Has anyone done a cost/benefit analysis of a Leaf as a second/alternate car to a gas guzzler SUV that's needed occasionally for hauling stuff or trudging through snowstorms? My calc's for ICE consistently said a second vehicle wouldn't be cost effective. Leaf is coming up on the losing side too assuming standard depreciation, 4 year battery life, 1.52 cent kwh nighttime charging rate, 60 mile/day use for 5 days per week. And this is compared to a 13mpg guzzler.
Leaf as a second car?
- Thread starter SkiTundra
- Start date
Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:
evnow
Well-known member
How many cars do you have in your family ? Most of us intend to use Leaf as our primary car, not an occassional use car. Yhat is the best use for EVs.SkiTundra said:
walterbays
Well-known member
I expect it would always compute out more cost effective to own a single car, even a gas guzzler, than to add a second car whether EV, hybrid, or cheap efficient ICE. Insurance alone is a large cost to drive a car even 1 mile per year. But then you might also find it's not cost effective to buy a single SUV versus owning no car, buying a transit pass and renting cars occasionally on weekends. Owning 1 car is largely a matter of convenience, as is owning 2 instead of 1. So if you decide on 2, would an EV, hybrid, or cheap efficient ICE work best for you?SkiTundra said:
Earlier some folks here took issue with the characterization of Leaf as a "second car" if, as you noted, it would provide the majority of miles driven with the other car used on special occasions, long trips, hauling, etc.
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=735&start=290
Randy
Well-known member
Hey SkiTundra,
That's some pretty cheap night time charging. I thought I was doing pretty well at 7 cents. Where is it that cheap?
Randy
That's some pretty cheap night time charging. I thought I was doing pretty well at 7 cents. Where is it that cheap?
Randy
IBELEAF
Well-known member
I am considering Leaf to be our secondary car because we are keeping SUV which is a daily car for my wife as well. I think it's safe to assume that replacing our semi-efficient ICE with EV will not provide any savings at least in the first 3-4 years. Btw, our cost of gas for last year was over $3k with 2 cars and about 20k miles.
evnow
Well-known member
Do you use only one car everyday ?IBELEAF said:
This whole idea of primary/second is weird. We have two primary cars. I use one and my wife uses the other for daily commuting. Evenings & weekends we take one of the cars. Long trips we take one of the cars. Only long trips can't be handled by Leaf.
Jimmydreams
Well-known member
SkiTundra said:
4 year battery life? Perhaps you should let Nissan know that that's all the battery life we can expect. :roll:
IBELEAF
Well-known member
evnow said:
I guess it's the same to us, with having two primary cars for daily use and one of them becomes secondary on the weekend or long trips.
All in all the Leaf appears to be a good fit for you. If you're spending $250/month on gas for the car your're getting rid of, and you live in CA and can get a rebate, then while you many not save much you won't spend any more. Say you lease a Leaf for $350\month. Subtract the $250\month you're paying for gas. Subtract the $139\month from the rebate. Add back in $50\month for electricity for the Leaf. It's more or less a wash, though the Leaf should cost you less after accounting for maintenance and such things as oil changes for the ICE car.IBELEAF said:
As for using the Leaf as a 1st/2nd car, my guess would be that this will be the situation in 90% of the cases. Some here will argue that the Leaf can be our only car but outside a small minority that hardly seems realistic. The Leaf may end up as the third or even the fourth car for a lot of families.
smkettner
Well-known member
I have a 10 year old 15 mpg F150 4wd that I need periodically and I think I want an economy car. Leaf will be the second vehicle and the truck will be the third.
I have always been intrigued by the hybrids but they are too much gas and not enough electric. Then along comes the simple 100% electric Leaf and I want it. Had been watching Volt but again too much gas and not enough electric. And Volt is way complex that I do not want.
A used econo car would be low cost but the tax incentives that may go away have me in a Leaf.
Cars do not need to pay for themselves. If you like it and it fits your lifestyle... go for it.
I have always been intrigued by the hybrids but they are too much gas and not enough electric. Then along comes the simple 100% electric Leaf and I want it. Had been watching Volt but again too much gas and not enough electric. And Volt is way complex that I do not want.
A used econo car would be low cost but the tax incentives that may go away have me in a Leaf.
Cars do not need to pay for themselves. If you like it and it fits your lifestyle... go for it.
Take a look at my cost of ownership posting here:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2471
I made the assumption that the battery would last according to the warranty, the SDGE rates in San Diego, etc.
The bottom line was that with a lower maintenance and fuel plus rebates, that the cost was lower at $.19/mile than any standard car.
Clearly you can have worse case scenarios but it seems to me that it should beat or come close to a normal car with a range restriction. If you can get an employer plug-in that nearly goes away.
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2471
I made the assumption that the battery would last according to the warranty, the SDGE rates in San Diego, etc.
The bottom line was that with a lower maintenance and fuel plus rebates, that the cost was lower at $.19/mile than any standard car.
Clearly you can have worse case scenarios but it seems to me that it should beat or come close to a normal car with a range restriction. If you can get an employer plug-in that nearly goes away.
Similar threads
