Electric Car Buyers Ditch Comparison Shopping

By Christof Demont... · September 27, 2011

Photos from the Nissan Drive Electric stop in the Denver Area this past weekend.

Would you buy a brand new car you hadn’t had a chance to directly compare to similar cars and having given it just one, two-mile test drive?

That’s what we most likely are about to do, and it’s almost certainly what a majority of the thousands of people who’ve bought or leased a Nissan LEAF have done. And that’s the advantage Nissan gets for being the first to market with an affordable production EV: LEAF leapers leaping onto the only pure electric car available because they want to be among the first to own such a car.

I’m not saying the LEAF isn’t a good car. And I'm not suggesting that there aren’t many people out there for whom the LEAF is the perfect car—the electric car they would buy again and again even if there were several other affordable pure electric cars one could actively compare to the LEAF.

But zooming in on a single car make from the start and plopping down a huge chunk of cash on it isn’t the way most people buy a car.

Normal Car-Buying Process

Here’s what my normal car-buying process would look like— if only we were actually in a normal car-buying situation, which, of course, we aren’t:

Do extensive background research on car models appropriate for a four-person family that wants a fuel-efficient, comparatively environmentally friendly, safe, reliable and long-lasting auto.
Narrow down the above research by concentrating on appropriate models made by car companies I trust most. Honda and Toyota would be at the top of the list thanks to our long-term good experiences with both brands.
Test drive three or four different models/trims.
Decide on one of the models, and leverage all possible means (Internet research, price quotes/value assessments, shopping at different dealers, direct negotiation, etc.) to get the best deal possible.

I’m guessing this is a pretty normal car-buying process for many folks, at least for those, who, like me, are not impulse car buyers and who are focused on getting a quality auto for the best possible price. Of course, our car buying process isn’t normal this time around.

Photos from the Nissan Drive Electric stop in the Denver Area this past weekend.

Why not? Because I, like a large percentage of early LEAF buyers, really want to be one of the first to own a pure electric car. More importantly, I want to be among the first in Colorado to be running a pure electric car 100-percent on electricity generated by a home solar system.

My eagerness to be among the first will almost certainly mean we end up with a LEAF. That noted, I’m not sure, if we had the opportunity to directly compare the LEAF to, ideally, at least three other pure electric EVs, we would end up buying a LEAF.

What if we wait?

We could wait for more pure EVs to arrive in Colorado. Doing so would allow us to do some comparison shopping. However, it’s unclear exactly when additional EVs might be on the market and available for test drives here at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.

In fact, I’m thinking we’re looking at at least another year in Colorado before we might be able to do some direct comparison between a LEAF, a Ford Focus Electric and a Mitsubishi i-MiEV. And this assumes Nissan, Ford and Mitsubishi designate test drive vehicles to dealers.

Meanwhile, Nissan looks like it will almost certainly be able to get a LEAF in our driveway by March of 2012. Yes, that’s nearly two years after we put down a $99 reservation for a LEAF, but it’s still apparently at least several months before any other major automaker will have pure EVs on Colorado dealer lots. And I’m pretty damn eager to be driving a solar-charged EV—eager enough, most likely, to ditch my normal car buying process and take a leap of faith on a LEAF.

About the author

· Christof Demont...

Christof is the founder and editor of SolarChargedDriving.Com, a web site devoted to covering and promoting the exciting synergy between plug-ins and solar energy. A longtime journalist, he's an assistant professor in the Department of Media, Film and Journalism Studies at the University of Denver.

Full bio · 66 posts

Comments

· Tom Moloughney · 33 weeks ago

Christof: I know you like to buy your cars and keep them for a very long time, and I agree that philosophy is very cost effective. However given the unique circumstances of this new emerging EV market, perhaps you should consider the three year lease option on the LEAF. That would take you to spring of 2015 and there will be plenty of interesting EV choices by then. It will also get you what should be a more refined, purpose built platform, depending on what you buy. You will be free to comparison shop, take the test drives, and you'll probably be in a better position to negotiate a deal that's under invoice price.

