This review was updated in November 2024
This may be a good time to switch from internal combustion engine (ICE) to electric vehicles (EVs) for a lot of people.
Good reasons to buy/own an EV:
- They can be super fun to drive. A Tesla can be as fast and handle as well as some super cars. The acceleration and cornering are a lot of fun.
- They are much cheaper to run, if you charge them at home and your electric rates are not very high.
In
Seattle, it costs 2.5-3 cents per mile to run our EVs (10 cents per
kWh). Our gas SUVs used to cost us about 20 cents per mile, when you
include the fuel and scheduled maintenance. Please check your
rates to get accurate numbers.
- They are super easy to operate. In our busy lives, even going to a gas station can be a chore. With an EV, pull into your garage and plug it in.
- There is no scheduled maintenance, ever.
No oil changes, no tune-ups, no timing belts, etc. You will not even
need brake pads, since the motors brake to recover the energy into the
battery.
- They can be technologically advanced.
You can pre-heat them or pre-cool them (even inside the garage) via the
app. They can have very large screens, amazing cruise control and
autopilots, etc. Our Leaf has some cool tech (Apple Play and adaptive cruise control), but our Tesla is a technological marvel.
- Some EVs are relatively affordable.
Nissan Leaf, Tesla 3, and Tesla Y can be had for around $30-40K (with the rebates). A barely used Leaf can be had for $15-17K, which I think is the best value for a car on the market today.
- Single pedal driving. Once you get used to this, it's amazing.
Reasons people hesitate to buy/own an EV:
- Some people worry about battery fires. Statistics show that the overall rate of fires in EVs is lower than in gas cars. However, Chevy Bolt and Jaguar I-PACE seem to have a higher rate of battery fires than other EVs.
- Some people think that EVs go through tires more quickly. This is not true. Teslas will go through tires just as fast as any performance gas car, if they are driven like a performance car. Nothing special or weird about EVs.
- Some people have range anxiety. This is probably the biggest factor. However, if you buy the right kind of EV for your driving habits and understand its real range and charging spots, there is no need for range anxiety. It's also important to know that the range of EVs can be significantly affected by:
- Outside temperature extremes, which affect the battery performance
- Incline (will your trip climb a mountain or go down a mountain?)
- Speed (see the graph below to see how huge the effect is)
- Use of AC and heater (a small influence)
- Carrying items on the roof or towing (this can have a huge effect)
This graph from a peer-reviewed article shows the effect of speed on EV efficiency.
The range at 60 km/h (37 mph) is twice as much as at 120 km/h (75 mph).
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352484720301931)
Luckily, there are apps now, either integrated into the car or independent, that will take many of these factors into account and very accurately calculate your car range, then recommend chargers where you should stop.
Our Tesla Y long range and Nissan Leaf SV
Mini review of Tesla Y Long Range
Pluses:
- Super responsive, fast, and fun to drive.
At any speed or incline, the car will surprise you with acceleration. Passing and merging are super easy and predictable. I look forward to the curvy mountain roads.
- Handles like a serious sports car. It
has a stiff suspension, very low profile and grippy tires, and very low center of
gravity. It will corner a lot better than I will ever allow myself, and
it does not roll (sway) in the corners.
- Long range: ~300 miles under
ideal conditions (55 mph at 70F); Our average consumption over the last 30K miles is 270 Wh/mile, giving us an average range of 278 miles per full charge. On road trips, we plan to charge every 200 miles, which is 3 hours of driving (time for a break anyway).
- Easy to charge. You can use the 110V outlet in the garage. It adds 5 miles of range every hour. For faster charging, install a 220V outlet ($500-1500), which adds 35-40 miles of range per hour of charging. Superchargers on the road are even faster (20-80% charge in 15-30 min), but they cost a lot more than charging at home.
- Very comfortable. The
inside is super comfy, better than any other car we have had. There is
no engine noise, and wind/road noise are well-controlled. Considering
the performance of this car, the ride is relatively smooth as well (but
rough compared to a sedan like Camry).
- Lots of storage. There is no engine, transmission, or spare tire, so the car has 4 trunks: normal big trunk, two sub-trunks, and the front trunk (frunk). You can fit lots of landscaping material in the back and still put your groceries in the frunk on the same trip. Amazing.
The frunk is particularly useful: easy in/out when you are approaching the car and in the garage. You can use it for items that may leak, are very dirty, or smell bad.
