June 2011 to March 2015, so far….
We purchased our Nissan LEAF in June of 2011 for $23,500 after rebates and tax credits. There is virtually no maintenance, no oil and no gas for this car. Of the estimated 60,000 miles we have driven in the last 3 years and 8 months, 54,500 of those miles have been in the LEAF, 5,500 in our hybrid.
Most people do not realize how practical electrics are but usually, once they think through how they drive, over 90% of Americans would have no problem driving an EV or a PHEV.
Most days I drive our LEAF close to or over 100 miles a day, many times closer to 150 miles. There is usually always a charge during the day as we have a charger at home and the Phoenix area has hundreds of chargers that show up on my navigation system.
Electric vehicles, along with their obvious zero emissions advantage have another amazing attribute. They pay for themselves over time. EV’s are literally the only cars on earth that have an ROI, as opposed to the ever increasing cost of owning and operating a gas car.
A gas car that cost what our LEAF cost us, will need at least double the purchase price over the first 8 years of operation. So you’re not buying a 23,000.00 car at all. You’re buying a 50,000.00 car, much of which goes to the oil companies. Kind of leaves people broke when they need their next car, and the cycle goes on and on for life, until you decide to break that cycle by choosing to drive electric.
The average cost of driving a gas car is now 60.8 cents per mile, (source, AAA).
The average cost of driving an electric vehicle is 3.3 cents per mile, (source, Idaho National Labs), and that does not take into account charging with solar like we do much of the time. Our real cost with solar charging is about 1.8 cents per mile.
Even assuming we paid the 3.3 cents per mile, we are saving 57.5 cents a mile when we drive our LEAF, which is most of the time. That is a theoretical savings of 31,337.50 in less than four years.
Gas, oil and maintenance out of pocket cost for an equivalent gas car would run around 12,000.00 for the same four-year period that we have owned our LEAF. Add back the cost of electricity and miles to operate cost of 3.3 cents and that’s about 1,800.00 putting our overall savings at 10,200.00, almost half the cost of the car. In five years the car will have paid for itself.
When we got our LEAF, Nissan was taking a loss on every car because the batteries cost 16,500.00. We just had a warranty replacement of our original battery, with a new battery chemistry built to hold up better in the heat. The cost of that battery? 6,500.00. That 10,000.00 drop in price in less than 4 years is a result of mass manufacturing economies of scale. They are predicted to drop another 3,000.00 by the time we need a new even longer range battery in 10 years or so.
When we were looking into purchasing our LEAF we had the opportunity to question Nissan engineers at an Electric Car Conference in San Jose. They confirmed the projected battery cost drop and the new improved batteries as battery chemistries improved. Once they did that, I knew we were going to buy our “forever car” as I already knew electric motors tend to last a million miles or more.
When this new electric car revolution restarted in 2011, there were at most a few thousand electrics on the road. That has mushroomed to an amazing 300,000 in the U.S. and over 700,000 worldwide! There were over 120,000 sold in the U.S. in 2014. The growth rate is exponential and destined to take off even more, as more and more of us come to realize how great it is to drive without polluting and without supporting the fossil fuel industries any longer.
The growth of the charging infrastructure is surprising even me, (the ultimate optimist in these areas) with 23,000 EV charging stations installed now, (up from next to nothing 4 years ago). There are thousands more coming from utilities like PG&E in California ($654 million for 25,000 charging stations), Volkswagen ($10 million), Nissan (no charge to charge program), Tesla (free charging for life) and multiple Charging network administrators nationwide. Japan just announced they now have more charge points than gas stations! 40,000 charge points, 34,000 gas stations! The U.S. will have more charge points than gas stations by 2016 if this growth rate continues. That’s hundreds of thousands of charge points. The more charge points, especially rapid chargers where an EV can be charged in 30 minutes, the more electric vehicles.
The great thing about this is the big players like Tesla and BMW are demanding 100% renewables sources for their stations, forcing utilities to comply if they want the business.
