I am going to get the LEAF battery replaced, but I'll still be limited to 84 miles range. Hopefully by the end of this year or early next year there is a vehicle that suits me better. The LEAF 2 is what I'm really curious about. If it doesn't live up to the hype then I'll look at the Kia Soul again. The Soul is supposed to be getting a 30 kW battery for 2018, and there may be a 120 mile range Niro EV coming out soon. With all the longer range vehicles on the market Kia may have to drop the price significantly. I should test drive the Ioniq at some point, but I'm really more interested in a hatchback.
Normally I would buy, but I'm planning to lease because I can use it as a tax write off for my company. Also, I was very shocked by the depreciation of my LEAF. I bought it figuring gas prices would continue to rise and a used LEAF would be much more valuable. Of course gas dropped and the battery turned out to be a dud. If Nissan weren't helping replace the battery, then the car would pretty much be useless. I couldn't in good conscience sell it someone else unless they really knew just how limited an 8 bar LEAF is - even for the paltry $4000 it would probably fetch. So I will lease, I don't want to get burned again, especially when 2020 looks to be the year that multiple long range larger vehicles from a number of different manufacturers may start to appear. By 2021 hopefully I can buy a great vehicle and drive that for a decade or so.
Normally I would buy, but I'm planning to lease because I can use it as a tax write off for my company. Also, I was very shocked by the depreciation of my LEAF. I bought it figuring gas prices would continue to rise and a used LEAF would be much more valuable. Of course gas dropped and the battery turned out to be a dud. If Nissan weren't helping replace the battery, then the car would pretty much be useless. I couldn't in good conscience sell it someone else unless they really knew just how limited an 8 bar LEAF is - even for the paltry $4000 it would probably fetch. So I will lease, I don't want to get burned again, especially when 2020 looks to be the year that multiple long range larger vehicles from a number of different manufacturers may start to appear. By 2021 hopefully I can buy a great vehicle and drive that for a decade or so.
GerryAZ said:$1500 makes the car you already own like new again. If you lease the Soul, you pay $200 per month and end up with no car when the lease ends. Are you sure you want to give up the LEAF? I am an old guy who likes the Soul and I might have purchased one if they had been available in AZ when I had to replace my 2011. The Soul EV is still not available here.