"Trying to justify this by cash-flowing payments vs. fuel savings doesn't work. That payment is basically depreciation (esp. with most leases) and the primary factor in a car note. The depreciation will happen regardless of which vehicle (EV vs. ICE) is driven."
maybe. but it works for me.
I went from spending $450 to $500 a month in fuel (no joke delivery driver and my other job is 110miles round trip)
sure I have a metro but it is horrible for delivery for a big person like me. so I used the minivan. 13mpg delivering :-( ouch. but worth it for the comfort alone.
The LEAF is insanely comfortable and easy to get in and out of (I attribute this to the battery pushing the "seat" higher so the car from the perspective of a seated driver getting in or out is "higher" off the ground. way way way higher than the metro.
The leaf costs me $305 a month plus an extra $60 a month in insurance (over what I would pay without it)
so the "leaf" costs me $365 a month. which means I am actually saving money over paying for fuel to the tune of around $130 a month.
with lower gas prices its more like saving $60-$70 a month. but still a savings and not a shabby one either.
so after 3.5 years or so (100,000 miles) I will have saved enough in fuel to 100% pay for the car. ok $200 short.
ie the car is free for all intents and purposes financially.
I don't really care about depreciation as I never intend to sell the car. when the battery no longer gives me the range I need I will replace it and also around that time buy a newer 150-200 mile range leaf that should be out and affordable by that time.
keep the old leaf with its new battery as the "backup" to the new leaf (instead of the metro as the backup) in fact maybe I won't even replace the battery. even 40 miles (winter drop dead range estimate) would be plenty as a backup car IE enough charge would be replaced into the depleted new car (if it ever gets depleted) to switch back to it.
so instead of replacing the battery put that $6k into a new car and just keep running on the current battery. in another 3 or so years after that maybe more with its reduced usage then replace the battery.
I make less than $20k a year. for me its all financial why I got one now.
the other reasons which ARE important to me (green clean cheap fun etc..) are bonuses. but they are only bonuses to me. the $'s is the real motivation.
I take extreme pleasure in popping the finger metaphorically speaking at gas stations that used to vampire my wallet day in and day out