Nissan LEAF: When a short-term solution became an ...

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The yr was 2017, I used to be 23 years outdated, it was Monday morning, and I wanted to get to work.

No downside, proper?

My commute was 5 miles of simple driving down a 35 mph highway, and my fleet was intensive: I counted 10 autos at my home that day, together with a diesel Mercedes with a cracked bell housing, an Isuzu Trooper with an indignant EFI system, an Isuzu Rodeo with no compression, a Factory Five 818 with no battery, a caged Miata that wasn’t road authorized and a 200,000-mile Ford van nonetheless hitched to a trailer from the weekend’s race. Oh, and three lifeless Volvo wagons plus a dust bike.

I referred to as a good friend to get a experience to work, then stood in my full driveway to do some soul looking. This wasn’t a one-time downside: I’d most likely should drive to work once more tomorrow, I reasoned, so I ought to determine easy methods to get a automobile working.

Unhitching the van can be best–however wow, was it costly to gasoline and depressing to drive. The Volvos wanted main work, as theoretically I had one good automobile between the three. The Miata and Manufacturing facility 5 would by no means be each day drivers–they have been monitor automobiles–and the Isuzus have been off-road toys that have been even worse to drive than the van. I used to be caught.

Possibly, simply perhaps, I wanted to purchase one other automobile. One thing I may drive to work, one thing that might at all times run, one thing that, frankly, I wouldn’t be tempted to destroy by turning it into one more undertaking. I used to be an grownup, I advised myself, and it was lastly time to purchase a “actual” automobile.

My finances precluded shopping for any of the standard choices, so Fiestas and Civics and such have been off the desk, by no means thoughts something cool like a GTI. So I cruised Craigslist and saved monitor of no matter vaguely fashionable automobiles appeared to depreciate the quickest. And after a couple of weeks of looking, I had two finalists in my search.

The primary choice was objectively cool, a minimum of when strolling is the choice: How’s a loaded, 375-horsepower early Hyundai Genesis sedan sound? The second choice was objectively not as cool: an overgrown electrical golf cart with 84 miles of vary. The butt of each joke and the epitome of the anti-enthusiast automobile, low-mileage examples of Nissan’s earliest LEAF have been additionally in my worth vary. (And sure, LEAF is capitalized, as a result of Nissan says it’s an acronym for Main Environmentally-friendly Reasonably priced Household automobile. Significantly.)

I’m fairly positive these two polar opposites have been by no means meant to be cross-shopped, however right here I used to be doing simply that. Each have been comparable cash and certified in my thoughts as “actual” automobiles. My huge query: Did I wish to dive into the tail finish of the previous with the large, V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive sedan or did I wish to absolutely decide to–and depend on–the earliest levels of the longer term with the electrical automobile?

Finally, I reasoned, I’d already discovered all the pieces I wanted to about V8 sedans, however I had so many questions on EVs. I made my resolution and purchased a 2012 Nissan LEAF SL by way of Craigslist for $8900. And sure, I financed it, that means it was additionally the primary automobile I’d ever made funds on. My buddies mocked me instantly, however I used to be completely happy and I used to be proud, as a result of I used to be lastly driving a “actual” automobile to work.

And drive it to work I did–over and time and again. I’d deliberate on driving the LEAF for a yr or so whereas I acquired again on my automotive ft, however as an alternative I ended up retaining it for almost 4 years, doing no upkeep apart from wiper blades. It was simply so rattling handy, and because of the plug in my storage, it was at all times stuffed with gasoline and able to take me wherever I wanted to go.

Plus, I really preferred driving it–even its meager motor’s electrical torque was sufficient to mild up the entrance tires at will, and it might additionally match a set of 18x10s within the trunk with the seats folded down. Actual-world vary was someplace round 70 to 75 miles, however I nonetheless road-tripped it throughout the state a couple of instances and even drove it out to our $2000 Problem simply to see if I may.

I discovered about batteries and about public EV charging, about kilowatts and volts and amps, and largely concerning the worth of getting a “actual” automobile within the driveway to free me from engaged on my each day.

Within the August 2025 concern, you may learn how Andy Hollis and I road-tripped a really completely different electrical hatchback within the Tire Rack One Lap of America Presented by Grassroots Motorsports. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N is all the pieces the LEAF wasn’t: six instances the horsepower, 5 instances sooner charging and thrice the vary, plus infinitely higher appears to be like and actually spectacular driving dynamics. Individuals saved asking me if I actually thought it was attainable to do the occasion in an electrical automobile, and my reply was easy: “In fact it’s. Let me inform you sometime concerning the time I purchased a Nissan LEAF.”

Feedback

A FIAT 500e retains popping up close to me for affordable till I learn the effective print, worth included a discount for the tax break I’d get. I get the enchantment as most of my each day driving is 50 miles or much less. It could occur some day if I discover simply the suitable deal.

Tom Suddard mentioned:

it might additionally match a set of 18x10s

This sentence didn’t finish how I anticipated

akylekoz mentioned:

A FIAT 500e retains popping up close to me for affordable till I learn the effective print, worth included a discount for the tax break I’d get. I get the enchantment as most of my each day driving is 50 miles or much less. It could occur some day if I discover simply the suitable deal.

I’ve additionally been intrigued by the 500e.

If the value was proper, I feel it’d make a fairly good “simply working into city for a espresso” type of secondary automobile.

TravisTheHuman mentioned:

Tom Suddard mentioned:

it might additionally match a set of 18x10s

This sentence didn’t finish how I anticipated

Little Nissans often have a whole lot of room inside! I drive a Nissan Versa Word (I’ve 2, my spouse drives the opposite one) and I am at all times amazed how a lot I can slot in that little automobile. We typically use it as “drift occasion help automobile” and fill it with tires / instruments, and I additionally use it usually for hauling round my automobile present sales space to native occasions.