Thank you! I appreciate your feedback, and I hope you're enjoying this EV channel

Absolutely. You keep making he videos, I'll keep watching.

I'm not so sure about that, but thank you for the compliment. Just doing what I can, and sharing my experiences in hopes others will do the same

Thank you for the kind words! If you enjoyed this video you'll probably like our 2017 Volt Review as well: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qMyIrNdistnbfnU.html Although I've heard this 2nd generation Volt is not available in the UK

So happy to hear you're looking into getting at EV! What vehicles are you looking at? You may enjoy this video of my wife's 2017 Chevy Volt kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qMyIrNdistnbfnU.html&lc=z122vzlozzuoyjyx404citlg3x21fdiipls0k

Thank you for the kind words! That's all I want my videos to be. I'm happy to hear you found the video helpful and I'd love to hear back if you end up driving an EV one day! You may enjoy our Chevy Volt video as well since it's a range-extended EV (gas engine backup) and may be a simpler first step before going 100% electric: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qMyIrNdistnbfnU.html

Yes, seems like you've found the simple secret to maximizing range. It's surprising to see the difference in range you can achieve just by going 60mph instead of 65 & simply staying within the speed limit. And regen is an amazing creation! Sounds like you're making your commute just fine, but I'm curious if you have any chargers near home/work or along the way in between? Just did a video on public chargers that you may find interesting: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/f7Bld5uDrJ_IiKc.html

EVerything I actually do have some chargers near my work and near me. Sadly I wish i had watched your video sooner I was a bit confused the first time I tried to use one 😅

Incredible! So happy to be a part of your decision to drive electric. Are you buying new or used? Still love the car, and am on Leaf #2 now almost 4 years after getting my first one.

+bison4me So I shouldn't say too much, but let's just say i'm an engineer who has insight into the infrastructure plans for the US and you can expect a whole lot more level 3 quick chargers built in between cities in the next few years... and they're designed for 150 kW charging (three times as much as the current charging rate of 50 kW). Other OEM's aren't going to let Tesla hog all of the spotlight. There's a whole lot to look forward to :)

Montana is horrible, almost non-existent with the chargers. Zero level 3 statewide outside of Tesla, and spotty level 2 at best.

Thank you, that makes me very proud and happy to hear. That's what this channel is all about, so hearing back from viewers like you is very encouraging for me to continue making videos. And you were smart going with a used Leaf as well (something I kind of wish I'd done) so probably got a very good deal!

EVerything Oh yeah I got a great deal I got my 2015 SV leaf with only 5000 miles on it for about $12000 it was amazing.

I don't recall everything I said in this video (one of my very first for the channel), but you are correct that using a level 2 charger will speed things up significantly. We were able to survive off of level 1 pretty easily though, with 80% achievable overnight depending how late we plugged in. 2018 and newer Leafs (SV or higher trim, I believe) do come with a dual charger that does both level 1 & 2, which I wish was available as standard on all Leafs. Mine had the CHAdeMO fast-charge port, and I never used that until the day we sold the Leaf just a few weeks ago. The dealer buying our car was 300 miles away, so I became quite familiar with Electrify America chargers along the way. Very fast charging option when I needed it! I did however notice the battery got quite hot after the first couple level 3 fast charges.

That's wonderful news! I imagine you got a great deal too. Hope you enjoy driving yours as much as I do mine. Would love to hear your feedback and experiences of driving the car maybe a few months or even a year down the road

Thank you! I hope it was helpful. Are you looking to buy an EV?

Happy to hear you found it helpful! You may also enjoy our review of the 2017 Chevy Volt: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qMyIrNdistnbfnU.html

Thank you, and I'm happy to hear the information was valuable! You may enjoy another video about my wife's 2017 Chevy Volt if you're in the market for an EV: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qMyIrNdistnbfnU.html

Congrats! Same here, and it feels great not having a car payment anymore. Might upgrade to a Bolt EV in a couple years once more off-lease Bolts show up on the used EV market

+JoeyRodz74 I definitely look at the percentage over the range indicator. And wow, 6.5 mi/kwh! I was happy to see mine rise to 4.8 from 4.7, but I often have to get on the highway

That's very exciting to hear! Glad you enjoyed the test drive. If you're concerned about range, or just want a gasoline backup for longer trips, check out our brand new review of the 2017 Chevy Volt: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qMyIrNdistnbfnU.html

I'm happy to hear you will be driving an EV very soon!

Congrats! If you live in a home or somewhere you can have a 240v plug installed, you should realistically get all your charging needs met at home as long as you're not driving more than 100 miles daily.

Any chance you're driving a 2016 Leaf with the new 30kwh battery? Curious to know the real-world mileage of that battery pack compared to the EPA estimated range of 107 miles per charge.

EVerything I have a 2015 S so I have the 24kWh battery. Range varies damatically. Driving down the Freeway 80 mph in 10F weather with the heater on gets about 2/3 as it would in the city on a pleasant day. Rural/city driving beats the state 84 miles range but most often I come well under that because I do a lot of freeway driving and I have a lead foot.

Yeah, the lead foot can be a problem! I drive with a very light touch, and I like that the Leaf rewards efficient driving. The other day my wife took the Leaf to work, which is about 50 miles total to and from. She started with a full charge but barely made it back home, and said she even cut the AC off when she saw the battery was getting low. Then today I drove her to work, as well as ran some errands that added another 10 miles, with AC on, and we made it home with 40% left! I must just have the magic touch.

EVerything My wife loved the Volt because she knew that she would always get home. But she won't drive the Leaf. I prefer pure EV but I might go back to the Volt when the lease is up.

Depending when your lease is up (mine will be in 2018), you should at least have the Bolt available as an option as well as the new BMW i3 with increased range. We'll see what the Leaf 2.0 turns out like, but I'm leaning towards Bolt at the moment.

Thanks, I do try to stay objective. It would probably be accurate to describe me as an EV fanboy, but I try my best to hold those emotions at bay & just present information that may be helpful to car buyers in general who are curious about driving electric.