You could of course just keep the LEAF at the end of the lease if you decide there are no options out there that you prefer. You would end up paying a little more than if you just outright purchased it now, but it does give you the flexibility in three years to test the waters. Just a thought

· Sean (not verified) · 33 weeks ago

I participated in this very same Nissan LEAF drive event in Broomfield Colorado this weekend. I went through this very same discussion in my head about buying the first EV I set my butt in. I've been wanting an electric car for years. After driving the LEAF for only about 5 minutes I found it to be a great car. I want to spend more time with it, but there aren't LEAFs sitting around Nissan dealerships here. I'd like to drive a comparable vehicle, but there are no Ford Focus EVs or Mitsubishi iMievs sitting around either.

I was also told at the drive event that I could order a LEAF now and have it by March. I have had a LEAF reservation for over a year, but I can't find ANY WAY AT ALL to order one. I'm letting Nissan pretty much have their way with me because they are the first on the block. I'm fighting with my better judgment to hang on just a little while longer - I will buy an EV, but I don't want to make a foolish purchase I end up regretting.

· Charles (not verified) · 33 weeks ago

Christof, my normal car buying is similar to yours.

1) I look at the cars that fit my lifestyle and complement my SO's car.
2) Go to Consumer Reports and knock off non-recommended cars.
3) Knock off two brands that I have owned in the last 16 years that turned out to be poor cars (reliability problems).
4) Test drive the cars to make sure I am comfortable and that my bicycles fit.
5) Of the cars that pass the test drive, I usually get the one with the best economics, with preference to the better handling cars.

In 2004 I ended up with a Ford Focus Wagon. It has been a great car, but at 152,000 miles I am thinking of replacements. Unfortunately nothing on the market gets significantly better MPGs and holds two bicycles and my work stuff. The Escape Hybrid gets just a bit better MPGs, but costs twice what I paid for the Focus. So I am waiting for the Prius V and the Ford CMaxs. The problem is my Step 2 will have to be skipped for ether car, as CR will not have enough data to make a prediction. At least in a little over a year I should have a couple of cars to compare, unless I get new car fever and but the Prius V.

· abasile · 33 weeks ago

I never drove a LEAF, or even sat in one, until the day I went to pick mine up from the dealership. Considering that my drive home from the dealership was going to involve over 5000 feet of climbing on mountain roads, I felt that I was taking a step of faith. Those who read my posts on this website over the last 15 months or so know that my decision to go ahead with with the purchase wasn't an easy one. But I'd do the same thing all over again in a heartbeat. Gaining a greater measure of freedom from those who control oil supplies is priceless. Yes, if one waits long enough, there will be other EV choices. But remember that the perfect can be the enemy of the good.

· ex-EV1 driver · 33 weeks ago

Folks,
Don't forget, Gasoline cars have been commodities since before most of us were born.
EVs are a different thing. They are a new product.
We can't expect to be able to buy EVs the same way we can buy commodity items.
At least you can test drive your Leaf before actually signing on the line. All you would really be out is the interest on your $99 reservation.
All of this, of course, applies to the Volt and Tesla just as much as the Leaf.

· Bruce N. · 33 weeks ago

Christof, I've been driving my Leaf since May, fueled for free due to our home PV, and the feeling is great. If you'll be satisfied with a 5-passenger hatchback with an average range of around 70-some miles, and want to experience what is probably one of the smoothest, comfortable, quietest rides, then the Leaf will be a good fit for you.

The price isn't bad, considering other current/future vehicles. So as long as you're not expecting a sports car/luxury car experience or have a daily commute that will exceed it's range, I suspect you'll be very happy. The Leaf isn't perfect by any means, but for simple, pure driving pleasure and being able to get that EV-grin as you realize you never need to stop at a gas station; consider the only likely maintenance is an annual battery check; and never have to go thru the hassle of getting a smog check again - yeah, it's worth it!!!

· Jim McL (not verified) · 33 weeks ago

I test drove the Mini E before I leased it for a year and put 24,000 miles on it.

I test drove the Think City EV before I bought one. And you can get one without waiting until next year, unlike the Leaf. www.cleancities.com in Baltimore MD has three in stock, and they will ship out of state.

