Ready for a New Electric Car? Consider Your Options First

October 15, 2018

The electric car market is in the midst of an explosive growth period.

Consequently, buyers are faced with rapidly evolving technology and more electric car options than ever before. This is especially true as fully electric cars have decidedly more viable as replacement options for traditional fossil fuel vehicles.

So, how do your options stack up? Let’s take a look at all-electric models within the $30,000 to $40,000 price range and analyze three high priority comparison points based on feedback from our customers: price, range, and performance.

Price:
1) Ford Focus Electric – $29,200
2) Nissan Leaf – $29,900
3) Volkswagen eGolf – $30,500
4) Kia Soul EV – $34,500

There are two natural clusters for the budget-conscious. The first is the $29,000-$31,000 range where the Ford Focus, the Nissan Leaf, and the Volkswagen eGolf are slotted.

There are a couple of things to note:
• The Tesla Model 3 was left off the list due to limited delivery in 2018.
• The Chevy Bolt EV starts at $37,495, significantly higher than the other models.
• Depending on the Make, there may be a federal tax credit available (up to $7500). Contact your local EV dealership to see if the car you’re interested in qualifies.

Despite its low cost, the Leaf has more range, more power, and more cargo space than both the Focus and the eGolf – its two closest competitors. As an all-arounder below $30,000, the Leaf is clearly the logical choice.

Range:
1) Nissan Leaf – 150 miles
2) Volkswagen eGolf – 125 miles
3) Ford Focus Electric – 115 miles

Assuming you’re not a road-trip junkie, the Nissan Leaf can adequately cover 99% of your daily driving. The Leaf also out-distances its two closest price competitors rather significantly by lasting 25 miles more than the eGolf and 35 more than the Focus and outpaces the Soul EV by an even further 57 miles. The Leaf also fully charges approximately 8 hours using a common 240v plug-in, making overnight recharges a non-stressful event.

Performance:
1) Nissan Leaf – 147 horsepower
2) Ford Focus Electric – 143 horsepower
3) Volkswagen eGolf – 134 horsepower

Once again, the Leaf easily out-muscles the Focus and the eGolf within its price class. In the real world, this means more ‘normal’ acceleration around town, less exciting freeway onramps, and not following the overloaded microbus over steep mountain inclines.

Conclusion:

If you’re like most of us, time and convenience matter, and buying an electric car no longer has to be a compromise of utility. The new Nissan Leaf is clearly an intelligent choice and is the best selling electric car of all-time for a reason.

Ready to test drive your Nissan Leaf? Contact Dick Hannah Nissan today.