I will be perfectly honest.
I don't miss stopping at gas stations to fill up the car anymore.
With an electric car, the equivalent would be connecting the car to the charger and waiting for the battery to power up.
One of the first times I stopped in a charging station, Lv 3 Charger, I was met by a fella who had owned his car for approx. 4 years at that time. His first question, which I learned later is the first question of most EV drivers you meet, "do you miss stopping for gas."
I laughed.
Shook my head and whispered, "No!"
"Do you" I asked.
He smiled, and mimed waving like a happy child waving at a parade go by.
"that's me waving as I drive by..." he finally said.
The one part that took some time to get used to was being part of this club, a club of cool kids with our technology proudly on display and happy to explain to anyone with questions.
But like any proud nerd comes the jerks and bullies.
Giant trucks with loud engines.
I remember driving down this road, that ends with a hill.
Now the fella was tailgating me, because apparently that's cool to do. Maybe because I'm a innocent girl, or driving a tiny little car. Whatever the reason, he was a driving jerk, that was a danger to the road.
Lovely thing about the leaf, is the B and eco drive. I use both, to conserve the battery and to make sure I don't drive too fast on public roads...
Now when you lift your foot off the gas pedal the car decelerates; yes all very normal, but does not slow down like a combustion engine car. The car slows as if I had applied the brakes or pumped them at least.
(My Mother's Home, Andrew my Brother installed solar Panels on her roof, about a month before E.Musk announced the solar roof)
The Truck got the hint or became annoyed and passed me, staying in his new lane.
Then came the hill.
And his truck sloooooooooooowwww down...When my little cute car approached in my lane, I heard him gun the engine, pushing the engine to climb that hill.
Then to add some kind of insult, he cut in front of me.
I backed off, too dangerous to humour these people.
But that darn four door truck, with a lift kit, massive wheels, roll bar, and spot lights; was sure struggling on that hill. He slowed down more.
Now driving electric, you don't have that engine noise. Some people miss and some people like me don't. Too each their own, and if you miss it, there are sound effects you can buy.
But when you are driving and you have this truck GRUMBLING up this fill as it struggles to climb a simple hill with an approx. 15 degree incline.
You could hear the strain loud and clear....all the much louder, when it wasn't competing over the noise of my car "engine."
I did take pity at one point and moved to the passing lane, to give him the whole lane to take his time, but as I moved to pass his window....
GRUMMMMMMMMMMM.....
he moved ahead maybe five feet.
Finally, I wasn't annoyed or mad, just amused.
So to add to my amusement :D
I took eco off, then switch to drive....accelerated to the mark speed limit of 70km.
I mentally waved as I drove by and silently left him in the dust.
Was a Jack-butt move, yes. But I wanted to make a point. Don't underestimate the EV.
The one and only time I engage with these jerky people.
This was about a month after owning the Boy.
OH Yes. My Car has a name.
Felix. Felix the Leaf.
After Felix Unger of the ODD COUPLE. Because the car is clean, and doesn't want to pollute. Thought it was fitting :)
To make my Mom comfortable with a car with no engine, I took her on a series of road trips.
Down winding roads, single lane mountain highways.
And this is what I have to report on some of those trips.
The windows were rolled up. Little breezy.
"Lisa, is the radio on? or did you get a new ring tone?" my Mom asked.
laughing, "no, why?"
"I keep hearing birds, what is that?" as she looked around the car and reaching for her phone.
I rolled the window down.
"Did it get louder?"
"Yes!" she replied.
"Mom, it's the birds outside."
"Whaaat!" she said as she looked out her window.
The car was silent as I drove through the mountians, so silent that she could hear nature outside the window as I drove. She leaned back and closed her eyes. She smiled and said "that's amazing."
I won her over to the EV world.
(Manning Park British Columbia)
The kicker for her was, spotting two deer eating from an apple tree and the grass around it.
I slowed down as we drove closer, incase they dart out in the road.
They didn't react to us what so ever. She was ten feet from them, and they didn't react or startle. My Mom watched them eat, and when it was time to keep going, she looked at me, patted my back and said "WOW"
I wish I could say more, but what I could say would not do the car justice. I love the old Boy, and will never go back to gas engine.
So finish it up, enjoy some pictures of our road trips in the Nissan Leaf.