That's great to hear! The newer Leafs can go 107 miles, so basically 25% more range than mine. Although you can find amazing deals on used Leafs with relatively low mileage

What's the total range you can squeeze out of your BMW i3 after using both battery and gas? The BMW i3 has always been the EV I really want, but just haven't been able to justify the premium price for only moderate EV range. Substantial boost coming for the 2017 model though!

Never heard any noise like that. Beyond the gentle whirring of the electric motor, it's a silent ride.

Joe Edwards thank you for the very kind words, my friend! Would love to hear your feedback when you get your Leaf. The 2018 model comes out in September with new looks & likely 200+ miles of range if you can wait that long

I am not in a hurry. I have 11 more payments on my 2010 Civic, so I can wait. Yes, I heard the 2018 would have a 200 mile (or more) range. I would like to use this car drive drive to UNT, which is a 100 mile trip.

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Do you drive an EV?

+Ryan Ziems Glad you found it helpful! Are you looking into purchasing an EV or driving one already?

I've been reading about that group-buy in Quebec! What an awesome thing to be a part of. And thank you so much for the kind words! If you enjoyed this review, you should also like the 2017 Chevy Volt review: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qMyIrNdistnbfnU.html

Canadians are awesome!

My mother's side is Canadian, and I'm hoping my dual citizenship comes in handy in the event of a zombie outbreak or a Trump presidency

I'm sure it's possible. My initial reservations would be that the added weight of a generator would decrease efficiency as well as increase drag at higher driving speeds. And for those like myself who value the zero-emission aspect of EVs over the driving range, I really wouldn't want to add anything that burns gasoline to my vehicle. We have the Volt for that!

Just installed one last week! Very cool program through my electricity provider where we are metered separately for our charging energy for a flat rate of $30/mo. This should also reduce our normal household electric bill as we have been paying tier 2 and tier 3 electricity rates due to the amount of charging we do. What kind of music does your band play? You can check mine out here kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gd97opNz2tHKZmw.html

Seems that purchasing a used EV is an absolutely solid option these days. I keep reading articles about how low off-lease Leafs are and it blows my mind! Kind of wish I'd purchased used myself honestly. If you're worried about the battery replacement policy, you should be covered under Nissan's warranty for something like 8 years or 100,000 miles. I'd avoid any Leaf models older than 2013 probably, as battery degradation has almost certainly set in. But I'm almost at 20,000 miles on mine and battery capacity seems the same as the day I bought the car. I'd say go for it!

Thank you! Trying to get a video together that talks about using public chargers. Just need to find time to put it all together

That's a great idea, as used Leaf prices are so incredibly low right now! Lots of used EVs are coming off-lease which presents many bargain opportunities to those considering a used EV

Chris R i am going to drive a leaf while I am in college. after i graduate i will get a tesla.

rap rhino I'm happy to hear it! Maybe you'll get lucky and have car chargers at your college campus. There are usually at least 2 at each campus I've been to in my area

That's great to hear! Ford is developing its F-150 Hybrid, so I'm sure a plug-in truck will be here in the next few years. Once those and electric SUVs arrive I think EV adoption will skyrocket

+Modesta Magdula Very exciting! Beautiful color, and I hope you fall in love with driving electric

just leased a 2016 Pearl Blue SL wooo.

+EVerything I hope so I had a good decisions to made. I will have my car next month.. thanks

which trim?

+DSC800 Very cool to hear you have surplus energy from solar! I don't know that much has changed in the Leaf since 2013 other than "battery chemistry" which perhaps makes the newer batteries more dense. I can't say I know much about the technical aspects of the battery itself, but I wouldn't let the low price dissuade you from considering a used Leaf. Electric vehicles, and the Leaf especially, seem to have a high depreciation after just a couple years. Some of this has to do with the federal incentives that are taken off the sticker price at the time of purchase, but I've read some positive stories online from used Leaf owners: www.treehugger.com/cars/life-used-nissan-leaf-first-month.html

Well, my situation grants me free charging to most chargers in my area. That is because we subscribe to a wind energy program (more expensive) and get free public charger access throughout the city as a perk. I'd definitely look into similar programs that may be offered in your area, but generally I see the Chargepoint chargers showing $2/hour. That's a pretty steep rate hike in my opinion and would be an expensive way to charge when it costs me just over $2 total to charge my battery completely full at home. I guess if you drive longer distances and really need the charge it's an acceptable expense, but I only seek out chargers 2 or 3 times a month. Walgreens have a better system where they charge you about 40-cents per kwh, so you save a little money and you can stop the charge whenever you want as opposed the the $2/hour scheme that charges you for the entire hour even if you unplug a minute or two after the new hour starts. Hope I answered your question somewhere in this ramble. Basically, I see $2/hour to charge at most public chargers and can charge my battery to full at home for about $2.45

Well that or stop at a public charger somewhere. There is lots of public (often free) charging in my area, but that's not necessarily the case for everyone. Before considering an EV you need to evaluate your driving needs, but for most people an EV will at least work as a commuter vehicle where it excels at driving efficiency with slower city speeds. I drive about 25 miles daily and only charge up every other day or so. For longer trips we take our Chevy Volt since it has a gas generator to power the battery, and similar systems can be found in the Prius Prime, BMW i3 REX, and Ford Energi models. There really are quite a variety of plug-in vehicles to meet everyone's travel needs. I've never run out of a charge though, yet I occasionally see people walking with gas cans or pushing their cars to the nearest gas station. Honestly, how do people run out of gas?

