USA: Newsletter – Nissan Leaf 2011 – The Good, Bad, and The Beautiful. by 4EVRiders.org

1. The Good
   1. Overall finish, inside and out
   2. Dash board, navigation system and electronics display
   3. Good back support in front and back seats.
   4. iPhone app and smart charging
   5. Acceleration and overall handling
   6. Drive like a car
   7. Super quiet even at highway speed
   8. Smart car key
   9. No haggle buying experience
   10. Qualify for federal tax credit, state refund
   11. Good trunk space and roomy interior for car of this size.
   12. Like all EV, no more emission test as there is no exhaust or muffler; no oil change or timing belt change as there is no internal combustion engine.
   13. Qualify for other incentives such as use of car pool lane; tax rebate from state, county or city; free parking or charging in some places.
2. The Bad
   1. Mileage range indicator is somewhat confusing (work around is to also watch the battery charge indicator and drive close to home)

   2. Cargo storage – clumsy to remove and install.
   3. Weight of the car, 3300 lbs, but should be less than 3000 for better fuel economy and durability.
   4. Range, limit to 60-130 miles
   5. Still uses a small lead-acid battery (for the electronics and solar trickle charging)
   6. Full charge is not recommended, instead 80% is recommended for extended battery life, but would lower driving range by 20%.
3. The Beautiful
   1. Fuel economy – about $3 of electricity for 100 miles.
   2. Overall driving experience – super quiet and linear acceleration.
   3. Value – luxury car at Honda Civic price.
   4. Backed by Nissan, a global car maker with a vision for the next generation of personal transportation.
   5. No more harmful and obnoxious fumes from my car.
4. Of the 20 persons I showed my car to, I fielded a range of questions typical of anyone on the street. How
   far can it go? Does it use gas? How do I get it charged? What is the top speed? Let me see how fast
   it can go on free way? Where is the dip stick? Where do I put the car key to start the car? Where is the engine?
   Do I need to change engine oil? What happened when your battery is dead? Where are the charging stations?
   How far can I go on a full charge? How much time it takes to charge?
   In other words, there were a lot of skeptics and un-informed. Here are what others were saying
   1. Wow, it looks nice. I want to get one.
   2. It is good for the environment
   3. The gas price is so expensive, may be I should get one too to save money.

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Original post at http://www.4evriders.org/2011/04/usa-newsletter-nissan-leaf-2011-the-good-bad-and-the-beautiful-by-4evriders-org/

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