Nissan Leaf EV…and plug-in-hybrids
Larry and I went to the Tucson 4th Street Winter Street Festival to drive the new Nissan Leaf plug in Electric Vehicle (EV). What a blast it was and what a refined piece of machinery it is. It drove very much like my wife’s beloved Nissan Cube. We are looking to get a charging station at our Tucson office since it is in a retail area and any plug in electric or hybrid cars plugged in would be getting partially charged from the solar panels on the roof!
As great a car as the Leaf is I still believe that a plug in hybrid will have the broadest market appeal. EV’s will be the ultimate urban cars but, even with the charging infrastructure planned for Arizona, an EV will be more limited in its practicality given the distances between “destinations” here. No matter, the fact we are on the cusp of really great, reliable EVs and plug-in hybrids coupled with the really great, reliable grid-tie solar electric systems available now gets us closer to the transportation “holy grail”. EV/hybrids + grid-tie solar systems to charge the batteries is a great example of that overused word ”synergy”. The next generation of the Toyota Prius and Chevy Volt plug-in hybrids will bring us closer yet to the best option we have in front of us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels for transportation. Fuel cell vehicles are a very long way, if ever, from being practical. And PLEASE don’t get me started about one of the the biggest scams ever foisted on us in US history called “corn based ethanol”…
The only significant issue I see at the moment with EV/hybrids is their upfront cost. Our Cube cost us $16,000 and has averaged 33mpg over 25k miles we have put on it while the Leaf will cost $32,000. Of course the Leaf/Prius/Volt are eligible for a $7,500 federal income tax credit which helps reduce the cost for early adopters.
Happy Holidays,
Joseph DiMatteo, P.E. (solar guy and life time car/motorcycle nut:)
