DaveinOlyWA
Well-known member
i would have to say the biggest thing i did not know was how easy it would be to compromise to help make the LEAF work
1) driving slower is something i have done since in got my first Prius in June/2004 so not really an issue there. i drive around 62 mph in the Prius, i knew that i would probably be driving as little as 55 mph in the Leaf. driving slower has not bothered me at all. as far as other drivers on the road? dunno, cant read minds and anyone who chooses to follow me on a multi lane road apparently is ok with it too
2) scrambling around looking for charging stations. i admit, in the beginning i did this a lot more than i do now. mostly because i am more comfortable with the range, there are simply a lot more charging options and i began to realize i was saving less than pennies by rearranging my schedule to charge publicly. so, if i was there and had a minute, i did it. if i wasnt, i did not.
3) not going somewhere because of range or charge time issues. having two cars, i strongly question why anyone would be in that situation. for a time, i had 3 cars just in case. was simply a big waste of money and time. after 3-4 months of going out to start up my 2006 Prius once a week, i sold it on craigslist. it had not moved an inch during that time and was averaging 19 MPG, it was very embarrassing!
4) modifying my driving due to dropping range issues. well, no loss in range as of yet, but the longest regular drive we have just put a DCFC a mile away from the destination. a 5 minute charging stop is more than enough to take care of a 20% degradation in winter. plus, new charging stations are announced almost daily.
5) Accepting the Leaf's limitations concerning comfort. this is the biggest concern i have i guess. i dont understand why the Cold Climate package was not included in the 2011 and i think its Nissan's biggest mistake, but as a consumer looking in, there is little i can see and all of that is controlled by Nissan. they may have very good reasons for it. i often wondered if getting heated seats required me to wait another 6 months would i have done it? the answer always comes up as "no". now, on Jan 11, 2011 a week before i took delivery, you dont have to have much training in Human Psychology to understand the answer, but a few days short of 18 months later, for the answer to be the same is a testament to something. of course, that could be my burnt out brain cells at fault
1) driving slower is something i have done since in got my first Prius in June/2004 so not really an issue there. i drive around 62 mph in the Prius, i knew that i would probably be driving as little as 55 mph in the Leaf. driving slower has not bothered me at all. as far as other drivers on the road? dunno, cant read minds and anyone who chooses to follow me on a multi lane road apparently is ok with it too
2) scrambling around looking for charging stations. i admit, in the beginning i did this a lot more than i do now. mostly because i am more comfortable with the range, there are simply a lot more charging options and i began to realize i was saving less than pennies by rearranging my schedule to charge publicly. so, if i was there and had a minute, i did it. if i wasnt, i did not.
3) not going somewhere because of range or charge time issues. having two cars, i strongly question why anyone would be in that situation. for a time, i had 3 cars just in case. was simply a big waste of money and time. after 3-4 months of going out to start up my 2006 Prius once a week, i sold it on craigslist. it had not moved an inch during that time and was averaging 19 MPG, it was very embarrassing!
4) modifying my driving due to dropping range issues. well, no loss in range as of yet, but the longest regular drive we have just put a DCFC a mile away from the destination. a 5 minute charging stop is more than enough to take care of a 20% degradation in winter. plus, new charging stations are announced almost daily.
5) Accepting the Leaf's limitations concerning comfort. this is the biggest concern i have i guess. i dont understand why the Cold Climate package was not included in the 2011 and i think its Nissan's biggest mistake, but as a consumer looking in, there is little i can see and all of that is controlled by Nissan. they may have very good reasons for it. i often wondered if getting heated seats required me to wait another 6 months would i have done it? the answer always comes up as "no". now, on Jan 11, 2011 a week before i took delivery, you dont have to have much training in Human Psychology to understand the answer, but a few days short of 18 months later, for the answer to be the same is a testament to something. of course, that could be my burnt out brain cells at fault