Now back to our current reality. Imagine only buying gas a few times a year. That is our reality now. We hope to move to the next dream by replacing our hybrid with a long-range electric as soon as we can so we can be totally gas free for life.
Are we unusual? Not really. We are middle class people who are keenly aware of the political and climate crisis we are in right now. We know that not everyone can afford what we have done and what we plan to do, but things are getting closer to everyone being able to join us. In the meantime, we are compelled to act with everything we have and beyond if need be.
Regarding availability, the used LEAF fleet is starting to build. There is an independent dealership in Phoenix that sells used LEAF’s for 12,000.00 – 16,000.00
For those who can’t get an EV because they only have one car, they can get a PHEV like a Ford Fusion, Chevy Volt, Via Motors Truck, BMW extended range i3. These cars are all electric for 40 miles or so, then the small gas engine kicks in when they need to go on a longer trip. I have a friend with a Volt who has had his car 3 ½ years and he is still averaging over 200 mpg.
We move closer every day to freedom from fossil fuels for personal transportation.
One by one, that’s how this is working.
It’s all about awareness. As my grandson was unplugging our LEAF some time ago he looked up at me and said, “grandpa, why to people put gas in their cars?” I said, “I don’t know buddy but by the time you’re driving, you never will”.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
Why Clean Energy Technologies Will Win Over Dirty Fossil Fuels
Distributed generation is the perfect disruptive technology solution. It facilities the completion of displacing fossil fuels as an energy source. Whether the utilities embrace this or not, disruptive technologies always win in the long run.
For now, Arizona utilities have chosen the unfortunate path of resistance. Instead of continuing to embrace DG to allow them to clean their grid, abandon fossil fuels and clean our environment, they have decided to portray their proactive clean DG customers as the problem rather than the solution. They do this at their own economic peril.
Clean DG providers like myself will take the next steps to force emissions free power creation.
Step One is to get as efficient as possible. As a result, our solar powered homes will push ever more, cheap, clean power onto the grid. Hopefully after step one, the utilities will wake up and realize that the growing DG grid is becoming more and more of a force in their overall production.
If the utilities choose to continue to fight technology, in the interest of keeping their fossil fuel sector going, Step Two will kick in.
Step Two is, existing solar adopters will initiate solar plus storage with energy management load balancers. Solar plus storage plus on-site load balancers will protect us from unfair Demand Charges imposed on us by rigid backwards thinking utilities. This is simple, inevitable technology growth
Solar installers will benefit as they can help integrate these systems.
Once Step Two begins to take hold in mass, the utility has another decision point. They will have to ask themselves two questions. Do I keep these highly efficient, near invisible energy users of my grid and clean energy providers on my grid? Or do I double down against them in my inaccurate and unfair demonizing of them, as some kind of made up problem?
If the utilities choose to accept our presence on the grid as a clean part of their portfolio, allowing them to begin to ratchet back their dependence on fossil fuel sources, specifically coal, than all Arizonan's win, including the utilities.
If the utilities decide to continue their old school model and insistence on burning coal for power at the expense of all of us, then we will have no choice. We will be forced to drop off their grid, taking with us our clean power, the revenue we still do provide to the utility and all we contribute to the overall clean DG power delivery system.
This will not hurt us and in the long run, it will not hurt the utilities, as their demand will begin to decrease sharply and their portfolio will shift again.
The people who will feel hurt are the people inside the utilities, whose model insist on ever increasing demand, for ever increasing profits at the expense of the consumer. These people will suffer significantly as their model has changed. The ground has shifted under them. Their consumer has spoken. Should they continue to decide to turn deaf ears during every step of this technological transition, they will force themselves and their parent companies into an early and messy demise. If that happens, We the People will be more than happy to take over, transition them to true municipalities that are responsive to the customer and quick on their feet when technology advances.
For now, Arizona utilities have chosen the unfortunate path of resistance. Instead of continuing to embrace DG to allow them to clean their grid, abandon fossil fuels and clean our environment, they have decided to portray their proactive clean DG customers as the problem rather than the solution. They do this at their own economic peril.
Clean DG providers like myself will take the next steps to force emissions free power creation.