+marve6969 Thank you for watching it! I'm working on a video review for the new 2017 Chevy Volt, so stay tuned for that

We recently had one installed in our garage this month! Loving the faster charge times between both the Leaf and my wife's Volt

Yes, the torque is fun! No Renault Zoe here in the States, but I've been reading about the ZE40 available overseas. We probably won't see a 200+ mile range Leaf for a year or two, but the Chevy Bolt (Ampera in Europe?) is fast approaching with 238 miles on a charge! The next-gen Leaf better have some improved looks to stay competitive with what's coming in the EV market

The Chevy Bolt (Opel Ampera-E I believe in Europe) isn't available in RHD unfortunately so no UK models. The next gen Nissan Micra looks really great so I am hoping they may do something similar styling wise with the Leaf (the Leaf's looks have grown on me and I think it looks OK in black)

How is your 2011 holding up range-wise? Heard that battery degradation was more apparent in early Leaf models, but none for me yet at 21,000 miles in just under 2 years

Yeah, each summer mine takes a hit. Mine was manufactured in March 2011. It is bouncing between 64% and 66% health depending on how cold it is outside. Last night Leaf Spy said it had 45.52 amp hours, but that changes up and down constantly. It is still overtaking our Civic on miles driven because we never hesitate to drive it in town. Even getting a can of soda 2 miles away does not ever constitute a waste of gas in it. I had a funny discovery last night. It's unrelated to the range though. I was sitting outside of Kohl's waiting for my family to finish their shopping and I ran the heater in the parking lot for an hour. When I turned the heater on I had 7.3 kw remaining in the battery. However, after about 15 minutes of running the cabin heater, Leaf Spy said my battery had 7.4 kw in it. The battery temperature was floating around in the mid 60's while the outside temperature was 50 Fahrenheit. My guess is that heating the cabin heated the battery up a little and unlocked a little more juice. I'm not sure. It did explain why my car range estimate didn't drop the entire time. I have about 43,800 miles on my Leaf right now.

Yes, hopefully these newer 200+ mile range EVs will bring the price of the Leaf and other lower range models down. Exciting times ahead!

+bison4me Glad to hear you're loving the Leaf and getting the performance and range you need even in the cold weather! My wife is still nervous to drive mine as she's afraid she'll run out of range, but I'm hoping to get her into the new Volt when it's available this Spring. What did you not like about the Volt? I'd imagine space was an issue, especially in the back where you put your booster/child seat.

Exactly, it's not really a vehicle for a family with young children. For a single guy or couple with no children I can see it. When I take the booster and child seats out, I can sit adults, my parents in particular, in the back seat comfortably. I sat in the back seat of the Volt during my test drive, being 6'1" I knew I couldn't tolerate five minutes back there. During Christmas we have family come to town and I must make pickups from the air port or make last minute runs to the mall. There were occasions where I was able to fit three adults comfortably for these activities. I couldn't imagine being able to do it in a Volt. Also, I'm not a fan of being dependent on oil controlled by a cartel (OPEC) made up of members of countries who are not very good terms with our country right now. I know for most this is not an issue, but to each his own. A fully electric vehicle was what I was looking for and the Leaf was it for us.

+bison4me I think the Volt will work well for my wife to ease her "range anxiety" and warm her up to driving a fully electric vehicle one day. I also feel we need at least one gasoline vehicle for trips out of town, but the Volt can be driven as pure EV unlike a Prius so that's a plus! I'm ready to give up my Leaf when the Bolt (Opel Ampera-E in Europe, I believe) arrives later this year, but it's been great introduction to driving electric so far.

+EVerything true the Volt can be driven solely as an EV but you only get anywhere between 48 - 53 real world miles from it. The Bolt looks interesting, I haven't been able to get in one yet. But it looks versatile like the Leaf. The range on paper is excellent, but I'd be interested in seeing how many real world miles it gets. By the time my lease is up on this current Leaf in 2018, Nissan should have its 200 mile range leaf out by that time. Nissan has a deal in place now to work with Panasonic in making a Versa/Note EV. Panasonic makes the batteries for Tesla, so I'm very anxious to see out this partnership will work out.

Thanks! On my second Nissan LEAF now and still love the car

Thank you, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Coming up on year 2 with the Leaf, so planning to post another update then

Happy to hear you found the info helpful, and it's exciting to know you'll be an EV driver one day soon!

Thank you for watching! More videos on the way soon

Thank you so much! Are you an EV driver or just someone interested in driving electric eventually?

We are enrolled in program through our electricity provider that gives us a fixed rate of $30/mo for our EV charging. But before we that, we were spending about $40/mo to charge the Volt and close to $50/mo for the Leaf. No motor oil, but there is mention of "reduction gear oil" in the maintenance manual. The dealer has never had me change that oil yet though in 22,000 miles. Brakes have been given a clean bill of health from the dealer as well, likely due to EVs having regenerative braking that minimizes the need to use the brake nearly as often as on a traditional vehicle. I believe battery warranty is 8 years or 100,000 miles to replace the battery if it loses more than 75% capacity in that time

That sounds like the perfect kind of commute for an EV! I can vouch for the Leaf's performance, but maybe check out the Kia Soul EV or Spark EV if you're in states where they are available. If price were no concern, I would've opted for a BMW i3

Glad you found the extra info helpful! I remember being a little surprised at the $30 or so increase, but it kind of compounded especially once my wife got her Volt because it was taking us into the 2nd & 3rd tier of electricity use. We have a program in Austin now where we pay a flat rate of $30/mo, so that's a great savings for us across both cars. Still have a 2015 Leaf (not the one in this video, but another 2015 I purchased with fewer miles), and it suits my needs just fine. It's all paid off & although I'm tempted to get a higher range EV, I know that I don't need it and I'm saving more $ the longer I hold on to my Leaf. I did a 24-hour test drive of the Bolt last year, but was quite displeased with the seat comfort and found the abundance of hard plastics on the interior to be uncomfortable and cheap-looking. Sounds like they addressed the seats finally for 2019 Bolts, but at this point I see myself sticking with the Leaf for some time. I live in hot, hot Texas but battery degradation has not been an issue in either of my Leafs. I know thermal management is ideal, but with a short commute and never using Level 3 chargers, I'm seeing the battery hold steady at 4.8 miles/kWh. There are only 15K miles on my current Leaf, but my first had over 30K without losing a bar and maintained 4.7 miles/kWh. If you're still concerned, I think the BMW i3 has had thermal management from the beginning, and there are some great deals in the used market on those!