But you are right in the sense that there were no easy alternatives in either case.

We test drove a Leaf and a Tesla more recently, but I am happy with the Think.

· dgpcolorado · 33 weeks ago

For me the big news from the "drive electric tour" stop in Broomfield was that the Durango Nissan dealer is in the process of becoming Leaf certified, a huge surprise given the rural nature of the far western part of the state. I can probably make it to Durango from where I live, despite three mountain passes, which means that I won't have to tow to Denver for service.

The Broomfield event is the first time I've even seen a Leaf. But I've had one on order for about a month now, from a dealer in Oregon, ETA December. I've done enough research in recent months that there were no surprises on the brief test drive and I was quite pleased with the car.

· abasile · 33 weeks ago

Great news, DGP, on the Durango, Colorado dealer getting LEAF certified! As we know, you don't have to live in or near a big city to appreciate the benefits of an EV.

· dgpcolorado · 33 weeks ago

@Tom Moloughney, One problem with leasing in Colorado is that one forfeits much of the state tax credit. The amount of the credit is uncertain, because the numbers for the 2012 Leaf are unavailable and the Division of Revenue contact person is singularly unhelpful. But it ought to be at least $4000, if one can qualify for the full federal tax credit and can complete the purchase before the end of this year. It will be reduced by 10% beginning January 1, 2012.

However, in the case of leased cars the credit is reduced proportional to the capitalized cost. I'd rather not forfeit about half the state tax credit in order to lease.

· dgpcolorado · 33 weeks ago

@abasile, Yes, it was very good news about that Durango dealer. The Grand Junction dealer is still TBD. GJ is farther away, but the terrain is fairly flat.

I'm unclear whether or not I can drive a Leaf to Durango, a distance of about 72 miles from town. My guess is that if I charge up to 100% at my local library I can make it. Then I'd have to charge to 100% at the dealer to make it back.

Starting point would be 7000 feet down in town, with an ending point of about 6500 feet in Durango. I'd have to cross Red Mountain Pass, 11,018', Molas Divide, 10,910', and Coal Bank Pass, about 10,800'. My "ace in the hole" is that the air is so thin at higher altitudes it should greatly reduce drag. It should be possible with a new battery pack. In five years? Probably not, but I hope that there will be charge stations by then. Or maybe a closer dealer that is Leaf certified.

One unknown is whether the Durango dealer will be willing to service a car that wasn't purchased there. Some dealers in other states have been reported to be unhelpful, but those folks can just choose another dealer. That likely won't be an option for me!

As you well know, life out in the boondocks is different...

· Christof Demont... · 33 weeks ago

@dgpcolorado: First, thank you for your responses. Second, I find the language on the Colorado state tax credit form to be ambiguous and confusing.

According to the "FYI Income 9 Alternative Fuel Income Tax Credits" document that explains the credit, (http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=applicat...) -->

"The credit is a percentage [85%] of: a) The difference between the cost of the vehicle and the cost of the same or most similar vehicle that uses a traditional fuel."

I would say a Nissan Versa is the most similar vehicle that uses a traditional fuel -- but who knows, maybe Colorado will say the most similar vehicle is a Toyota Prius. How they make this determination, I do not know.

In any case, an entry level Versa = about $11,000. That's a helluva lot less than the approximately $28,000 for a 2012 LEAF SV, post Federal Tax Credit., actually about $16,000 less.

The way I'm reading this document, you're eligible for a tax credit of 85% of the difference.

$16,000 x .85 = $13,600

Now, even if the rules are such that the $7,500 federal tax credit gets lopped off the sticker price AND must ALSO be subracted from the total tax credit eligibility I've calculated above, you still have -->

$13,600 - $7,500 = $6,100

And, according to the language in the Colorado Dept. of Revenue document above, you can carry that tax credit across multiple tax years if your total tax liability isn't enough in year 1, 2, etc.:

"If the credit allowed exceeds the net tax liability for that year, any excess credit may be carried forward and claimed on future year returns for up to five years until the credit is fully utilized."

