Many others disagreed with ex-EV1 driver and criticized both his analysis and him personally. His critics said his estimate was way too low. If only they had had a time machine to settle the argument...
Thanks to the inexorable forward motion of time, we can look back on that argument with the wisdom of experience. My 2011 Leaf is approaching that seven year mark, so I thought it would be fun to compare this gentleman's prediction with my reality up here in Helena, Montana.
In a nutshell, he's right.
I'm down to nine capacity bars and I typically charge to 80%. Montana has cold winters and my town has hills and Mountain passes that lurk on nearby highways and Interstates. I always drive in ECO mode and I am pretty gentle on the accelerator.
Last winter I documented one trip wherein I went 26 miles before my LBW. It was really cold; around zero degrees. I ran the heater about 50% of the time. My feet were cold.
Two weeks ago I drove out to Winston (48 miles round-trip) and back on slightly less than 100% charge. I drove at 65mph because going much slower than that is too slow. I had a LBW about eight miles from my house but made it home just fine. Actually I made it to Starbucks and bought myself an overpriced latte.
Five years ago ex-EV1 driver suggested that prospective owners be told that a seven-year-old Leaf would get 30-40 miles, and he took a lot of heat for his opinion. Experience shows he was right on the money.
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