Yes, it sounds like you're in an ideal situation to own an EV. I have been charging just from a wall outlet for 2 years (which provides a full charge overnight), but we are now planning to install a 240v charger to take advantage of lower rates offered to EV drivers from our energy provider! The difference is huge, taking only 5 hours to charge from a 240v source as opposed to over 12 hours using the 110v wall outlet. This way we'll be able to charge both my Leaf & my wife's Volt to full in under 10 hours

Thanks! If you liked it then I think our Volt review was even better: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qMyIrNdistnbfnU.html Don't necessarily intend for this channel to be strictly about car reviews, but figured we'd at least share experiences with the two electric cars we own.

Are you saying it has a useable driving range of 50-60 miles? My concern with Leaf is that models prior to 2015 have generally suffered more degradation before they improved the battery for 2015 and onward. Now if you can live with that range and are paying under $10K then I'd still say go for it! Otherwise, look for a 2015 year Leaf or some other used EV. Even the BMW i3 can be found for under $20K used and some of those are the REX version with a gas generator if you want to have a gas option just in case.

Okay, cool! For the 2013 Leaves, though, how fast does the battery degrade in health? After one year, would it only have 40 total miles left?

I don't have firsthand experience, but I doubt it would degrade that drastically in such a short period. How many energy bars are remaining on the right side of the dash screen? At a certain point Nissan has to cover the replacement of a battery in a warranty period of like 8 years or something.

Well if you see me driving around, please say hello! Mine's the silver Leaf with an "electric" decal on the back and my signature "live long and prosper" Star Trek air freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror. If you get a Leaf or any plug-in vehicle I'd love to feature you on this channel to get your impressions! Seriously let me know, because I'm eager to get other people's experiences driving electric vehicles

Not the model I have, which is a 2015 Leaf with the 24kwh battery pack. The 2016-2017 Leafs have a 30kwh battery with 107-mile estimated range, but at freeway speeds I'd imagine that drops to about 80 miles. In my Leaf I can get over 100 miles driving around the city at speeds below 45mph, but highway speeds have limited me to about 60 miles of travel. 2018 Leaf will have 150 miles of range, and 2019 may top 200!

Good question, and yes there will be a need for oil changes on range-extended EVs like the Chevy Volt, Ford C-Max Energi, BMW i3 REX, etc. If there's a gas engine then you'll be due to change the oil at some point, but the good news is that those will be less frequent if you drive in electric mode a majority of the time and only use the gas generator every once in a while. We went over a year in our Volt before changing the oil, and could've definitely gone longer if we hadn't already been at the dealership for some recall fixes.

Agreed! That is the ultimate goal

Thank you! Now if only I was more consistent about putting videos up

Thank you for the kind words. Hyundai IONIQ definitely has my interest too! Just not sure when it's going to be available nationwide. We'll finally get the full details on Leaf 2.0 on Sept. 5th, so that may end up being a consideration for me as well depending on price and range

+Doctortomsvideos Glad you've enjoyed your Leaf! My experience has been the same, but I may ditch mine in favor of the Chevy Bolt when it becomes available. Not quite an SUV, but close enough for me. I bet we'll see an electric truck (or at least a plug-in) by 2020

+EVerything The petrol or diesel car is dead within 10 years in England....... i can say this with concordance for several reasons. 1) people in England drive significantly less miles then Americans ... i'm too lazy to look up the exacts on the internet but i bet it's less by half. 2) there is a war ongoing with the car companies in England. All the cars you can buy (for reasonable prices) get excellent mileage 60 mpg and even more but in exchange for the cars being WAY UNDER-POWERED..... .... 3) the electric that is used in England is 220v and that is just the standard outlet. this video gives numbers of 40% charge in 8 hours off of a normal american 110v outlet Now i'm not giving exacts here and I'm not an electrical engineer but the charging time we seem to get is far better ......

+Doctortomsvideos And isn't there a tax on petrol vehicles in some areas? I feel that sort of implementation would accelerate the transition to zero emission transportation, and should be put into law in some of the most congested cities in the U.S. as well.

+EVerything Yes all cars are taxed each year. It cost anywhere for $50 - $650 per year to tax a car. ( i did a rough GPB to american dollar conversion) The tax is completely based on emissions. As the leaf has no emissions there is NO TAX. This gives a Leaf owner further savings. Also the petrol and diesel tax is very high in the U.K. but roads are better. Americans hate tax. Many, perhaps even most, would rather have their roads and cities fall to bits (Detroit) then pay tax. Living the first 33 years of my life in the U.S. and then 16 years in England gives me a certain perspective that is rare. I believe that many Americans, like those in my family, do not realize how far gone america is. They live in the suburbs and close their eyes when they are forced to leave them. The upper middle class in England ( doctors, lawyers upper management ) are not as rich as the american upper middle class. Or better put, their life style is not as classy as the tax is high. Consider the sales tax is 20%. However there is no homeless (unless they want to be due to mental illness) Everyone has good health care the roads are good and firearm-related death rate is very low. Sorry but i went off topic...... I will be hard to implement taxes to guide America into the 21 century. Ponder upon the fact that a recent poll showed that 29% of Americans considered themselves Republican......................

+Doctortomsvideos England and U.K. sounds quite progressive indeed! Would love to travel abroad more as a narrow worldview is really a detriment to anyone's perspective of other nations and cultures. I try to stay positive and hope that America will catch on to some of the policies adopted by other countries around the world, but the looming fear of a Trump presidency would be a huge step in the wrong direction (in my opinion) and would be the embarrassing punchline to what I'm sure the world outside of the U.S. sees as a political joke. Fingers crossed for better times ahead!

Yes, used EVs are a real bargain! Older Leafs were reported to suffer from battery degradation more than new models, but at 12,000 miles you should be safe. Heat can be the real killer for batteries, but even here in Texas I have yet to notice any permanent range loss

Daryl Price clean tittle?

Daryl Price Great find! It will drop even more when the 2018 Leaf is out. I am wondering if these used husks will be good at taking new batteries. The DIY crowd will be busy...

Be prepared for changing the battery. $3000

Leafnovice Thanks, and I'm happy to hear my video was valuable to you. I actually just purchased another 2015 Leaf used as my current 2015 lease is ending. Got the used one for cheaper than the buyout on my lease, even with much less mileage on it! 2015 is the last year that heated front/back seats & steering wheel all came standard as well. Congrats on yours!

