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Want To Know What Life Is Like With An Electric Car? Watch This

 
1,878 views Oct 17, 2011
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Leaf Owner Talks About Owning His Leaf

Leaf Owner Talks About Owning His Leaf

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Here at Green Car Reports, we bring you the latest news in the world of green cars, covering everything from cars that get great gas mileage through to hybrids, alternative fuels and of course, plug-in cars. 

While we can tell you the latest news in the world of plug-in cars as well as share our own professional opinions of the cars available today, we can’t always tell you what it’s like to live with a specific electric car day in, day out.  

And when we do, it’s normally because we’re sharing our own experiences of owning green cars we’ve purchased as our own daily drivers. 


But over the weekend Autobloggreen featured a first-hand video account of what it’s like to  live with a 2011 Nissan Leaf, featuring Leaf owner Kevin Day. 

Shot as an entry into Zooppa’s “Changing Your City For The Better” contest, the short film shows what life is really like with an electric car. 

Professionally produced by Justin Adkinson Productions, the 3.5 minute video is one of the best videos about electric cars we’ve seen. Its simple message certainly beats the quirky gimmicks we’ve seen automakers use of late to try and get us to make the switch to electric. 

Covering everything from test-driving and buying through to refuelling, California's electric car perks and infrastructure, this film is a great first base for someone who hasn't yet has the chance to talk to an electric car owner.

Of course, nothing can come close to experiencing an electric car first-hand, but if you don’t have an electric car yet or can’t share yours with friends and family, make sure you tell them to watch this video.

The Electric Vehicle Story from Justin Adkinson Productions on Vimeo.

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Comments (13)

  1. CDspeed avatar CDspeed . Posted: 10/17/2011 9:39am PDT

    Excellent video, I often think that the best reviews come from the car owners. Owners can tell you what it's like to live with a car, the media can only give an opinion.
     
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  2. robok2 avatar robok2 Posted: 10/17/2011 11:57am PDT

    I could not agree with CDspeed more; the owners are the oens who really know what it's like to drive/own an EV. Well done, please share with the marketing departments at all OEMs, too...
     
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  3. ev_enthusiast avatar EV Enthusiast Posted: 10/17/2011 12:57pm PDT

    when all the leafs fall from the tree, the ground will be full of them (i still think 10 years is a conservative estimate regarding a time frame when new ice purchases will be very small).
     
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  4. fb_100002544459353 avatar Ramon Leigh Posted: 10/17/2011 6:17pm PDT

    I believe in truth, not BS and this video is full of the latter, and very little of the former. Anyone who believes, as this fellow apparently does, that by avoiding some gasoline by paying $40K for a commuter car (which likely will require a $12,000 new battery pack within 8 years) is a smart economic decision needs
    remedial math training. I can safely assume he's not an accountant. And buying an electric at this time will in no way propel the EV industry forward. Except possibly for the Tesla Model S, EVs are simply not economically viable at this point. Those others interested should not be early adopters. Wait for cost efficient batteries - they are not far off. Early adoption always means having to say "Boy, was I dumb."
     
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  5. fb_100002544459353 avatar Ramon Leigh Posted: 10/17/2011 6:28pm PDT

    It just occurred to me. I worked with many who came from So California and who related the lengthy commutes endured by many who live in that area. What happens if this guy has to change work location and suddenly has a 120 mile plus commute? That Leaf then becomes basically a large metal book end, wouldn't you say?
     
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  6. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 10/17/2011 7:39pm PDT

    @Ramon: Aha, you're back. Please share your sources showing that a Leaf will "likely require a $12,000 new battery pack within 8 years'.

    Note, by the way, that the Nissan battery-pack warranty extends 8 years, so if the car does need a pack within 8 years, Nissan will replace it. But I'd really like to see *any* supporting evidence or data you can provide that shows the Leaf "will" require a pack replacement. I've not seen any, so do please educate me and other readers by providing it.
     
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  7. Chris O avatar Chris O Posted: 10/18/2011 12:41am PDT

    In all fairness, batteries do wear out. It's not realistic to compare KW costs with gallon costs and claim that the difference is for your daughters college fund; you will need to make a reservation for battery replacement. Nissan does have an eight year warranty but also says that the battery will likely be at 70% by that time which leaves a range of 51 miles (EPA) which is hardly an acceptable range IMHO. So yes, I believe replacement will be in order and so far it's only speculation how much that will cost. On the bright side: Nissan has announced better (lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide) batteries by 2015 that will expand range to 180 miles at the same cost. So come replacement time you might actually end up with a far better car.
     
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  8. CDspeed avatar CDspeed . Posted: 10/18/2011 7:12am PDT

    The cost of replacing the batterie is similar to the cost of overhauling an ICE car. This happened to one of my family members recently, her car was nearing 100,000 miles and was 8 years old, several major components in the engine, steering, and suspension system needed replacing due to wear. The total bill was near $11,500 for the overhaul but it turned out the car was only worth $8,000 in trade, so the decision was made to trade it. My point is that after eight years your going to see a high repair bill on any car weather it's a batterie or an overhaul of an ICE, so picking on the price of batteries is pointless.
     
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  9. Chris O avatar Chris O Posted: 10/18/2011 8:33am PDT

    Picking on the price of batteries is pointless...tell that to the guy you want to sell your car to after eight years! Good point though that every car has it's running cost,though an anecdotal story about an eight year old car running repairs in the same ballpark as a battery replacement is of course not typical for ICE running cost. Still, over 8 years an ICE car is bound to have a lot more maintenance cost than a battery electric vehicle so it's fair to strike that against the cost of replacing the battery. And like I mentioned, the next pack might actually turn your Leaf in a car with almost twice the range.
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