News story broadcast on our Leaf last night!

[Benjenn]

I wish I could see how many comments the station has received.

 

[kentuckyleaf]

I haven't been able to get anything regarding our Leaf on air, and I know several of the news anchors personally. Go figure.

 

[Benjenn]

You should send them a link to our story so they can see how well it turned out and maybe see how many comments the station is getting. Maybe that will convince them.

 

[Benjenn]

You can also leave comments at the bottom of the page on the link.. Scroll down below the video and there is a printed story. Comments are below that. Someone commented that the number the anchor lady gave was stateside, not world wide sales.

 

[kentuckyleaf]

So I work at a television station. I offered up our Prius for a news story, no dice, I offer up the Leaf to two anchors, one said he was really interested, never happened. We did air a story about hypermiling, which is somewhat dangerous by the way, and they reported how great it is to get like 80mpg. I said for the same money that a gallon of gas costs, electricity will run my leaf nearly 200 miles, no special driving involved. No story. I'll keep on it, and let y'all know if anything comes from it.

 

[Benjenn]

And I work for the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives - but the Leaf is our personal car, not a company car. My boss doesn't want a company car with a limited range since we have co-ops all over the state - some hundreds of miles away. I don't even think he'd go for a Volt though -- but I may try that next time it's time to buy a new company car (shouldn't be too long). We do have one company car that is a Ford Fusion hybrid -- but it's not a plug in. I guess it's a start.

Two of our co-ops did apply for and receive the free Chargepoint charging stations that were offered last fall to employers with more than 50 employees. (Our office only has 20 so we didn't qualify.) I sent them the notification when I got it from Chargepoint and was happy they did something with it. They don't, however, have any electric vehicles. One of them is considering a Leaf for a run-around company car in their small town and the other one is considering one as a personal vehicle.

It's a slow process changing some people's minds and I'm not sure why. Those of us who are convinced seemed to get it right away. Why are so many people such doubting Thomases?

 

[davewill]

We used to have a 50% tax credit in Oklahoma. Seriously! But it was before EVs were available. People started trying to use that on the low-speed EVs (golf carts basically), the legislature panicked and the tax credit was eliminated. Sigh. Oh well, we thing having the car is credit enough. With the great lease deals out there now we wish we had waited and leased but someone has to take the plunge. We wouldn't trade it for anything.

Half?? The LEAF would have catapulted to the best selling vehicle in Oklahoma if they'd kept that. The funny part is that they ever passed it.

 

[Benjenn]

Yeah... and that tax credit was in place for several years, too. The only thing is there were NO electric cars available to purchase then. None. At all. So they were very safe. And as soon as people started trying to use the credit to purchase the low-speed electric vehicles - and a LOT of people did - they shut it down. Crazy.

 

[Benjenn]

Wow, just got several messages (email and Facebook) that friends have seen the news story on our Leaf again this morning. Cool that they first ran it Monday evening and it's still running! We are definitely getting the word out on how great the Leaf is! Too cool.

 

[Benjenn]

And it played again this morning! I bet a lot of people who had never heard of the Leaf before knows about them now!

 

[ERG4ALL]

Maybe our complements have made them realize that this may be going mainstream enough that the story should be replayed.

 

[Benjenn]

I think I'll email the reporter tomorrow, tell him how many views this has gotten on the forum and ask him how many comments and hits the station has received. I also posted the link on Facebook so I know a lot of people have viewed it that way, too. I hope it's been a big success for them... maybe it will encourage stations in other states to do something similar.

 

[Benjenn]

Just heard back from the reporter that he's amazed at how many emails he's getting from people outside the station's regular viewing area. That's too cool. Keep up the good work, everyone! Thanks!