Sounds like yours is a real bargain. Here in the UK, the model specs are quite different. Of the 3 models on sale, only the top of the range version has heated (leather) seats and steering wheel. It will be quite interesting to see how different the new 2018 models are - on either side of the pond Have fun.

That's awesome! Wish I could've had an EV as my first car. One day you might be able to say you've never driven a gas automobile. "Gasoline? Internal combustion, what? That's prehistoric!"

what trim?

You'll save a little money getting the base S model like I did, but looking back I wish I'd sprung for the SV to get more efficient LED headlights, lighter allow rim tires, and the fancier digital display screen w/ navigation and such.

Used EV market can be an exceptional bargain, especially if the mileage is below 20,000. Wish I had done a little more research before leasing a brand new 2015 Leaf. Now I have my eye on the Bolt, even though I know there's likely a better investment in a used BMW i3, Volt or even another Leaf out there.

You're probably right. With my luck I'll get a Bolt and then a bunch more long-range EVs will pop up. My lease ends in January so we'll see what the options are at that time. Maybe a used Leaf with the 30kwh battery!

Stunt Geek I have read that India is taking steps to increase electric vehicles & ban internal combustion engines by 2030! An admirable & ambitious goal that should provide you with many EV options in the near future

Yeah, and there are many starts ups coming up in India these days who are converting conventional gas cars into Hybrid/ Full EVs!! however I am a bit disappointed with Govt's approach for not providing much leverage to Electric cars/CV manufacturers for mass transportation. May be because the Government thinks that people will stop using conventional public transport if EVs get cheaper.

It will be an interesting development to follow over the next several years. EVs should not replace public transit though. Rather, public transit should be electrified!

Guess I'm a naturally cautious driver, because I really wasn't thinking of those things while filming the video. Wish I could submit it to my car insurance company and get some kind of discount! To answer your question, I'm 5'11 and still have a few inches clearance overhead. The drummer in my band is 6'8 and when he rides up front he looks reasonably comfortable, although he does recline the seat back a little. Taking a test drive might be the best idea! I'd encourage you to consider a used Leaf as their value depreciates very quickly at the benefit of the second owner. Also worth noting that 2016 and newer models have higher capacity batteries that can take you just over 100 miles compared to mine which tops out at about 80 miles.

I'll have you know...I did purchase a used 2013 SV. I LOVE IT. I test drove a 2012 SL at my local CarMax, and instantly loved it. I went home and started shopping around for deals and comparing the trims and doing some additional due diligence. I called around at 3 or 4 dealerships and scheduled appointments for test drives. From my research I decided I liked the 2013s because of the bigger storage, better range, and similar price point to the 2012s. I also decided the S was sufficient as the biggest difference was the standard control panel (as opposed to the touch screen), no navigation and steel wheels. I'm street driving to and from work only. So, that wasn't as important to me, and I can save hundreds over the SV and SL trims. I decided to test drive a brand new model, so I know how they should feel, and then I went to a used car lot and test drove the 2013 SV model. I loved it. I bought it. I have had it for a week now, got it inspected and it all checked out. I did notice that my battery capacity meter is only at 10 bars (hence the good deal price, along with no Quick Charge Port) but I figure 40 - 60 miles per charge is just fine for my needs. (< 8 mile round trip commute Mon - Fri). I had an older car that had about $4,000 worth of repairs needed. I had put off the brake repairs because, I know how to drive, and figured it wasn't a high priority. But, now that I can't get my smog checked, and thus car registered, because of a separate $2,000 repair needed...figured it was time turn it in. I got my new Leaf for $7,205 out the door (and that includes $399 for registration, which I'm hoping was way too high). I need to pay $199 to upgrade the Nissan Connect (CarWings) thing...so for under $7,500 I have a Leaf that I'm very happy with. Thank you for your review as this was one of many factors that drove me towards the Leaf.

I'm so happy to hear that my little video had a part in your buying decision! I also love that you are enjoying the vehicle despite the lower range, and are happy with it because it gets you where you need to go. EV owners get so caught up with the range sometimes, that they don't always consider how much they actually require. Looks like you were able assess your actual need, and got a bargain price on a car in the process. Congrats!

Glad to hear you are happy with your Leaf! Sounds like you got a good deal for a car only having 21,000 miles over a 3-year period. Where do you charge your Leaf primarily?

