I am not the "greenest" guy on earth. I am not a vegetarian. I am not a tree hugger (even though I went to UC Berkeley). I don't have a position on global warming. But I recently decided to buy an all electric car, the Nissan LEAF. I charge it every night and drive it judiciously the next day. The maximum range on the car is 100 miles, but flip on the a/c, depress the gas pedal, and watch, literally the range drop to 60 or 70 miles. For most people this is not the appropriate car. If your commute to work is more than 30 miles, and if you don't have access to a charger during the day, the daily commute would be a daily experience of range anxiety. But my commute to work is 3 miles, and during the day, I have access to electricity at the office, and our average trip for real estate and property management is no more than 20 miles. The cost for the "fuel" for this car should run $30 a month (I expect to travel 1,000 miles a month). No more $300 a month putting premium fuel in my SUV. So other than not feeding OPEC any more of my cash, here is what I have enjoyed so far about this car: 1) No maintenance. Since there is no engine, no oil and no gas, the only wear on the car are the tires. 2) Total silence. Once again, no engine so no sound. It is like driving in the libary except when I blast the stereo. 3) With the heavy battery in the middle of the car, there is a low center of gravity and great steering. 4) The car has instant torque (think of a really big golf cart). Hit the peddle and the wheels screech.
I no longer fear higher gas prices or a visit to my mechanic. Now, if there is a brownout, I am really up the creek.
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