Owning an Electric Car in Iowa

I run into people often enough that ask me about having an electric car and inevitably I don’t tell them much because I am distracted by kids or the to-do list that is scrolling in my head.  Here are the pros and cons from my experience of owning an all electric 2011 Nissan Leaf for a year and a half.

I really love not spending money on gasoline.  The less my money goes to pay for foreign oil, the better.  According to the US Energy Information Administration, about 46% of the crude oil processed in U.S. refineries was imported in 2014.

I love reducing my carbon footprint.  I’ve experienced smog and want the best world for my children.

I love not going to the gas station and waiting for the tank to fill up in the dead of winter.

I love not having to change oil in my car.  I mean, I love that my husband doesn’t have to change the oil in the car.

I love that I can preheat my car to automatically be ready for me each day and set when I want it to heat up in the winter.  And all without the worry of carbon monoxide fumes killing me.  

I love the quick acceleration and it’s rapid response.  It responds more readily, like pushing a button.

I love having a smart key.  I know other cars have this too, but this is the first car I’ve had with that and it is awesome.  And I love that it prevents me from locking my keys in the car because it has saved me many times already.

I don’t love having to plan. If I’m not sure what exactly the plans will be, I feel like I may be limited by my cars range and charge time.  I am more aware of the actual mileage to places I frequent.
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I don’t love that I’ve forgotten to plug my car in at night and couldn’t go somewhere in the morning because I already had plans in the afternoon.  I have an automated reminder that sends me a text when I don’t plug in and it still happened 3 times in this year and half.  I’m not the most responsible duck.

I don’t love having to drive slower if I pushed my mileage limits a little too close because I don’t want to risk being stranded with my kids.  I feel like if I drive slow enough, I can get anywhere.  The Leaf will drive fast of course, but it’ll use up power more quickly.  I only drive fast if I know I can.

I don’t love that my mileage is reduced to what feels like about half in the winter.  I adjust by staying in more or keeping my bigger trips to one a day.

I really don’t love, going to a charging station to find a CHEVY VOLT hogging the charging station.  Posers.

In conclusion, my loves are big and valuable to me and the drawbacks not as important.  It fulfills 90% of my driving needs, which are planned, closer range driving.   I have put around 30,000 miles on the car this year and half!  At some point, the current battery will die out.  I don’t think it is the car for everyone and it takes some getting used to, but it’s been an awesome car for our family. #ThanksLeafy

2014-05-16