​@@EVeverything Thanks for question. In order: A) Home Level 2 charger ($0.10/Kw) 3-4 times a week; B) Free Public Level 2 at park 1.5 mi fr house, once a week summer time. C) Dealers Level 2 & Level 3*, 3 to 4 times year, infrequent. (READ MORE) A) I installed a used Clipper Creek direct wired Level 2 (20Amp x 220 volt) charger in my garage (where breaker panel is). Because I bought charger used and did the wiring myself, I have about $350 into it. I don't recommend people wire 220V their-self unless they know what they are doing, either have experienced person help or do their homework and use all safety cautions. It is not hard, but getting electrocuted or burning your house down is a bummer. I charge at home 4 times a week (work 4 day work week) between 30% to 80%. I try to charge to 100% once a week. I may charge one or two times less at home based on how many times I charge at B) (below). B) The Public Park (Shelby Farms) managed by a conservatory, not Gov, so it is very nice, has 8 free Level 2 chargers, sunrise to sunset. Almost always 5 or 6 stations are open. The Park charges their golf carts permanently using 2 of the 8 spots. I drive over, plug in and ride my folding bike back home. I return about 3-4 hours later. I do it because free electricity, which is fun. I do this about once a week during summer, winter less. C) I have (4) Nissan Dealers within 10-30 minutes. I have been to (3) three of them. All those have Level 2. Two of the dealers have Level 3 (all free and assume only during business hours). I have fast charged only two times. I fast charged really just to see it work. It works great. Only real fast charge I did was 25% to 80% in under 40 min. It was likely throttled due to warm ambient temps. I'm afraid of battery damage from frequent fast charge (occasional OK), so I will only fast charge on occasions and only if needed. Once the dealer kind of saved my ass. I left the house with less than 40% (it was day off work and did not charge it). I ran an errands and was down to 20% and 10 miles from home. l would have made it home with - - - -. but I went down the street to Nissan dealer, fast charged for 20 minutes. I think I got pretty close to 80%. There are few if any commercial chargers in my area. There may be a free charger at a few hotels. There is a Tesla Super Charging location about 5 miles away, but can't use that. I understand someone made an adapter to use Tesla chargers but not sure about that. However A), B) and C) is all I need. I lost a bar (11 out of 12) and want to make it last. I get +85 miles on the guess-O-meter at 100% charge. When I got the car 9,000 miles ago I would see about 93 miles. It is approaching 30K mi and 4 years old. I have lost 8 miles, but that is based on driving habits (I take freeway to work typically). I have LeafSpy Pro. I forgot what SOC was, but guessing about 90% after 4 years and 29,000 miles. I bought it used and lost the one bar a month or two after I got it. I get 85 miles, minus my personal 20 mile reserve. I have 65 mile usable (drive it like I stole it with AC or heater) . That is good for my 36 mile commute. As long as I have 45-55 miles solid range, this car will be of use (but limited use). Again this is a second car (VW TDi turbo diesel with emission approved modification and still 50 mpg). I have no plans to buy a new EV or another used EV anytime soon. My plan is keeping this for 10 years selling it or doing and DIY battery swap (either buying modules to rebuild the pack or getting a salvaged LEAF and swapping the pack). I understand battery internal controller needs to be swapped. If not the dealer has to reprogram pack for car. Dealer may not be willing to do this. If you just swap out some of the 48 modules in the pack you can reuse your battery pack and controller without dealer programming (who may refuse). Take this with grain of salt, as I have not done this, only research, which may not be accurate. I am trying to make EV's work for me, save money. The lower CO2 is a plus. Less maintenance is fine, but I like working on cars and do all my own VW maintenance, which is really only an oil change once a year and new air and fuel filters every 40K. The transmission needed new oil and filter at 40K and 80K. I am at 100K miles and will need new timing belt and water pump... I can do that for about $215-$300 in parts. With The LEAF the VW annual milage has gone from 9,000 to less than 4,500. Again plan on keeping this VW for another 10-15 years. NOT buying new cars saves the environment... No one is saving the planet driving a $130K Tesla P100D to drive their one 180lb butt around. PS Best trees? 3.5.trees.... I did 40 mile round trip late at night, no traffic, all surface streets 35-40 mph. Normally lucky to get 1/2 tree driving on freeway. Sorry for long reply but you are in the business of EV expertise. Thought you might like to know my weird approach... Long story short the EV is a good car in this state and city ONLY as a second car. I am NOT in California. I have only seen one other Leaf on the road and one Tesla parked at Shelby Farms. (The car being charged was Tesla P100D and likely, no kidding, Kimbal Musk's car. A restaurant at the park called "The Kitchen" is owned by Kimbal. I don't know this, but that is what I want to believe, ha ha)

@@gmcjetpilot Thanks for all the great info! I lost my first capacity bar a few days ago. Can't say I've noticed a difference in range, but it hurt to see one gone already

Yes, it's a good deal. My only concern would be the battery degradation associated with those early 2011 & 2012 models. Seems the battery chemistry improved as they went along, but that's my only concern with older model year Leafs

EVerything Thanks for your reply.

+Anhelito Ten Would love to see that! You should document the process and share. I wouldn't even know where to begin with that kind of conversion

someone already is! You can find him on KZfaq @Arlin Sansome

Anhelito Ten motor* engines are powered by some kind of combustion. motors are electric. 😀

I would, but I've always felt that Teslas are too cool for someone like me. I was never a car person before getting an EV, and I like practical vehicles like hatchbacks and SUVs for my lifestyle. If price were not a barrier, then the Model X would be my top choice for sure. It's likely I would choose something like the Chevy Bolt over a Model 3 if they were both available to me right now.

About $40 more in electricity a month since I purchased my car. I'm hoping to get a Chevy Volt for my wife when the 2017 model is available this Spring. Charging both vehicles at home should save us almost $100 a month that would normally be spent on gasoline!

Remember in his video he talks about charging the car for 8 hours at work. So he probably wasn't getting billed (at commercial rates!) for that. So you can easily double the cost to about $80 with mostly commuter driving and light weekend.

I'm afraid I may have confused some people when I mentioned charging at work. I did that for little while, but when I talk about how much I pay per month it's been since I stopped charging at work and only at home and public chargers. Electricity rates vary from place to place obviously, but we're sitting right around the national average at about 11 cents per kWh. So I stand by the $40/mo claim, and can say even with my wife's new Volt we are likely not exceeding $80/mo to power both our cars.

Not to my knowledge, and the dealer has not mentioned it either. They try to get me on brake flushes and extraneous maintenance like that, but I know that my brakes are in much better shape due to the regenerative braking system that keeps me from using the actual disk brakes and wearing down the brake pads like in a traditional vehicle.

EVerything the brake flush isn't negated by having regenerative brakes. Brake fluid is Hydrophilic. It will absorb water. After enough water has been absorbed into it, it boils at a much lower temperature and can form air bubbles. I think Nissan wants you to do it every other year, but 3-4 years between flushes is plenty safe. I read somewhere that you are supposed to replace the gear box oil every other year. Even if it's not on their maintenance schedule, once every 30k-40k miles is probably a good idea to prevent premature wear to the box.

Good to know! I see " reduction gear oil" mentioned in my maintenance handbook. Is that the same as gear box oil? Obviously I'm not a gear head, and I understand that even EVs require regular maintenance at some point. I'm a little under 25k miles on my Leaf so should be good on the brake flush by your estimate.

