I’ve found a 2023 leaf for some $10k, and with selling my ICE car, which is starting to cost more to maintain than it’s worth, it’ll realistically only cost me about $5k, maybe less. It’s got 33k miles on it, or about 10k/yr which is kinda high-average, but meh. The range in it is far enough to go all the places I’d realistically be going. (If not for making regular trips over 100 miles I’d get one of the ultra-cheap 2015 era EVs that can handle 60-80 miles…)
I probably want it even tho I’ve never test driven one. I’d obviously still do that but I think I kinda want it anyway. This one is located about 3 hours away, but it sounds like they may do inter-dealership trades up to this area, so maybe not a concern.
So what do I need to know? Can the tracking modem be disconnected? Do the batteries fail a lot? Does this model have a ton of quirks? Is it just cheap because people don’t want used EVs? Is this a horrible idea?
Leafs, at least historically, have been air cooled. Fine if you’re in the northwest, but really bad for battery health if you’re somewhere like Arizona.
Battery health can be tricky to verify. Don’t just count on the bars. If you’re somewhere cold, anticipate that 150 mile range to cut in half with the heater going.
Also air cooled = air flows over the sealed box we keep the batteries in. It’s not spectacular at it’s job. Leafs are the ONLY EV I have ever driven so far that has a battery temperature gauge, and warnings to charge when it’s cool. Hyundai has a non combustible heating/cooling system to keep the cells at optimal temp ( so you can…you know…use the car)
However, I believe this warning applies to fast charging only which we very seldom do.
That’s great advice. It’s currently 5 f’d degrees, so quite cold. And I know all the extra stuff also drains so heat is right in there.
Do you know if there’s anywhere to “learn to drive efficiently in electric”? Because I assume the handle is different than ICE…? But maybe it’s just the same because energy is energy.
Its similar. Just don’t be an idiot that slams on the gas when it goes green and brake hard when it’s red.