electric cars catching on?

[paddlenbike]

I am seriously looking at getting one when its time to get a new commuter. 50 miles a day.

For now I recommend leasing until we see how the batteries hold up long term. The early Leafs had a cell chemistry that degraded prematurely in hot climates. Cell chemistry was revised for my model year (2013) to be more heat tolerant and it was revised again in 2015, so I wouldn't buy until they figure out what works best. From what I can tell, I have between 1 and 2 percent degradation in a year and 10,000 miles. That doesn't mean much now but 8 years from now? Particularly since today's EVs are all stuck with <100 miles of range.

By comparison, a direct injected gasoline car sees triple that amount of degradation from fuel deposits on the valves leading to reduced performance, reduced mileage and thus reduced range.

[Seanz0rz]

I would be leasing if I did. Since it's purely a commuter, I should have no problem hitting a mileage target.

[paddlenbike]

The lower model Leafs (without NAV) seem to be leasing for around $220 per month. If you take the $2,500 state rebate and break that down monthly over the 36 months of a lease, that's $70/mo off, or a total effective lease cost of $150/mo. I think that would offset most people's gas charges. (Driving a brand new car for $150/mo is pretty awesome.)

Most 3 year lessees can't make it 45k on the OEM tires (the instant torque shreds the tires pretty quick) and the car has to be returned with legal tread, so a set of tires is generally the only thing you have to pay for. There is no maintenance other than a free once a year battery check.

Got this last week on the dashcam...smoked a newer 2WD V8 Silverado 3 times in a row. The only way you can tell how hard he is working is to listen to the audio. Poor V8 got smoked by a stupid organic vegetarian rechargeable car that gets 129 MPGe.
http://youtu.be/2RD0RQb8LQU

The only sound you can hear from the Leaf is the turn signal indicator, haha.

[paddlenbike]

I thought this was a clever way to advertise how cheap it is to drive electric. This shows the electricity consumption of your household appliances over one year and how far you could drive an EV on that same amount of electricity.

[Good Times]

great advertising. the visuals are great!

you still won't see me in one of those. I don't think I would be able to fit in one comfortably!

[paddlenbike]

you still won't see me in one of those. I don't think I would be able to fit in one comfortably!

Considering most of them only have an hour and a half of range, comfort isn't an issue, haha.

[Good Times]

really only 1.5hr range!? that definitely won't get me places here in LA! funny thing is that I see a ton of these 500e's on the road. now that I know it's only a 1.5hr range I'm really shocked I see em as much as I do!

[paddlenbike]

really only 1.5hr range!? that definitely won't get me places here in LA! funny thing is that I see a ton of these 500e's on the road. now that I know it's only a 1.5hr range I'm really shocked I see em as much as I do!

I should have qualified that statement by saying an hour and a half at freeway speeds. During that storm last year that trapped a bunch of cars on the freeway overnight back east, the electric cars were able to go all night with the heat running while the gas cars were either running out of fuel or they were sitting in them freezing to death. EVs are extremely efficient in low to mid speed driving or especially in stop and go traffic due to regeneration on braking. They go through the juice at highway speeds though...I think the electric motor in mine is turning 10,000 RPMs at 75 mph.

[paddlenbike]

This is awesome.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1tJMzstL_Q

(vid is 27 seconds)

[Kryptoroxx]

This made my morning!