In my last post, I mentioned that the range on my 2012 Nissan Leaf, Electra, was dropping as the temperature dropped. This infographic tells the whole story.
http://insideevs.com/infographic-fleetcarma-cold-weather-fuel-efficiency-electric-versus-gasoline-showdown/
So now that I understand which elements of Electra cost the most on her battery, I can manage her range a bit more. But still, I find that I am losing my confidence in her range, and I'm finding I am not sure if I can make it home. I have yet to "turtle," but I feel that I'm always just a kilowatt away from finding myself dead on the side of the road. This is not a comforting feeling.
Since I've been in Denver, I haven't had to seek out any of the public charging facilities because I've always been within range of home. But now I'm thinking I might need to make myself aware of the charging stations. I've blogged before about how Denver seems to be less on the grid than Tampa, gasp! And shockingly, Denver International Airport does NOT have any charging stations. They are offsite. I love Canopy's offsite option, but I wish for more convenience by having them at Denver International.
Alas, I'll be hunting out some convenient public charging, and I'll loop back and let you know what I find. BTW, it seems like High Schools would be great spots for EV chargers, and EVs would be great first cars for high schoolers--cheap to maintain, safe, and a range that mom and dad love. I'm thinking my 10 year old's first car might be my used 2014 Leaf. Has anyone else passed a Leaf on to their kids?