- Super safe. Because of all the safety features and low center of gravity, this is one of the safest cars ever made. It was top rated for safety of all cars sold in Europe in 2022.
- Glass roof is incredible for enjoying the mountains, clouds, and birds.
- Autopilot
is super reliable on highways/freeways. Will maintain the lane and
adjust the speed according to the road and traffic ahead. You just
relax. The autopilot is not useful on residential streets or curvy roads. You can upgrade to the Full Self Driving (FSD) autopilot, but definitely test it via the subscription before you buy it. I tried the FSD and actually prefer the autopilot.
- Large screen
is great for a lot of things, including a large navigation map and lots
of entertainment. You can transfer a destination via bluetooth from
Google maps on your phone to the Tesla from anywhere in the house. You can watch Netflix or Youtube, as long as you have a signal. We were once stuck for 2 hrs waiting for a ferry, so we just reclined our seats and watched a movie. It was great.
- No keys! Your phone is the key. As soon as you approach the car, it unlocks, and when you leave the car, it locks itself. Super easy. As soon as it recognizes you, it changes all the settings for you (driving and safety modes, seat and mirror positions, audio input, lights, wipers...).
- Camp mode/dog mode! You can keep the inside temp of the car whatever you like. We camped two nights in our car, and both times the AC ran in the evening, then switched to heat overnight to maintain exactly 68F. The car used up ~8% of the battery in about 10 hrs. Not bad.
- Preconditioning.
You can pre-cool or pre-heat the car (including the seats), and
open/close the windows remotely, so the car is at the temp you like as
soon as you enter. You can even do this in your garage, since there is
no exhaust.
- The stereo system is amazing. It has 14 speakers, from woofers to tweeters, and creates a clean, rich, surround sound. We love it.
- No scheduled maintenance: This is a huge advantage over ICE cars, especially for busy professionals.
- Great forward visibility. You cannot see the hood, and you can see the road just a few feet in front of you.
Minuses:
- The
only annoyance so far is that the car has very few buttons/knobs. You
can change a few key things directly (volume, speed, inside temp, defrost, and a couple of others), but for everything else you have to use multiple touches on the screen. Yes, I have tried on a few occasions to use the voice commands, with results that made me not try them again.
A 4 year update (46,000 miles driven)
Pluses:
- Incredibly fast and responsive. I mean incredibly. This car puts a smile on your face every time you drive it.
- The autopilot
(not FSD) is super useful. It makes it very easy and relaxing to drive
on the freeways, regardless of the traffic. It's super reliable on the
freeways, but on some highways (in sharp corners and some turn-off
lanes) it's not perfect.
- Zero problems or maintenance of any kind (we hope this will be the case for many years). This is one of the best things about EVs.
- Smooth
and quiet at high speed on the highway/freeway (the only noise comes
from the tires, so the road surface is the main determinant of the
noise). If you get Pirelli P zero ELECT tires, which I reviewed HERE, the car becomes mush smoother and quieter.
- Lots of space (4 trunks), even for landscaping supplies, 2x4s, etc.
- Suitable for long road trips, but you have to plan your legs (it takes some time to get comfortable with it). The Tesla supercharger network is really amazing.
- We drove a few times in snowy/icy conditions, and the
car performed as well as our (former) Xterra in 4x4 with off-road tires.
Quite amazing.
Minuses:
- The lack of physical buttons is a chronic problem that will never go away (for me). The on-screen menu system is distracting, and it is potentially dangerous to change simple settings like fan speed. Tesla is trying different options on the screen, but it will never work as well as physical buttons. If there was a car with comparable features to Tesla but with physical buttons (like the Leaf), I would strongly consider it.
- The
ride can be bumpy and loud when the road has sharp bumps. The suspension is
made for excellent handling, so it's very stiff. The tires have a very low
profile (.45) and are at a high pressure, so they do not provide much
cushion. However, the car handles amazingly well in corners, making
curvy mountain roads so much fun. This is a trade-off that I am very
happy with. The Pirelli tires we got to replaced the OEMs make the car much smoother and quieter (the review is here).
- This is not unique to Tesla: lack of a spare tire
and spare tire storage location. This is a new trend and it sucks. We
bought a full-size spare tire, which is huge, and it sits in the trunk
or behind one of the front seats. If a car maker does not provide a
spare, they should at least provide a nice storage space for it. Tesla
could have done that easily, as there are two trunks under the main
trunk. Boo.
