Smart vs Fiat vs Leaf vs I-Miev vs E Golf vs...

[kYLEMtnCRUZr]

I am looking to lease an EV. Sick of burning $150 a month on gas and 5 quarts of oil every month on my made in America Corollemon (new nickname)

I am overwhelmed with EV choices and welcome opinions and open discussion with others asking related questions here as well.

I like the rear wheel drive "fun" aspect of the smart and imiev. I like the e golf but it seems rather large and 6 miles of my commute is 1.5 car width heavily traveled shortcut to the main highway. So many variables. I guess my main concern is up to date info, since half the articles I read seem to be dated 2012 2013 2014 etc. what's the latest and greatest? And should I wait for 2016?

Also I google "are electric vehicles sustainable" etc, and seems like all writers are on the "not sustainable" bandwagon because they assume I am pumping coal energy into my car when really I am putting 100% solar into it a I work at a school with 1000s of solar panels. So I really think going electric in my case is sustainable or at the very least, a better option than a car. Any thoughts on that are greatly appreciated since I am doing this mainly to "be the change I want to see in the world" and not really for financial gain etc.

Thank you all!

[ME_Andy]

Being from CA, you can lease a Spark EV for $139/month. They're fun to drive, I hear, too.

2015 Chevrolet Spark EV Price Cut To $25,995; $139 Lease, No Money Down

I wouldn't worry too much about dirty electricity from the grid. The grid is getting cleaner, fast.

[Piotrsko]

Im a vw gear head and would own an e-golf if I didn't already own a tdi. Neil seems to say it is a wash for everything except price. Finally golfs ain't that cookie cutter common.

[NeilBlanchard]

How long is your commute?

Even with electricity 100% from coal (which is nowhere in the US), an EV is at least as clean as a Prius. Remember, it takes as much (or more) electricity to power an gasoline car as an EV - because gasoline takes a lot of energy to find the oil, extract it, transport it, refine it, transport it some more, and even to pump it into your tank.

The average in the US is now less than 38% from coal, and we are building more capacity from renewables than even natural gas.

[kYLEMtnCRUZr]

The Chevy spark doesn't do it for me haha. I have a spoiled taste for cars. Yes regardless of grid or off grid charging, I guess either one is vastly better than gasoline as stated by Neil.

I liked that the E Golf was made in Germany, but it looks like it has been stretched too far because of the 4 doors I guess. Great for families, but too big for me. Fiat is made in Mexico so that kinda made me think twice about their EV.

I commute 12k so 15k a year total at $4 a gallon (CA) = $2400 = $200 towards an EV lease. I took a Dave Ramsey debt free seminar which was really great for most things but he hates leasing, as anyone would that believes in paying in cash for anything. But I feel like my or our scenario is different when we ditch our ICE vehicles for EV. As you see in my calculation above, I am simply moving funds from a dirty product to a clean product. So I really don't care that am renting a car for 36 months with nothing to show for it (well besides the -1800 gallons of gas!) And hey maybe I want the car in the end, I'd rather my interested money fall into the pockets of a lender or dealership than the oil industry.

Sorry to keep the rant going but I have put $2400 into my Subaru and there is still an oil leak, and I have put $2300 into my Corollas transmission AND it burns a quart of oil almost every fill up! So I am very ranty and very pro renting an EV by any means necessary!!!

I test drove a Smart EV and hot damn... Most fun I have ever had in a car ( and that was conservative driving due to my dealership passenger lol) it was most comparable to my 95 Miata. Not sure if the Smarts rear wheel drive could ever break loose in the rain etc but even if not, I'd take it over a brand new Miata!

I drove it up a 500' mountain road and there is nothing like watching the state of charge go from 57% at the top to 63% at the bottom! I guess there are multiple regen settings that the saleskid was unaware of so I will have to research that.

[ME_Andy]

Originally Posted by kYLEMtnCRUZr

The Chevy spark doesn't do it for me haha. I have a spoiled taste for cars.

As you please, but it's hard to argue with 400 lb*ft.

[kYLEMtnCRUZr]

Shoot my range would be 20 miles if I had access to 400 lb ft torque! Which is why I don't own a streetbike and have a clean driving record!

I drove an E Golf yesterday. I must say it's a hard choice now. It really is only 10 inches wider than the Smart so my narrow car requirement for my narrow road commute is kinda out the window. Had some really nice features and solid fit and finish. If I had to complain about it, it would be too much new car smell. I'd drive with the windows down for a while to release the VOCs away from my lungs!

Is the coasting feature of the EGolf just letting off the pedal without the regen 1 2 or 3 mode? All I remember was regen 3 mode being super strong and nice for steep grades. Would come in handy since I cross a 2000' summit twice a day.

[jray3]

Kyle, you won't regret it. The RWD i-MiEV is a kick to throw around, an no other small EV beats its 50 cubes of flat-floored cargo capacity with the rear seats folded. It has a very well-engineered battery, DC fast charging to 80% in 20 minutes, and used cars are now available from around $6500 up, which is seriously undervalued.
I've done over 58,000 i-miles since Jan 2012.

[kYLEMtnCRUZr]

Wow cool thanks! That will be my next test drive. I was hesitant with mitsubishi because the dealership wa a ghost town, they couldn't find the imiev keys! And just seems like a small market/support in North America. But I will give it a shot. I looked under the car and was like where the heck are the front axles! Then I run to the back with a glimmer of hope in my eye and behold RWD!!! Golf cart drifting anyone!?

Have you tried breaking the rear wheels loose? Or is it not possible physically or electronically controlled? If so can you turn off ESC or TCS?

[jray3]

Sure thang. This ain't me, but I've done similar in the snow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2Tt3bmy9mE

The ASC and traction control is superb, but can be turned off with a single button. The downside is that Mitsu meters out the torque slowly enough that you can only do this in very slippery conditions, not dry.
However, the i-MiEV is torquier from a standing start than an i3, which doesn't start to shine until 15 mph or so....
Sounds like you'd also appreciate the i-MiEVs 4 driving modes. There's a true Neutral for freewheeling, D mimics an automatic tranny drag, Eco gives slower acceleration ramp and more regenerative braking, and B mode provides full power and full regen. Many of us Mievers stay in B mode most of the time, but Eco is great for smoothing out a traffic jam.

I also live in a hilly area, and have yet to find a slope than can accelerate the car in B Mode, which gives up to 33 kW of regen.

Oh yeah, and it has a real handbrake to make real turns with.....