Isaac, you seem to have jumped to considering the LEAF only, and after skimming the thread I don't see two of the most important scoping variables in an EV purchase- how far you go and how much you'll spend.
IMHO, for an ecomodder, no EV beats the i-MiEV's spunky simplicity. I've driven over 75,000 i-MiEV miles and many hundred LEAF miles, but am sticking with the better battery design and overall durability of the i-MiEV, not to mention it's hackability. I average 48 miles per day of driving, with lots of 100+ mile days, and have made several 300+ mile days, both with DC fast charging and without it, using a homebuilt pusher trailer.
I also have an aircooled VW conversion and a rare Grumman Kurbwatt, but for daily reliability and comfort, the i-MiEV gets many more miles.
What's better about the i-MiEV battery? From the beginning, it had a more heat-resistant chemistry with an actual thermal management system. EVery CHAdeMO session includes ventilation and active cooling if needed, plus there's a battery heater for those really frigid climates. Since the battery is air-cooled, it's also easy to hack those dampers to manually increase cooling or add heating. (The factory only heats the battery to prevent damage, not to optimize performance.) The battery is also made of 50 Ah prismatic cells that are much easier to replace and less prone to imbalances than the LEAF series/parallel arrangement. And very importantly, Mitsu under-promised and over-delivered on capacity. There's almost 20% capacity "hidden in the turtle" on a new car, so that the cars will deliver 100% of their rated range after 80,000 miles unlike a LEAF that relied on 100% of the batteries' initial capacity,and then it just gets worse.
The driving experience is like a go-cart, beating all comers across the intersection, but does require planning for highway passing up to the governed 82 mph top speed. The suspension is stiff and the wheelbase short, which makes for some bucking over old concrete roads and a LEAF feel like a bloated Buick in comparison. Maneuverability is unparalleled- allowing u-turns on a 2-lane road with ease and parking in seemingly impossible spots. The RWD drive excels in snow, plus has ABS, ASC, TC and other nanny systems that can be turned off with the touch of a button if you want to have fun and throw roostertails. Regen is far stronger than a LEAF, meaning you rarely touch the friction brakes above 12 mph, but has three different modes plus a full 'Neutral' for coasting.
The i-MiEV is also better for cargo capacity, with the flat-folding rear seats allowing a square 50 cubic feet of storage. Here's some of my loads that a LEAF can't match- two 55 gallon drums, a 50" TV, an adult bicycle, a stack of solar panels, and loads of 8' lumber.
Look at the RWD drivetrain, and you'll see how each component is in a discrete aluminum box, and all the important parts can be removed individually or as one big bolt-in assembly of transaxle, motor, charger, dc/dc converter, drive inverter, and coolant pump.
The i-MiEV is even more undervalued than the LEAF. You can pick up a low-mileage 2012 premium edition for $6500. (with heated seat, alloy wheels remote preheat/precool, satellite nav, DVD player, music hard drive, charging timer remote, etc...)
just sayin'
(that I gotta stop before running out of screen space)...