Step One is to get as efficient as possible. As a result, our solar powered homes will push ever more, cheap, clean power onto the grid. Hopefully after step one, the utilities will wake up and realize that the growing DG grid is becoming more and more of a force in their overall production.
If the utilities choose to continue to fight technology, in the interest of keeping their fossil fuel sector going, Step Two will kick in.
Step Two is, existing solar adopters will initiate solar plus storage with energy management load balancers. Solar plus storage plus on-site load balancers will protect us from unfair Demand Charges imposed on us by rigid backwards thinking utilities. This is simple, inevitable technology growth
Solar installers will benefit as they can help integrate these systems.
Once Step Two begins to take hold in mass, the utility has another decision point. They will have to ask themselves two questions. Do I keep these highly efficient, near invisible energy users of my grid and clean energy providers on my grid? Or do I double down against them in my inaccurate and unfair demonizing of them, as some kind of made up problem?
If the utilities choose to accept our presence on the grid as a clean part of their portfolio, allowing them to begin to ratchet back their dependence on fossil fuel sources, specifically coal, than all Arizonan's win, including the utilities.
If the utilities decide to continue their old school model and insistence on burning coal for power at the expense of all of us, then we will have no choice. We will be forced to drop off their grid, taking with us our clean power, the revenue we still do provide to the utility and all we contribute to the overall clean DG power delivery system.
This will not hurt us and in the long run, it will not hurt the utilities, as their demand will begin to decrease sharply and their portfolio will shift again.
The people who will feel hurt are the people inside the utilities, whose model insist on ever increasing demand, for ever increasing profits at the expense of the consumer. These people will suffer significantly as their model has changed. The ground has shifted under them. Their consumer has spoken. Should they continue to decide to turn deaf ears during every step of this technological transition, they will force themselves and their parent companies into an early and messy demise. If that happens, We the People will be more than happy to take over, transition them to true municipalities that are responsive to the customer and quick on their feet when technology advances.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Neanderthals in a Truck
Posted under the category of, Tailgated Again by Neanderthals in a Truck
I'm driving from Phoenix to Gilbert, Arizona this morning in our Nissan LEAF. I'm headed south on 101 going with the flow of traffic at about 70 or so in the commute lane.
I look into my rear view mirror and what do I see? The grill of an older pick up truck filling my mirror indicating a special closeness to the rear of my car.
I speed up to 75 and the truck catches up and gets closer. Up to 80, same thing only closer. Now we’re at 85 and we’re closer yet. Now he’s flashing his headlights and high beams, like I'm going to pull over, because you know, 85 is just too slow.
That's when I decide I'm foolishly facilitating stupidity because of my own stubbornness and ego.
I slow down to 65. Now this idiot is practically on top of my rear bumper at 65 mph. Right around the transition to 202 San Tan, he finally breaks off and crosses all lanes of traffic to exit the freeway.
He nicely gives me the single finger salute before almost driving right into the freeway exit sign because he's looking at me.
Genius.
I reflect.
What is it that sets these mindless morons off that they would put me, themselves and everyone around us, in significant physical danger? How do they go from presumably just driving to work at 7:00AM, to literally picking a fight with other random vehicles at high speed on the freeway?
How does a mind work, or not work that causes them to flip off a total stranger for simply driving down the freeway?
A car that looks different, that has a YGETGAS license plate driving in the commute lane... legally?
How is it that this has happened to me so many times?
How are so many people so stuck on stupid? Are they so brainwashed by the fossil fuel industry that any option other than gas is an affront to them?
Do they ever consider their undying support of gas as a propulsion system for their ancient technology vehicles is providing direct support to oil rich nations that seek the destruction of America?
Clearly not.
Do they ever consider that by purchasing gas over their entire lifetimes that they are directly funding both sides of the war on terror?
Clearly not.
I'm starting to think the Model X may not be the option for us I was hoping it would be, (just kidding, that’s the electric vehicle that’s perfect for us if we can afford it someday).
