Plans for replacement when lease runs out?

[TomT]

My lease is up in March 2015 so I expect there will be a number of options open at that time... About the only thing I am sure of is it won't be another Leaf unless there are some dramatic developments for MY 2015...

I very highly doubt my next EV will be a Leaf, and I most definitely will not even remotely consider buying out the lease. It's time to move on to something better (and by that, I mean the battery and lack of TMS)...

Unfortunately for those outside CA - apparently the only new option in 2014 would be i3 (now that Infiniti LE is moved out).

 

[evnow]

2015 may get interesting - a potential Gen 2 Leaf & Infiniti LE. But no new volume EVs I'm aware.

 

[PaulScott]

I traded my 2011 (VIN 000198) for a 2012 when they dropped the price last year. I plan on keeping it long term since I drive very carefully and expect it to serve my driving needs for at least 8-10 years. The only potential game changer is Tesla's Blue Star. If it's really going to have 200 mile range and fast charge capability for $35K, I might be persuaded to switch.

 

[TomT]

I assume that you either have a very short drive, keep your car in a refrigerator, or you are planning to invoke the $100 a month battery "deal..."

I traded my 2011 (VIN 000198) for a 2012 when they dropped the price last year. I plan on keeping it long term since I drive very carefully and expect it to serve my driving needs for at least 8-10 years.

 

[davewill]

I'm just now starting to noodle this. My lease is up next May, and the LEAF is probably still the front runner, although I leased my current LEAF with every intention of buying it, and I hate leasing another car I'm unwilling to purchase. The Volt is a strong contender since I'm fairly confident that I can make my weekday commute without needing gas. Four passengers is a bit of a bummer, but truth is, the few times we need to take 5 people, we could use the Prius. The new Spark EV is also temping now that Tony has found the freeway range is so much better than the LEAF. I don't really know if I want a car that small, however, I will definitely go out and test drive one.

I'd love to get a Tesla but that's out of the question. The RAV4EV is a possibility, too, but the sales price is a bit much...but having that extra range is tempting.

Sooooo right now, it's a big, "I dunno!"

 

[PaulScott]

I assume that you either have a very short drive, keep your car in a refrigerator, or you are planning to invoke the $100 a month battery "deal..."

I traded my 2011 (VIN 000198) for a 2012 when they dropped the price last year. I plan on keeping it long term since I drive very carefully and expect it to serve my driving needs for at least 8-10 years.

My commute is 30 miles, so that's well within the range of a ten year old LEAF (assuming). I also have charging at work.

 

[TomT]

It WOULD be kind of sad if you couldn't charge at work (which is a Nissan dealership)! :lol:

My commute is 30 miles, so that's well within the range of a ten year old LEAF (assuming). I also have charging at work.

 

[z0ner]

I'm just now starting to noodle this. My lease is up next May, and the LEAF is probably still the front runner, although I leased my current LEAF with every intention of buying it, and I hate leasing another car I'm unwilling to purchase. The Volt is a strong contender since I'm fairly confident that I can make my weekday commute without needing gas. Four passengers is a bit of a bummer, but truth is, the few times we need to take 5 people, we could use the Prius. The new Spark EV is also temping now that Tony has found the freeway range is so much better than the LEAF. I don't really know if I want a car that small, however, I will definitely go out and test drive one.

I'd love to get a Tesla but that's out of the question. The RAV4EV is a possibility, too, but the sales price is a bit much...but having that extra range is tempting.

Sooooo right now, it's a big, "I dunno!"

I bet the majority of folks, including myself, share the exact same opinions. The Honda FitEV was a competitor for awhile, until the LEAF came out with 6.0kW and all around price-reduction on their lease packages. I wish I could hold off a year to see what lies in store for MY2015, but unless I could lease a Volt / RAV4EV for a year on the cheap (doubtful), it'll probably be a SV in 2014.

 

[leafedbehind]

For those who would be willing to buy out the lease if the price was right, but are instead considering buying someone else's use LEAF -- wouldn't you think that Nissan would have the intelligence to work out a deal there? I mean, for them to take the car back and then have to sell it to someone else is going to cost them more than just giving you a break on buying out your own lease, and it also will help keep the used LEAF prices from plummeting even further. I have to imagine Nissan would have some flexibility here, for their own good as well as their lessees.

 

[TomT]

I think you answered your own question and could have stopped at "intelligence..." :roll:

... wouldn't you think that Nissan would have the intelligence to work out a deal there? ...

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

I mean, for them to take the car back and then have to sell it to someone else is going to cost them more than just giving you a break on buying out your own lease, and it also will help keep the used LEAF prices from plummeting even further. I have to imagine Nissan would have some flexibility here, for their own good as well as their lessees.

