The Charge of Owning an Electric Car

A very important event happened for us on Election Day.  No, it wasn't the election of the U.S. President but it was the purchase of a Nissan Leaf - our first electric car.  We have had the car for eight months now and I wanted to share with you our experiences.

First, let me tell you that I am not and never have been a car person.  I don't need it to be sporty, loud or max out at a certain speed.  That's just not me.  I have always looked at cars as being a form of transportation that will be reliable and comfortable to drive.

I have owned about 7-8 vehicles in my lifetime but this was my first experience driving an electric vehicle (EV).  I will be totally honest with you and admit that I was VERY nervous about making the switch from a gas-powered car to electric.  I still have a few anxieties about it but I can tell you that this car is my favorite so far.  I love this car!  

Our Nissan Leaf can get up to 225 miles on a single charge.  That's pretty good for EVs now and hasn't really been a problem for us.  Owning an EV requires you to plan and think about your driving habits a little differently.  

Here are some pros and cons about it:

Pros:

1. It is a smooth ride.  Very quiet.  My first reaction to the feel of riding in it was like riding the monorail at Disney World.  It is the quietest ride I have had in a car.
2. No oil changes.  Aside from the windshield wiper fluid, there are no other fluids that need changing or maintenance.  So far, the car has been very low maintenance.
3. Power.  The car can accelerate quickly.  
4. Safety features.  It has a ton of safety features such as lane departure detection which will buzz the steering wheel when you are on the line, blind spot detection, back up cameras and automatic braking.
5. No gas.  You don't have to stop at the gas station.  Just plug it in when you get home.  Contrary to what some might think, it doesn't add a lot to your electric bill.  It's nice not having to pull into a store to gas up.  It's also nice when there is a gas shortage that you don't have to worry about it and when they jack up gas prices.
6. Additional shelter.  If the car is charged up and a storm knocks out power to the house, you have a place where you can go for emergency power to stay until power is restored.
7. You can leave car running in the garage.  No worries about carbon monoxide poisoning.
8. Remote heat/cool.  This one is awesome.  An app can communicate to the car to heat or cool the car before you get in.
9. Car finder.  The app can also locate your car which is helpful.
10. No more emissions testing.  If you are in a state which requires it, you are exempt because there are no emissions to test.
11. EVs can use HOV lanes.  I rarely take advantage of this because around Nashville it is used like a high speed lane.

Cons:

1. Long distance travel.  There is some anxiety about traveling beyond the range.  While there are charging stations available, they aren't as available as gas stations.  Fortunately there are apps such as PlugShare which can help map out long distance routes.  Honestly I haven't tried this yet so I'm still wondering about this one.
2. Charging time.  There are two types of charging:  Level 1, Level 2 and Direct Current Fast Charging.  L1 is what I use to plug into the normal 120V outlet in the garage.  It is the slowest charge time.  It would take about 24 hours to charge from 0 to 100%.  I usually charge the EV overnight when battery level is in the 50% range.  Level 2 is a 240V outlet which many dryers use (ours has a different plug) and usually takes eight hours to fully charge.  The Direct Current Fast Charging are the fastest and can fully charge an EV in 60-90 minutes.  You have to have these installed in your home and it is expensive.  
3. Away-from-home charging availability.  With the charging times above, you are going to have to park somewhere for a while to get a charge.  It's not as quick as with a gas-powered vehicle.  Also charging stations aren't free and some aren't kept in good working condition.  I was surprised to hear all the negative feedback on Nissan dealerships and availability of charging stations.  
4. Planning.  You have to plan your trips differently with an EV.  It takes a bit of an adjustment.  
5. Batteries.  When batteries need replacing it can be very expensive.  Haven't had that issue yet but the longer you use it the less charge batteries retain.
6. No spare tire.  I'm assuming there is no spare tire to help on weight of the EV and battery usage.  They include a tire repair kit but I'm not comfortable with that.
7. Confusion over tax credit.  The main selling point for EVs is that you will get a $7500 tax credit on your taxes.  There are a lot of interpretations on this and it doesn't necessarily mean you will get an extra $7500 at tax time.  The best thing to do is to consult with a tax professional when it comes time to file your taxes.
8. Limited Repair Availability.  Most repair places aren't trained or knowledgeable on EVs so you are limited on getting repairs at the dealership which can be more expensive.

Owning an EV has been an adjustment.  I would still prefer to have a gas-powered vehicle in addition to an EV so I can be more flexible in my driving since EVs aren't as common but it seems there are more EVs being produced.  I saw that Volkswagen just released their ID.4 model which looks pretty cool too.  EVs are also good for the environment which is something I like. 

If you would like to see more on EVs that are available in the United States, here is a good place to start:  https://www.caranddriver.com/shopping-advice/g32463239/new-ev-models-us/

Our Nissan Leaf is my favorite car ever.  I enjoy it and glad we made the purchase.