'cept they cost the same to buy, and I dare say the 30mpg sedan would be cheaper to run over a ten year period, or however long the batteries last. 20k can buy you a LOT of usdm car these days, dang.



Get a briefcase, go to the bank and withdraw twenty thousand dollars from your savings account, put it in the briefcase, then go hurl the briefcase into an incinerator to be gone forever. Would you actually do that in exchange for a Leaf?



I'd rather a low kays crown vic, and seventeen thousand dollars to spend on fuel. With gas at $6 per gallon, and getting a less-than-average 17 miles per gallon, that is over fourty thousand miles of free driving. So just to clarify, you could have a leaf, or you could have a car with (over) fourty thousand miles of free juice, that is also practical and durable and will outlast kingdom come.



*edit*



Before you click on the spoiler tag, scroll up and look at the Leaf back seat and trunk.

 

Fixed.

 

Meaning what? Where did this info come from? It cost 10mil to buy them and they are making what 1mil a year? So in ten years they are pay themselves off? But they actually make so much power they will pay themselves off in 5 years? Something like that?



But I am guessing the article never factored in parts and mainenance and that cost 2mil per year, so the things make a whopping 0 per year, and still cost 10mil? That is how most windmills are, cost more than they make.



Though I can see using them in a heavily polluted area like LA or something, the pollution reduction could be worth the cost, but lets not kid ourselves into saying it is efficient or makes money/saved money.







That comment is so far out in left field, I am not even sure what you are talking about lol

 

Then perhaps you need a bigger glove.

 

That info came from my electric co-op that has contracted with the windmill farms for 50% of their electricity output. There is a 2.2 cent per KWH federal tax credit. The electricity from windmills is so cheap that they are cutting the nuke plant outputs around me (central Illinois). Another windfarm is being built near and existing one now. I would bet there are 1000 windmills around me within 50 miles. And no way do they cost $10M each. http://www.windustry.org/resources/h...-turbines-cost



The biggest drawback of windmills is of course the lack of wind at at times so they need 100% backup. Still I bet they are producing power at least 75% of the time.

 

Yes, you are guessing. I have no idea where you're getting your facts from.... but they are wrong. :biggrin: My wife works for a wind energy company, if these windmills were not cost efficient, do you think they would be building so many of them? Or would you prefer another coal or nuclear plant?

 

You're failing to account for other basic maintenance/fluids/etc that is required by an internal combustion engine that electric motors don't need. And 40k miles is 2 years of that 10 year span mentioned prior. The argument of buying a used Crown Vic vs. any new car is preposterous. If your in the market for a new car there is a reason. mostly kit and piece of mind. It's a null argument. Fact for fact, it's cool accomplishment.



That said I could never buy one. On my test drive I manage to suck 20 miles of the battery out in one launch. Its just not practical for my lead foot.







The argument of where the power comes from? Convince the eco-hippies of this.

 

In my roundabouts I pass by the La Salle nuke plant south of the Seneca, IL area. It is stuck out about a mile from the Illinois river and has a huge man made cooling lake.



But anyway it is surrounded by windmills. I need to get some pics as it's a rather iconic view.



But Google Earth shows the windmill if you zoom in enough. Look to the south west.

 

20k miles per year? I guess so... but come on man, servicing a crown vic is actually going to be cheaper than a big night on the town. So after two years of owner A doing lots of driving in their crown victoria for free, owner B gets to take their leaf out of the garage for the first time.



So now both cars are on a level playing field, maybe the leaf will be cheaper to run, driving 70 miles at a time, for eight years or so. Then, uh, your shout for a new battery pack?