I like EVs...but from a purely financial angle they still don't make sense when compared to a Mirage. Some of these first-generation EVs (like the Leaf) have had some battery issues and I'm not sure I would want one if you gave it to me. A friend has a 2018 and it's a nice car...but the range isn't all that great. He leased it and now 3 years later he either has to buy it out or walk away.
Other random EV comments...
EVs aren’t the greatest vehicles in cold climates. Whatever an EV’s advertised range is, you can almost cut that number in half during the coldest winter months. An EV with a smaller battery capacity could become a challenge for some owners in cold climates.
Most EVs have “thermal management” systems to heat/cool the battery (EV batteries don’t like extreme hot/cold) . This reduces battery degradation and makes the car generally more usable. A cool battery can be charged faster in the summer. A warm battery will have more usable power in the winter.
The Nissan Leaf (prior to 2020) doesn’t heat/cool the battery. Anyone considering a Leaf…be sure to Google “Leaf thermal management.”
This forum member just bought a 2016 Spark EV for something like $6,000. I would have jumped on that deal! That would be a great vehicle for commuting around town. Unfortunately, they didn’t make a lot of them and they only sold them in a couple of west coast states.
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View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)