A few months ago I was thinking Nissan was going to be royally screwed when all these lease turnbacks start rolling in. Now we're hearing stories of demand picking up and production not meeting that demand, I'm not so sure. maybe the resale market will be stronger than previously thought.

IMO the real reason they don't want to facilitate people buying out their leases: they have determined that people coming out of Leaf leases are highly likely to lease another new one. Letting you buy out your used lease cheap would be counterproductive.

If they did have concerns about reselling those turnbacks a really cool program would be to allow you to buy out your existing lease at a reduced price IF you buy or lease another new Nissan (could be another Leaf or an ICE). You could resell the Leaf yourself, maybe to a neighbor or friend, keep it as an extra car, or pass it along to your kid, relative, etc. It would be a win-win, they get another new sale/lease out of the deal, in effect crowdsource the redistribution of the old cars, and quite possibly further grow the Leaf installed base to people who wouldn't otherwise get one.

 

[evnow]

For those who would be willing to buy out the lease if the price was right, but are instead considering buying someone else's use LEAF -- wouldn't you think that Nissan would have the intelligence to work out a deal there?

No. They don't want to set any precedents.

BTW, they can take the returned Leafs, refurbish and sell for higher or even sell outside the country for a very good profit.

 

[shrink]

I bought a Certified Preowned Tesla Roadster to replace the LEAF

The poor LEAF is currently on the outside looking in at my garage/driveway of plugin cars. I'm in Phoenix, so the LEAF has been a huge disappointment. The range is too limited and the degradation too great in this desert valley of urban sprawl.

If finances allow (which they probably won't having bought the Roadster), I'd like to replace the Volt with a used Tesla Model S with supercharger or base Model X with supercharger and go full BEV. One can dream...

 

[RonDawg]

According to this article, it is confirmed to come to the US "sometime in 2014."

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1084725_2014-audi-a3-e-tron-full-details-on-audis-plug-in-hybrid/page-2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Unlike the prototype eTron, this will be a PHEV.

Maybe I'm mistaking it for another Audi model, but I've seen an eTron parked at the Belmont quick charge station be t to the VW research facility.

You're probably seeing the prototype BEV eTron based upon the A3 8P (2006-2013) body style:

http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/audi-a3-e-tron-concept-photos-and-info" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The new A3 eTron will have the new bodystyle of the 2014 A3 models, which will share the same styling cues of the rest of the Audi lineup. However it will be a plug-in hybrid and not a pure EV like the prototype.

 

[Klayfish]

I just got my LEAF a few weeks ago, so I'm still 23.5 months from turn in. Love the car so far, so it would definitely be at the top of my replacement list. However, a car I've been eyeballing for months is the Elio. 3 wheels, small gas engine, tandem 2 seater. They claim 84mpg and a price around $7000 when it hits production. Almost like a Can Am Spyder with a roof, airbag and seat belts. http://www.eliomotors.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I'm very interested in it and have been following their development. However, I have doubts about whether it will ever see the light of day. And if it does, it's next summer at the earliest. So I figured I'd buy something while I wait and see how it pans out. The LEAF wound up being that car. If Elio makes it to market, I'll give it a few months to see what happens and go from there.

 

[KJD]

I bought a Certified Preowned Tesla Roadster to replace the LEAF
The poor LEAF is currently on the outside looking in at my garage/driveway of plugin cars. I'm in Phoenix, so the LEAF has been a huge disappointment. The range is too limited and the degradation too great in this desert valley of urban sprawl.
If finances allow (which they probably won't having bought the Roadster), I'd like to replace the Volt with a used Tesla Model S with supercharger or base Model X with supercharger and go full BEV. One can dream...

I think you have defined the ultimate garage inventory. Way to go.

 

[EVDRIVER]

For those who would be willing to buy out the lease if the price was right, but are instead considering buying someone else's use LEAF -- wouldn't you think that Nissan would have the intelligence to work out a deal there?

No. They don't want to set any precedents.

BTW, they can take the returned Leafs, refurbish and sell for higher or even sell outside the country for a very good profit.

Expect thousands to be headed to Norway!

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Expect thousands to be headed to Norway!

Can they collect some sort of government subsidy on used EVs resold in other countries? That could be a pretty good racket, keep moving the cars around, and pick up a few thousand dollars each step of the way.

 

[TomT]

Except that they may not meet European and country standards and thus not be salable there...

Expect thousands to be headed to Norway!

 

[evnow]

For ICE, it is not uncommon for Japanese companies to sell refurb cars in developing countries (I've seen that in Africa).

BTW, in terms of regulations, I'm not sure the same regulations apply for new & used cars in Europe. Does anyone know ?