Ever since I started this blog in May 2011 I've had nothing but superlatives to report about my LEAF: it's quick, quiet, fun, solid, smooth, roomy, has outstanding AC, etc.
But this week I finally discovered a minor caveat about the car.
For the past few days we've had our first "cold snap" of the winter - yesterday the temperature never got above 38° (northerners will chuckle, but that's COLD by Austin standards).
Batteries cannot deliver as much power when they're cold anyway; but then add to that the fact that the car's (electric) heater absolutely SUCKS power; and you end up with a dramatic decrease in range compared to the warmer months. Just turning on the heater drops the range on the battery display by 10-15 miles! Of course one could wear a parka and do without the heater to gain more mileage, but who wants to do that? (The newer model LEAF's have heated seats and steering wheel which should help.)
Fortunately I never drive more than 20-30 miles on a typical day; so even in winter I've always got a large reserve of battery power to run the heater full blast without worrying.
And it's nice that the electric heat is instantaneous - no waiting until you're almost at your destination before the gasoline engine warms up.
But when one compares this winter range loss of 10+ miles to the summer drop of only 3-6 miles with the AC blasting full force on a 105° day, it becomes clear that the LEAF may not be the best choice for folks who live where winters are long and brutal (poor devils).
I've been driving my LEAF for six months without burning a single drop of gas while my beautiful Lexus continues to sit alone and lonesome in the garage. I guess I'll drive the Lexus to the airport this week just to charge its battery.
And it's nice that the electric heat is instantaneous - no waiting until you're almost at your destination before the gasoline engine warms up.
But when one compares this winter range loss of 10+ miles to the summer drop of only 3-6 miles with the AC blasting full force on a 105° day, it becomes clear that the LEAF may not be the best choice for folks who live where winters are long and brutal (poor devils).
I've been driving my LEAF for six months without burning a single drop of gas while my beautiful Lexus continues to sit alone and lonesome in the garage. I guess I'll drive the Lexus to the airport this week just to charge its battery.
I LOVE my LEAF!