How are you arriving at your $4,000 Colorado credit figure for a new LEAF?

· Patrick Connor · 33 weeks ago

Christof, I hope you get your Leaf soon and love it as much as I do. I know you have been waiting a looong time.

· Guy Hall (not verified) · 33 weeks ago

Christof,

I went through the same struggles as you. On top of those I had a philosophy of never buying the first model year of any car. However, I had the pressure of 2 cars that were getting old (and whom I wanted to stretch out their lives - one to pull a boat or trailer and one to drive long-distance), uncertainty on future government rebates (totaling 10k in California), and the desire to never buy an ICE car again. So I broke my first model year vow, and took the plunge with the leaf. Very happy with it even though the 2013 model will have twice the charging speed.

Also, if youre trying to get one sooner, ask the dealer to call you if someone decides not to buy theirs. I went in to update my phone number with the dealer and ended up bringing a leaf home - no change in price, 2 months before my predicted date.

· dutchinchicago · 33 weeks ago

For me the main goal is to buy one as quickly as possible before the car manufacturers are withdrawing them again.

You can already see this for the Volt where they produce just enough to have them in some show rooms to attracted buyers who then can be sold an ice car and Toyota producing a 15 mile "sometimes electrical" plug in car and selling the RAV4 ev mainly to fleets.

It is clear that car manufacturers do not want to sell us clean maintenance free cars so get one before it is to late.

· dgpcolorado · 33 weeks ago

@Christof Demont... My $4000 figure came from someone at MNL forum who actually contacted the DOR. The numbers were for a 2011 SV, as near as I can determine.

However, I contacted the same person twice and got completely unhelpful responses. The first one was for a 2010 Leaf (I don't think there are any 2010 model year Leafs) which was included in the "FYI Income 9 Alternative Fuel Income Tax Credits" document:
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=applicat...
I asked again about the numbers for a 2012 Leaf and was told that the "2011" would be the same as the numbers he gave me previously. So I got completely different and unhelpful info from the very same DOR guy. He also said the numbers he used came from Nissan but when I contacted them they knew nothing about it and suggested that the DOR was using their published pricing on cars, which makes sense.

My guess is that by tax time, the 2011 and 2012 model Leafs will be added to the tax credit document. If not I will derive my own numbers and they can discuss it with me if they wish.

Also, if you haven't already noticed, Nissan has opened Leaf orders for Colorado residents. I did the "Request a Quote" for the dealer nearest me (Durango) this morning but they came in well above MSRP, a stunning $2600 more than my order from Oregon. I guess I'll be picking up my Leaf in Oregon on schedule (ETA December). It would have been fun to pick it up in person in Durango and drive it home over Red Mountain Pass.

· PatricioEV · 33 weeks ago

I agree with this article completely. I've been waiting for the Focus EV. I really would prefer it to the Leaf (at least on paper), but Ford's lack of info won in the end. I've ordered a Leaf. I agreed to full price offer not knowing I could negotiate a bit. But frankly, I'm fine with that because I know I'm actually going to be able to buy (and keep forever if I choose) a pure OEM EV. Well worth the money!

· dgpcolorado · 33 weeks ago

@Christof, One more thing: beginning January 1, 2012 the Colorado tax credit drops to 75% of the "Incremental Price Difference" between the Leaf and the comparable "traditional fuel" vehicle, whatever it is they are using in their "black box" calculations.

I'm hoping that my Leaf arrives before the end of the year so I can use the 85% tax credit. (Also, I am worried that Congress will kill the federal tax credit next year, given the budget slashing trend of late.)

· dgpcolorado · 33 weeks ago

@PatricioEV, I was also considering the Focus Electric. But I didn't like the battery using up much of the trunk. And I am concerned that the cooling system on the battery pack will present maintenance issues. Also, as you say, the dearth of information from Ford about the FFE left me very frustrated.

I finally gave up and went with the Leaf, in part because Nissan made a huge $5 Billion gamble on BEVs and I want to support their effort. By contrast Ford seems to be dipping their toe in the water, figuratively speaking. It may not be the most rational reason for selecting a new car, but there it is...

