Chevy Volt
Pros:
1) The biggest factor: Extended Range. The Volt answers the range anxiety question decisively with its on-board gasoline powered engine/generator. When the main electric drive battery is discharged to a set amount (after about 40 miles of driving), the Volt starts up its engine and makes more electric power to run the car. The car is still driven by its electric motor, but the electricity comes from the generator powered by the engine. So the Volt can be your one and only car, just like any hybrid or plug-in hybrid can.
2) Appearance: Of the two cars, the Volt looks more conventional and is more attractive to many people's eyes.
3) Plugging In: The Volt plugs in to outlets already found in most peoples' garages to charge its main battery.
4) Acceleration: Early reports have the Volt performance a bit better than the Leaf's.
5) Made in the USA: While most cars today, including the Volt, have some parts made in other countries, the Volt is made by General Motors. This is a big factor to many people, especially as we watch GM try to recover from bankruptcy and government support.
6) Technically complex and interesting design
Cons:
1) Gasoline: The Volt uses gasoline to drive beyond 40 miles after being charged. Many people want an EV for the express purpose of getting off gasoline, for many reasons. To these people, the Volt is just a plug-in hybrid. And the gas mileage is still a big secret.
2) Appearance: To some people, the Volt looks too much like a Prius, and not enough like something really new.
3) Price: Starting at $41,000 and going up significantly from there, the Volt's price is daunting. The lease price of $350/month, clearly established to help the Volt compete with the Leaf, is more encouraging, but it isn't clear whether anyone will be able to get such a good deal in the real world.
4) Sales Plan: Chevy's sales plan is the same car dealer-based system we all know and hate, so price gouging has already been seen, to the tune of thousands of dollars. Even without price gouging, a buyer must go from dealer to dealer seeking the best deal, and then hope that the dealer will deal honestly with them.
5) Government Incentives: Though the Volt is eligible for the same $7,500 federal tax credit as the Leaf, it is NOT eligible for the California $5,000 rebate. Combined with the higher price tag of the Volt, this is a big deal.
7) Passenger Capacity: The Volt only seats four, while the Leaf seats five. This is because the Volt's design uses up the rear center seat space for its T-shaped battery pack.
8) Technical Complexity: Compared to a battery EV ("BEV") like the Leaf, nothing like the Volt has ever been made before. The complexity of marrying the gas-powered generator smoothly and reliably with the electric drive system is daunting. Will the first generation of the Volt be reliable, or will the first buyers unexpectedly find that they are test engineers?
9) Probable Repair and Maintenance Costs: Not only does the Volt have the high voltage electric drive system, it also has fuel, ignition, engine management and exhaust systems, as well as sound and vibration deadening issues. It seems that the Volt must cost more to maintain and repair than a pure EV.
Nissan Leaf
Pros:
1) Relatively Simple Design: EVs have been built and studied before. Nissan's goal is to mass-produce the first affordable BEV (battery electric vehicle). Since they don't have to develop an all-new complex drivetrain design like the Volt's, Nissan can concentrate on making their simpler BEV work well from the start.
2) Price: The basic Leaf starts at $32,780 before incentives, over $8,000 less expensive than the Volt.
3) Government Incentives: The Leaf is eligible for both the Federal $7,500 tax credit and the California $5,000 rebate.
4) Passenger Capacity: The Leaf seats five compared to the Volt's four.
5) Appearance: While odd-looking to many, some people like the fact that the Leaf looks like something new and different, which it is.
6) A True EV: Using no gasoline and boasting no tailpipe, the Leaf is what EV enthusiasts, environmentalists and average people looking to drive gas-free have been waiting for.
7) Sales Plan: Nissan has created an innovative online reservation and ordering process. Because this process is run by Nissan centrally, the dealers are really limited to handling the paperwork and delivery process, and the customers hold the power because they can take their reservation number to another dealer to get a better deal. This sales design has created competition among dealers so that I personally will get a $1,000 DISCOUNT and other customers will do even better. This is compared to price gouging among Chevy Volt dealers.
Cons:
1) Range: This is the big one. Unless a person has another way to travel distances further than the Leaf's promised 100 mile range, the Leaf can't be your only car. There are ways to overcome this problem, such as borrowing or renting a car, using public transportation, and others, but most of us don't want to give up our cars for distance driving. And people with long daily or weekly commutes may also find that the Leaf's range is not adequate for them. Public charging stations at workplaces and along highways can help with this, but charging takes at least 25 minutes to several hours, so this isn't as convenient as filling up at your local Mobil station.
2) Plugging In: Because the Leaf's battery is larger than the Volt's and is the Leaf's only source of energy, charging the Leaf takes longer or requires higher voltages than charging the Volt. That means that if you plug in to a 110 volt outlet that is already in most people's garages, it will take about 18 hours to charge the Leaf. So Nissan recommends that you have a 240 volt circuit run from your home's power panel to your garage to charge the Leaf. And this also requires a charging station costing at least $750 in addition. I've been quoted a price of over $2,600 for these electrical upgrades to my house. There is a Federal tax credit to cover some of this, but I'm not eligible for it because of the Alternative Minimum Tax.
3) Appearance: Most people, including me, find the looks of the Leaf strange, fish-like, and not very attractive.
4) Foreign-Made: Though Nissan is building a factory for the Leaf in Tennessee, the first generation of Leafs will come from Japan. And even when the U.S. factory is in production, the profits will go back to Japan.
So which did I choose? Tune in to my next blog entry.
My EV of choice and my reasons for choosing it in my next blog post