Yea, it's a single gear reduction gear box. 👍😀

Yes, I discuss off-peak in this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ituip5SKxsDSk30.html&lc=z13wdxgrjmu5vfjcf23aivlbisqptjtq104. You will save some money charging this way, but your bill will definitely increase a bit. With either a 24kwh or 30kwh version Leaf, you're almost doubling the average daily energy consumption of your home for that day (in the U.S.A at least). For me it costs about $2.50 to fully charge my Leaf, and this happens 2-3 times per week. Still, quite a savings compared to gas at around $30/mo

Yes but my Leaf is down to 20kWh so I don't see an increase in the power bill and I track it daily. In fact my electric stove uses more power.

That's great to hear! Well, not the diminished battery of course. Guess it also depends how much driving a person does and if they use public chargers around the city in conjunction with home charging. I should point out that I pay slight premium for clean wind energy from my utility provider, so my electric rates are a little higher. Glad you are experiencing the cost-savings of an EV firsthand!

I get 40-50% charge in that time using the standard charger that plugs into a 110v wall outlet, which is the slowest speed. It may not sound like a lot, but I'm generally around 30% on battery when I charge for the night, so I usually wake up with 80%. Installing a 240v charger in your home, or using public chargers will be twice as fast. This other video of mine might help a little more kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ituip5SKxsDSk30.html. I've never been left stranded in my EV, but I do plan ahead. You could always plug in the car as soon as you get home to get more charging time, but I generally wait until "off-peak" hours at night when electricity is cheaper.

Wow, that's a massive hit on range! We certainly don't get nearly as cold here in Texas, but the summers are brutal and heat is bad for battery degradation. Range is still holding strong almost 2 years into my lease, and I only notice around 25% decrease in range during winter

Heating elements eats the energy at winter

Certainly true, and perhaps why most EV offerings so far have been designed as hatches or sedans instead of SUVs and trucks. The reason for the Leaf's buggy headlamps is actually to cause the air to flow over and past the side mirrors! Still not a good look and they ditched it with the 2018 model, but Nissan must have been trying everything to reduce drag on its first mass electric vehicle.

The one in this video was a brand new lease, yes. Then after the lease was up I returned the car and bought another used 2015. We no longer have a Leaf in our household, but might consider a Nissan again once they release the Ariya in the U.S.

+Blake J Pretty flat here in Texas as well, and my dash indicates 4.7 miles-per-kwh for me. Haven't lost any capacity bars yet, but mine is a 2015. How long until you lost your first bar? I know it's bound to happen, so I'd like to prepare myself in advance

+EVerything It had 11 when I got it at 45000 miles. 47000 miles and the 2nd dropped. I always use B mode and have an 18 mile round trip commute. If I drive in fun mode I only see about 3.6 m/kwh. I get about 120 kw/mile regen in heavy traffic.

+Blake J Well I should have plenty of time then! I'm approaching the 14,000 mile mark and I'm leasing so it's possible I'll never see a bar disappear while I own the car. Will consider an end-of-lease purchase if all goes well from now until 2018. But let's be honest, it'll be hard to resist the Chevy Bolt and Tesla 3 by that time

+Blake J I test drove two EVs (a 2012 Leaf and a 2012 Focus) in Phoenix today and both lost significant range just to running the AC in traffic. And it's not even summer yet. Yikes! I think I need to wait for 300+ mile EVs like the Tesla 3 before I can make the leap.

+Charles Petrosky You're driving some older models, so the batteries may be a bit degraded or didn't have the best chemistry to begin with. My range indicator drops about 10 miles when I engage the AC, which I don't think is too bad. Just depends how much driving range you need, and I've found my Leaf gets me to & from work (25 miles total) so I only need to charge every other day. And don't forget public chargers! Charging at work, home & on errands can extend your range significantly

Yeah, I'm not sure how that policy works. With a 2011 year model you're likely outside of the warranty coverage for a free replacement battery. But I'm surprised they aren't being responsive even if you are willing to purchase the replacement. If the battery packs still cost $6K, you might just be better off selling your Leaf & buying a newer model used one in the 2015-2017 year range. Personally, I really like the 2015 which comes with heated steering wheel & seats (front & back) as standard! Got mine for under $11K sticker price a couple years ago, and it came equipped with the fast-charge port too.

Thanks! You may also enjoy our 2017 Chevy Volt review as well: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qMyIrNdistnbfnU.html

I'm not seeing the connection between this video and your question

EVerything alluding to the unconventional placement of your "lapel" mic 😆

@@JFLY78 Oh, I see. The intent was to avoid noise created by the seatbelt. I've since decided I like attaching the mic to other areas of the car, like above the speaker on the sun visor for example.

You can probably find a real bargain on a used Leaf! The resell value drops like crazy, but don't go below a 2013 model year Leaf as I've heard they had battery degradation issues. I'm just about to hit 2 years in mine with no battery issues so far. Maybe even look for a used 2016 if you want the extra range offered in the 30kwh battery pack

Another person recommended the same app. Still haven't given it a try, but sounds like I really should.

Certainly leasing is more affordable for an EV, and gives you the option to upgrade to a newer model after the lease ends or simply to buy your vehicle for a lower price at that point. I would never argue that an EV presents the most affordable solution among all vehicles, but rather that they are not as out-of-reach financially as some naysayers have made it sound. The savings in gas, oil and other forms of maintenance add up over time, but the payoff is years down the road and not by the end of a 2 or 3-year lease. Our most recent experience is leasing our 2017 Volt, where the cost of the car came out to $40K and we put down $2,500 with a $300/mo lease payment. With our $7,500 federal tax credit applied this last tax year, we have already saved money as the credited amount covers 2 years of lease payments. In the end we'll have spent a little over $7K (including our down payment) to lease our Volt for 39 months (not including cost of electricity to charge), which is really quite a value in my mind! And we have a buy-out price of $19K at the end of lease, so would still clock in at under $30K as opposed to buying it from the start for $40K. That's my thinking at least. Still cheaper than some larger SUVs and trucks out there with horrible gas mileage, but I admit EVs are far from the most cost-effective vehicle you could buy if your only priority is something to transport you from place to place regardless of efficiency or ecological impact. Parking brake though? I'm used the to the foot pedal, but I suppose there's the one you pull up with your hand or push with your finger like in the Volt. I have no preference really

+Kenneth Smith A Tesla would be superior in basically every aspect compared to the Nissan Leaf, no doubt. More range, better looks, luxury features... but at a premium cost! The Tesla Model 3 will be announced next month, so I'm excited to have that option when my lease is up in 2018. Although Tesla is not a clear winner for me. Between a Chevy Bolt, Tesla Model 3, and a higher range BMW i3, I will have to come to a decision for my next vehicle. Nice to have options though!

