfect transition to the future of electric world without the stress and anxiety that comes with fully electric car.