LEAF Couple Describe Their EV Experience

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LEAF Couple Describe Their EV Experience

[IMG]http://nissan-leaf.net/wp-content/uploa ... an-677.jpg[/IMG]

"LEAF owners have been actively posting their real-life experiences with the all-electric vehicle on the Nissan LEAF Drivers website.
Like most LEAF owners, The Sweeneys knew that the EV would have limited range; therefore they decided to use the vehicle for around-town and commuter trips solely.
They said, “The majority of our trips are generally in the 10-to-20-mile round-trip range, but have been in the mid 80-mile range as well. Range anxiety is not an issue for us”
According to The Sweeneys, their cost for electricity is $.0208/kWh. Their LEAF averages 3.6 miles/kWh at the 120 VAC wall receptacle, which equals $.0058 per mile. The family’s previous internal combustion engine (ICE) daily vehicle averaged 18.5 miles/gallon. If you do the math at $3.50/gallon, that is $.1892/mile, which made their ICE vehicle fuel cost per mile 32.62 times more expensive than the Nissan LEAF.
“Our insurance company was a bit taken back when we dropped two ICE vehicles and added the LEAF. The agent was aware of the LEAF but had not yet processed a request for coverage. Lots of questions, mostly about how we liked the vehicle and what it could and would do for us. The final cost for equivalent full coverage was the same as just one of the vehicles being replaced, a savings of approximately $600 each year,” The Sweeneys said.
With the Nissan LEAF, the family doesn’t have to worry about filters, fluids, and general maintenance like they had to with an ICE vehicle. The cost of such things vary by vehicle, but can become rather expensive as the years go by.
The Sweeneys say the LEAF’s performance is excellent and the car is generally fun to drive. “It has the current technologies and provides for their interfaces. It is agile and comfortable; a really fun-to-drive vehicle. Did we mention—it is just downright good-lookin?”
To sum up their experience with the Nissan LEAF vehicle so far, The Sweeneys had this to say, “When the intangibles such as being less dependent on oil, cleaner air and a much lower carbon footprint are factored in, we must say, ‘That LEAF is working out just fine for us!’”

Em: http://nissan-leaf.net/2012/01/16/leaf- ... xperience/