+EVerything From someone who has been around for a while: I'd avoid both GM and BMW products, especially the latter.

+wholeNwon I find people's skepticism or outright disgust with GM to be interesting. Did they do something in the past (other than kill the EV1) that has demonstrated unreliability or distrust? I'm genuinely curious because I have my eye on the Chevy Bolt and am ready to abandon my Nissan Leaf for it in a heartbeat! We've never owned a GM vehicle until my wife got the 2017 Chevy Volt, and its been exceptional to drive & operate so far. Between the EV1, Spark EV, Chevy Volt and now the Bolt, it seems to me that Chevy would have the most experience with battery technology that could leapfrog Nissan and even Tesla if they market their EVs properly.

+EVerything Yes, those of us with longer memories and greater experience with GM than a young man like you view the company with greater skepticism. There were decades (mid-'60s-'90s) when they knowingly produced very deficient vehicles that were trouble-prone and deteriorated rapidly. They were deaf to the complaints of their customers and had a very definite "take it or leave it" attitude. Ford and AMC were just a bad or worse. Packard, which really was a standard of the world, was dead. Cars with numerous defects rolled off the assembly lines and were left to the dealers to fix before sale. Needless to say, that often failed. Their reaction to the public's acceptance of the EV1 (defend I.C. at any cost) was typical. So, when they say, "We've learned our lessons and this time we'll be different...trust us." Many are skeptical. I strongly doubt that their dealerships are motivated by anything other than short-term profit. Fraud and deception are high on their list. There is a reason that they paid Congress for exemptions from the recent consumer protection legislation. If you look at the national surveys of vehicle reliability, GM products in general rarely meet the standards set by Toyota and Honda. Do they not know how to build high-quality vehicles? Of course they do. They choose to do otherwise and the consumer be damned.

wholeNwon Well that's all pretty discouraging to hear. Perhaps changing leadership over the years will result in better product quality and customer satisfaction. I'd like to believe that these past blemishes reflect on their gas-powered automobiles, while I've heard nothing negative about their electric cars other than the lack of promotion by the manufacturer or the dealerships.

+Chris Bates You managed 75 miles of electric range in a Volt?

+EVerything I stopped to change up along the way

+Chris Bates Oh, I see! Got to test-drive the new 2017 Volt with my wife this past week. Love everything about it but the low headroom in the back seat. I was surprised how low the roof is, and that middle 5th seat is a joke! And this is supposed to be more spacious than the previous generation Volt?

+EVerything yes. For me it is just my wife me and a 9 year old. It works fine. We also have a Volvo v60 for more room. Can't wait for a Volvo full ev

And thank you for keeping an open mind and a level head. Some folks seem to get upset that I drive an EV as if it somehow is a statement that I am right and they are wrong. I'm not sure what the resistance to these types of cars are, but as prices keep dropping and range continues increasing (238-mile range on the Chevy Bolt!) then I believe more people will begin to accept & love EVs.

That's funny, I thought the UK had a higher EV adoption rate than the US. I guess if the charging infrastructure isn't there then it can be a bit of a hassle. I do most of my charging at home, and with my wife's Volt we have no range anxieties.

It is surprising that the UK is lagging somewhat in the EV/Hybrid area. I was surprised to read a UK Car article today talking about Hyundai's first hybrid car.... when actually.... the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid has been on USA roads for years.

I have no idea how far the average Uber or Lyft driver travels on a daily basis, but probably not ideal if there isn't enough down time between rides to charge. I know GM has been spotted testing the upcoming Chevy Bolt with their Lyft development team. And I read this article not long ago about electric taxi fleets, so maybe it just depends on the charging infrastructure available in the particular city: www.greencarreports.com/news/1104075_madrid-to-get-worlds-largest-electric-taxi-fleet-of-nissan-leafs

awesome, thanks for the reply.

I would imagine so. I'm not a big gear head and really know very little about what's under my hood.

The LEAF has Electric power steering so no fluid. I have owned my 2015 LEAF for over a year. Loving it...

Thanks for the info! Didn't know about electric power steering. One more perk for EV drivers I suppose

I did charge at work for a few months before the guilt caught up with me and I didn't feel right doing it anymore. There were no chargers available, just wall sockets in certain corners of the parking garage that I would use to get a slow, trickle charge over the work day. So for the past year I've been diligently charging only at home and at public chargers, but easily over 90% of charging is in my garage! The next thing that bugged me is that my home energy was still "dirty", so I subscribed to a wind energy program through my local utilities provider. This green energy plan came at a slight premium cost, but the difference in price was negligible compared to the good feeling I have now about the energy that's powering my car! I haven't kept detailed records of miles driven vs. kWh consumed like some EV drivers do, but I can tell you neither my wife or I have noticed much difference in our utility bill. I'm looking at utility bill from April, and our total electricity cost was $75.89 in April, but that's before my wife got her Volt. Now we're just a little over $100 in monthly electricity costs, but it's blazing hot here in Texas right now and our AC unit is a significant contributor to that. If I had to guess, I'd imagine about $70 is about what we spend each month to power both our Leaf & Volt. So we're definitely saving money since we would easily spend over $100/mo on gas alone to fuel both our previous cars.

Thanks for clearing that up. Its very encouraging for people considering a plugin car. :-)You should check out a power meter that you can plug into a socket and then you plug into that. It will tell you amps, watts, and how much it cost to power what ever was plugged into it. I use it to see how much power my computers suck up. :-(

I would like that! I could post a video with my results, and have firm numbers to rely on instead of making my best guess. Do you have a particular one you would recommend?

I Binged "watt amp monitor plugin ". I don't have a preference brandwise. They are very useful. Have fun!