Shocking! [Originally Written 5/22/12]

I am usually a fan of strange, and it doesn't get more different in the car market than a Nissan Leaf...it's all electric and it looks like a toad. I decided to drive one for a bit...and I must say that there's a problem. First, the range. This car gives me serious range anxiety because I'll start with 100 miles on the gauge...I drive from the airport (HNL) into town (about 7 miles). Already I'm done to 70 miles! What happened?!

"...it's ok, it's only 25 miles to the house...lots of room to make it home and back", I tell myself. Arrive at home...look at the gauge........20 miles.......0_0

I live in a town house...I can't plug this in somewhere? I'm stranded!!!!! But being me, I tell myself, "what's the worst that could happen and drive off anyway." Somehow, I return to the airport with 15 miles still on the gauge...probably because the car seems to use less electricity at lower speed and I was driving in traffic....(safe)

This is where I see a problem...the people who drive short distances live in a city...nowhere to plug the car in. The people who have homes are further away...uses more electricity and therefore not as efficient as predicted. (I might only be getting a range of 2.5 mi/kWh) Final conclusion, it's fine if you have that kind of money to blow...otherwise, just get yourself a small car (Yaris, Fit, Fiesta, etc)....