But if I had the money, I'm starting to think a giant all electric pickup truck with ELECTRIC POWERED plastered all over the side would be the way to go to help people understand electrics are not threatening to their tender sensibilities.
Maybe I could add signage that says, DRIVING ELECTRIC USES DOMESTICALLY PRODUCED, NON-POLLUTING FUEL.
Perhaps, DRIVING ELECTRIC STARVES OIL NATIONS WHO HATE US would work.
Maybe, DRIVING ELECTRIC IS THE MOST PATRIOTIC THING YOU CAN DO would break through.
Do you think any of those statements would get the point across?
If I had that spare money, I'd build a big electric truck starting today, maybe with ALL those messages on it.
Of course our Neanderthal friends would find even those statements somehow offensive, as it doesn't fit into the "gas guzzling ditto's Rush" crowds broken ideologies.
It’s all gas all the time or something is wrong in their minds.
How sad.
The upside? In 50 years, we’ll all be gone and our kids and grandkids will be wondering what we were thinking when we used highly toxic, dangerously flammable, ridiculously polluting liquid fuels to get ourselves around.
I'm driving from Phoenix to Gilbert, Arizona this morning in our Nissan LEAF. I'm headed south on 101 going with the flow of traffic at about 70 or so in the commute lane.
I look into my rear view mirror and what do I see? The grill of an older pick up truck filling my mirror indicating a special closeness to the rear of my car.
I speed up to 75 and the truck catches up and gets closer. Up to 80, same thing only closer. Now we’re at 85 and we’re closer yet. Now he’s flashing his headlights and high beams, like I'm going to pull over, because you know, 85 is just too slow.
That's when I decide I'm foolishly facilitating stupidity because of my own stubbornness and ego.
I slow down to 65. Now this idiot is practically on top of my rear bumper at 65 mph. Right around the transition to 202 San Tan, he finally breaks off and crosses all lanes of traffic to exit the freeway.
He nicely gives me the single finger salute before almost driving right into the freeway exit sign because he's looking at me.
Genius.
I reflect.
What is it that sets these mindless morons off that they would put me, themselves and everyone around us, in significant physical danger? How do they go from presumably just driving to work at 7:00AM, to literally picking a fight with other random vehicles at high speed on the freeway?
How does a mind work, or not work that causes them to flip off a total stranger for simply driving down the freeway?
A car that looks different, that has a YGETGAS license plate driving in the commute lane... legally?
How is it that this has happened to me so many times?
How are so many people so stuck on stupid? Are they so brainwashed by the fossil fuel industry that any option other than gas is an affront to them?
Do they ever consider their undying support of gas as a propulsion system for their ancient technology vehicles is providing direct support to oil rich nations that seek the destruction of America?
Clearly not.
Do they ever consider that by purchasing gas over their entire lifetimes that they are directly funding both sides of the war on terror?
Clearly not.
I'm starting to think the Model X may not be the option for us I was hoping it would be, (just kidding, that’s the electric vehicle that’s perfect for us if we can afford it someday).
But if I had the money, I'm starting to think a giant all electric pickup truck with ELECTRIC POWERED plastered all over the side would be the way to go to help people understand electrics are not threatening to their tender sensibilities.
Maybe I could add signage that says, DRIVING ELECTRIC USES DOMESTICALLY PRODUCED, NON-POLLUTING FUEL.
Perhaps, DRIVING ELECTRIC STARVES OIL NATIONS WHO HATE US would work.
Maybe, DRIVING ELECTRIC IS THE MOST PATRIOTIC THING YOU CAN DO would break through.
Do you think any of those statements would get the point across?
If I had that spare money, I'd build a big electric truck starting today, maybe with ALL those messages on it.
Of course our Neanderthal friends would find even those statements somehow offensive, as it doesn't fit into the "gas guzzling ditto's Rush" crowds broken ideologies.
It’s all gas all the time or something is wrong in their minds.
How sad.
The upside? In 50 years, we’ll all be gone and our kids and grandkids will be wondering what we were thinking when we used highly toxic, dangerously flammable, ridiculously polluting liquid fuels to get ourselves around.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)