- This is not unique to Teslas: tires do not last
as much as in normal sedans. With a high performance car, you have a
choice: you can get grippy tires that don't last, or slippy tires that
last. Tesla installed incredibly grippy tires (Goodyear F1). They lasted us 26,000 miles, but they literally never slip. Ever.
Simply amazing. We replaced them with Pirelli P zero ELECTs, which are way better overall. Here is a mini review of them.
- The projected range is only useful if you drive at 50-55mph. If you drive faster, your range will drop (look at the graph above). The solution: simply turn off the range in miles and switch to % battery; then the projected battery % for a trip is extremely accurate, and you can plan your trips and charging locations very easily.
First visit to the Tesla service center
- This is my experience from my first Tesla service after 40,500 miles and 3.5 years.
- I scheduled an appointment to get my 12V battery and in-cabin air filters replaced. I did not want to risk my car bricking because the 12V battery dies while on the road somewhere. And the HEPA filters were starting to smell.
- It was the best dealership experience by far (been going to dealerships since 1996). Everything was prearranged via the app, including scheduling and price. I walked in, gave them my name, and went to the posh waiting room with free drinks and wifi. After 20 min, the app informed me that the service was completed and asked me to pay $212 (this included parts, labor, and taxes). I paid on the app, said bye to the nice staff, and walked to my car. Amazingly efficient, smooth, and inexpensive.
- This is a paradigm shift in car purchasing and maintenance. Buying the Tesla was like ordering an item on Amazon. Buying the Nissan Leaf was 4 hours of teeth pulling at the dealership. A night and day difference.
Mini review of Nissan Leaf SV
Pluses:
- Very comfortable: the seats are great, and the ride is better. The ride is as good as any car I have driven, and that includes Buicks and Lexuses.
- Relatively inexpensive: It is one of the least expensive EVs today.
- Good range:
It can reliably go 145 miles at speeds up to 55mph. This model is not
good for long road trips, but even large distances in the city are easy.
- All the controls are buttons and knobs,
just like in the good old days. You never have to use the screen for
anything. I really like this and would like it in my Tesla.
- Charging:
It only takes 20 hrs to charge the car from 0-100% using a normal 110V
outlet, then it has a 145 mile range. It can easily charge 100 miles overnight, which is good for
most people. You can upgrade to a 220V charger, which is much faster.
- No maintenance: This is a huge advantage over gasoline cars, especially for busy professionals.
Minuses:
- We have not found a single annoyance with this car yet, not even a minor one. It is simply a perfect car.
- The dealership experience almost caused me PTSD. I called ahead and asked them if they will honor the advertised price; they said they would. Once I walked in, they wanted to charge me extra $4,000 for things I did not need or want, such as door protective tape, maintenance ($1200 for unnecessary checks), return fee (advertised as covered), and other crap. Over the next 4 frustrating hours, I was finally able to get the price I came in for, but not before threatening to leave multiple times, and having weird conversations about the add-ons. I would rather buy a used car from Craigslist than go back to a dealer. The Tesla experience was superb.
A 4 year update (21,000 miles driven):
Pluses:
- Still absolutely perfect: smooth, quiet, zero problems, same range (145 miles), comfortable, etc.
- Zero maintenance, and the original tires look almost new still. It's crazy you can drive a car for years and just add the windshield washer fluid.
- Love the physical buttons for every control.
- Love Apple CarPlay and do not use the built-in infotainment system for anything.
- If you drive 45-55 mph, the Leaf is super accurate at predicting your range.
- The range is 145 miles. If you need a longer range, you can get the plus models, with 215 miles of range
- Not suitable for long road trips, due to its short range and lack of fast chargers on the road
- The Leaf does not have a battery cooling system, so the main car battery may degrade faster in hot climates
Why we did not get the Nissan Ariya
When our Leaf lease ended, we thought of replacing it with Ariya (Evolve+ model). After test driving the Ariya, we decided not to get it. It's a very nice car, but not a good value and not a large improvement over the Leaf (for us). In retrospect, that was a great decision.
Here are the main reasons we did not get it:
- Not a good value compared to Model Y long range.
- The Evolve+ model we pre-ordered did not accelerate much better than the Leaf, and nowhere near the Tesla Y.
- It was not as comfy over bumps as our Leaf.
- The central console has very little/no storage (super weird, since it's so big).
- There is no single pedal driving, which is a great feature. Why?
- When you fold the rear seats, the back is not flat, so not suitable for sleeping/camping.
- Lack of charging infrastructure for road trips.
- A lot of money