Would you still have gotten a Leaf if....

[Metalman]

If you knew it was going to be discontinued within the next couple of years?

I bought mine at full price as soon as it was available because I was concerned it WOULDN'T be available later on. Remember the EV1?

 

[Stanton]

If you knew it was going to be discontinued within the next couple of years?

I bought mine at full price as soon as it was available because I was concerned it WOULDN'T be available later on. Remember the EV1?

I have to admit that thought crossed my mind as well...

 

[treinjapan]

Yeah I remember the EV1! Never saw the documentary or did proper research though. Was it confirmed that it was really just a threat to big oil so it they were scrapped to keep everyone happy?

 

[keydiver]

Did your sales rep tried to upsell you for Murano so you will spend $$ on maintenance and oil changes?
That's sounds more likely.

That would be my guess too. Dealers have to be concerned about dropping maintenance revenues if electric cars become too popular. There's just not enough profit margin on wiper blades and cabin air filters.

 

[jelloslug]

Yeah I remember the EV1! Never saw the documentary or did proper research though. Was it confirmed that it was really just a threat to big oil so it they were scrapped to keep everyone happy?

An oil company bought up the patents for the battery in the EV1 and stopped selling or letting any other company sell the battery. With that said the market for EVs at that time was small and the purchase prices were very high. Most of them were sold in California to fulfill laws at the time and when they were no longer "required" to sell them they stopped making them.

 

[XeonPony]

just drove my leaf 64Km in a strong head wind at -30c (-22F) got to work with 19% left (But I pushed it at about 75/80Kmph as I left a hair late. thats with the factory tires and it is mostly snow and ice here in weyburn sask canada. so at the coazy warm tempos your talking about you got it made!.

I find range drop and slow charging starts at around -17c (Not a clue in feranhight)

These are the kinds of comments that give a guy like me a lot of comfort! Thanks so much for your input man. I don't often drive that far in one go, but it's good to know I can even if the temperatures drop like crazy.

just to warn you though that is with no heat, only the steering wheel and seat heaters, and allot of cloathing a blanket skie mask down jacket!

 

[treinjapan]

just drove my leaf 64Km in a strong head wind at -30c (-22F) got to work with 19% left (But I pushed it at about 75/80Kmph as I left a hair late. thats with the factory tires and it is mostly snow and ice here in weyburn sask canada. so at the coazy warm tempos your talking about you got it made!.

I find range drop and slow charging starts at around -17c (Not a clue in feranhight)

These are the kinds of comments that give a guy like me a lot of comfort! Thanks so much for your input man. I don't often drive that far in one go, but it's good to know I can even if the temperatures drop like crazy.

just to warn you though that is with no heat, only the steering wheel and seat heaters, and allot of cloathing a blanket skie mask down jacket!

Whoa, that's pretty brutal, haha.

How long after pre-heating does the car usually stay warm? Are heated seats enough in normal conditions, or do you find yourself bundling up like that all the time?

 

[RonDawg]

just to warn you though that is with no heat, only the steering wheel and seat heaters, and allot of cloathing a blanket skie mask down jacket!

Don't forget to take the ski mask off when you go into a grocery store or especially the bank!

http://youtu.be/3fuijhUn0pk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[ranss12]

The seat heater and heated steering wheel do a good job keeping me warm in the winter, even down into the teens (F). My problem is that about 3 or 4 minutes into my commute the front window starts to fog, so I need to defrost. In order for the defrost to act quickly, the cabin air heater liquid needs to be warm, and to do that, the heater needs to be on even if the defroster isn't. I wish I knew a way to keep the front window from fogging over!!

 

[Anonymous]

If you knew it was going to be discontinued within the next couple of years?

I bought mine at full price as soon as it was available because I was concerned it WOULDN'T be available later on. Remember the EV1?

This is exactly why I bought my Smart Fortwo Electric Drive for cash!

In 1996 I leased a Camaro Z28 and drove it like I stole it for 2 years and then gave it back to the dealer after seeing a news article on the GM EV1. I was going to save up some money to get one.

I had since waited >10 years for an electric car to be available in Canada. Finally got my Smart a few months ago and have never been happier with a vehicle in my life. I'm over the moon thrilled with this thing! Never going back to gas. You can't take it away from me now.

 

[jelloslug]

The seat heater and heated steering wheel do a good job keeping me warm in the winter, even down into the teens (F). My problem is that about 3 or 4 minutes into my commute the front window starts to fog, so I need to defrost. In order for the defrost to act quickly, the cabin air heater liquid needs to be warm, and to do that, the heater needs to be on even if the defroster isn't. I wish I knew a way to keep the front window from fogging over!!

Program your HVAC timer to warm the car before you leave, then when you need the defroster it will already be hot.

 

[XeonPony]

at -30c it is cold by the time I go 10 to 15Km the battery is stone cold by 20 it just stays hot long enough for you to get the car de-iced and get comfertable.

 

[GRA]

Yeah I remember the EV1! Never saw the documentary or did proper research though. Was it confirmed that it was really just a threat to big oil so it they were scrapped to keep everyone happy?

An oil company bought up the patents for the battery in the EV1 and stopped selling or letting any other company sell the battery. With that said the market for EVs at that time was small and the purchase prices were very high. Most of them were sold in California to fulfill laws at the time and when they were no longer "required" to sell them they stopped making them.

Insideevs.com interview with the EV1's marketing director:

http://insideevs.com/insideevs-exclusive-interview-with-general-motors-ev1-marketing-director-john-dabels-part-1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[treinjapan]

at -30c it is cold by the time I go 10 to 15Km the battery is stone cold by 20 it just stays hot long enough for you to get the car de-iced and get comfertable.

Wow, that's pretty quick. How about when it's only -10 or so?

tre

 

[XeonPony]

stays warm longer but not long enough, I turn the fan down to two bars and it seems to keep the heater drawing about 1.5kw (Eco mode does jack squate at regulating the heater) but as the temp goes down even then it will go to 3Kw

Basicaly you have 3 choices, range, speed, comfert, you can have any two at one time! but never all 3.

 

[Staque]

At a low enough temperature, you only get one.

 

[UBUYGAS]

Thank God it doesn't get that cold here. Only 20 degrees Fahrenheit. I have no idea what that is in Celsius.

I find range drop and slow charging starts at around -17c (Not a clue in feranhight)

F = (C*9/5) +32

Which is +1.4 deg. Fahrenheit, in this case.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Thank God it doesn't get that cold here. Only 20 degrees Fahrenheit. I have no idea what that is in Celsius.

20ºF is about -7ºC. XeonPony's -30ºC is -22ºF. That's serious cold to deal with in a LEAF!

 

[GRA]

Thank God it doesn't get that cold here. Only 20 degrees Fahrenheit. I have no idea what that is in Celsius.

20ºF is about -7ºC. XeonPony's -30°C is -22ºF. That's serious cold to deal with in a LEAF!

Or, for those who want to know (but can't be bothered to look it up):

°C = (°F - 32)*5/9

if reading equations with more than two terms give you a headache,

To convert °F to °C, deduct 32 from °F, then multiply by 5, then divide by 9

°C = (20°F - 32) = -12

-12 * 5 = -60

-60/9 = -6.66666666667, or -6 2/3°C

Or you could just use one of the numerous online converters, such as http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

but where's the fun in that?