"We're big fans of the Nissan Leaf -- the all-electric car impressed the hell out of us when we tested it in Portugal last year, but it would be fair to say the jury is still out on the world's leading electric car. Some people absolutely adore the thing, claiming it's the future of motoring, while others -- mainly in the media -- have given it a hard time over its price, limited range and debatable eco credentials.
Here at Crave, we can see both sides of the electric coin, so we figured we'd try to put the debate to rest once and for all by commandeering a Leaf for a week, subjecting ourselves to its every whim and documenting our experience in excruciating illuminating detail.
Hopefully by the time this diary reaches its conclusion, you'll have an idea of what it's like to live with the Leaf and help you decide whether EVs in general are a good idea for you -- either today or at some point in the future.
Day 1: Range anxiety is real
Hopping into the Leaf, we were soon reminded of just how good a driving machine it can be. Its interior is comfortable, its steering is light and its suspension is supple, all of which contributes to it being one of the most well-mannered cars on the road. You can keep your luxury saloons -- if it's a quiet, calming ride you want, the Leaf is difficult to beat.
Sadly, that was the calm before a storm of anxiety over the car's range, as we began to doubt whether the Leaf had what it took to get us home. It shouldn't have been a problem -- our ultimate destination was a mere 60 miles from the car's delivery point and at the start of our journey the Leaf's onboard computer estimated the battery had 85 miles of total range. Those estimates, however, can vary quite wildly.
After completing the first leg of our journey -- a 13-mile stint via the the A41, the Leaf's range estimate dropped some 24 miles to indicate 61 miles remaining -- a massive drop. We still had enough in the 'tank' to complete the rest of our 40 mile journey (in theory) but given how dramatically the car had changed its estimate over the course of just a few miles, we'd begun to doubt its accuracy.
Fearing the worst, we switched the car from its standard drive mode to the more frugal eco position. This, as we'd discover, transforms the Leaf from a very nippy hatchback (you'll murder people at the traffic lights in normal mode if you so desire) into something a 50cc moped could embarrass. We didn't mind too much -- this slow-motion mode was barely noticeable in city traffic and staying in eco mode helped ensure we got home with 9 miles of juice to spare.
All in all, we'd say our first day's adventure in the Leaf was successful. We very much enjoyed driving the thing on a variety of road types, and we didn't end up stuck on a roundabout in the middle of nowhere -- always a bonus."
Em: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/cartech/nissan- ... -50004824/