· goldenfool (not verified) · 33 weeks ago

The hardest thing with buying a car is pulling the trigger. When you are comfortable and ready for it, PULL THE TRIGGER.
You can always wait longer, or for a better price, but then you are stuck waiting. You will never be truely happy in the mode of oh but if.

· theflew (not verified) · 33 weeks ago

@dutchinchicago

The Volt will probably outsell the Leaf this month. It looks like they are building ~ 150/day at this point. GM's slow rollout was intentional. As most have said 2013 going to be the year to see what the true demand of these cars our.

· ex-EV1 driver · 33 weeks ago

@dgpcolorado,
You said "concerned that the cooling system on the battery pack will present maintenance issues"
I wouldn't worry too much about maintenance. HVAC systems are fairly low maintenance in general and well understood. The improved battery life from active cooling should greatly offset any small number of HVAC mechanical issues, especially in hot climates where temperatures exceed 100F.

@theflew,
The more EVs on the road, the better! Neither the Leaf nor the Volt is perfect but they are giant steps toward sustainable transportation.

· dgpcolorado · 32 weeks ago

ex-EV1 driver, Now that I think about it, you are right. I tend to worry about pumps and hoses failing, coolant flushes and the like. But a battery cooling system wouldn't need to be high pressure and the temperature deltas would be tiny compared to cooling an ICE. So the maintenance ought to be minimal.

In my climate, cooling a battery pack isn't an issue. And, if I understand it correctly, warming isn't as necessary as I would have thought a year ago because the battery pack warms as it charges/discharges and tends to hold temperature a long time due to thermal mass. That means I shouldn't lose too much capacity in subfreezing temperatures over time periods of a few hours. Nissan's simple battery temperature management system is probably adequate for my needs.

· Jesse (not verified) · 32 weeks ago

Regarding the Leaf's temperature management system:

I live in Austin, TX, and I was a little concerned about how the heat might affect the batteries with an air cooled system.

My Leaf survived our record setting summer without any problems (we are currently at 90 days above 100 degrees this year...and we might still have a few more after the current cold front passes).

The only thing I noticed was that the battery temperature would be 1 bar higher (7 bars out of 12 instead of 6) on the hottest days, and not come back down over night sometimes. But, even driving in 110 degree heat, in stop and go traffic, with the AC running, I never got more than 7 bars on the temperature gauge.

I have no data about cold weather though (I think this morning's 60 degree temperature is the lowest we've had since I received my Leaf in June).

Jesse

· Red Leaf · 32 weeks ago

I have owened my leaf for 3 weeks now and I love it. I do not think you can go wrong. Quiet, smooth and powerful enough when you need it. I have not been to a gas station in a week and a half. No missing it at all. Just plug in at night and unplug in the morning. This morning it was cooler just turned on the auto air with my cell phone and it was ready when I walked outside. Don't have to worry about burining gas to heat up my car. Nothing compares right now.

· JZG (not verified) · 20 weeks ago

Further to Jesse's report: I live in a location that in the winter goes to about freezing. The battery temperature gauge generally shows 4 bars.

I love the car - it is the best car I've owned, ever. (Previous cars: various Volvos, BMW 535i, VW Golf TDI, Toyota Prius). I'm not a fan of front wheel drive, as traction is lost on wet roads on initial strong acceleration, but that's about the only significant critique I have. Oh, that and the requirement to say "Yes, I'm ok with sharing data" every time you start it - I wish I could just say yes once and for all.

I'm hoping that in a few years the range will look pretty poor compared to what's available in new cars then. But I'll still be happy with the car, because I will have enjoyed years of driving a quiet, non-polluting electric car. Heck, it might even have paid for itself (cost of operation here is a little over 1 cent/km, or 2 cents/mile). And for my use, I don't really need more range, it's just something that would come in handy occasionally. So maybe I'll "upgrade" then, but for now: I highly recommend the Leaf.

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Electric Car Buyers Ditch Comparison Shopping

Normal Car-Buying Process

What if we wait?

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