I can't say enough good things about this vehicle. I've had it since Nov 12' and have about 6k miles on it already. It was one of the last 2012's available and the dealerships were trying to clear them out. I leased it with $0 down and pay $303 per month including tax. I also negotiated 15k miles per year because my wife drives a lot. Not long trips, just a lot of little ones every day which isn't efficient for a gas car. She did have to get used to driving the car when the energy gage showed only 20 miles left. She's the kind that fills the gas tank up when it falls below 1/2 tank. I've learned to drive it "correctly" which means maximizing the miles you can get out of each charge - it does take some effort at first. Watching the energy meter on the dashboard makes this possible. It's still very cool to me that we're getting around without spending a drop on gas. My power company is SDGE (San Diego Gas and Electric). I called them and was put on their EV2 plan (at no cost) and my energy bill actually has a lower monthly average than before I had the car. With this plan, avoid using energy during the peak hours of 12pm-6pm and you will be fine. Paying the $600+ for a Level 2 charger is not worth it at this point for me. The standard Level 1 charger charges the car just fine when I plug it in at 8-9pm and unplug it at 7am the next day.

Nissan is working to reduce cost and make the LEAF better in each 2 year model cycle. The 2013 will be make in Smyrna Tennessee and that reduces shipping cost. They have made the electric motor and other parts lighter and improved the battery a little. I think the new prices will help sales jump not to mention we all know gas prices will jump again. One note, Nissan expects, and it is wise to only lease the LEAF. That way if they keep reducing costs you can benefit on each new lease. If you own your used LEAF may drop some in value. Any high tech product changes so fast that leasing works to your advantage. Also the battery does best in mild climates. Be very careful in hot areas as the heat can make the capacity drop and stay that way. So you can see if you lease you don't have to worry as much and can enjoy the most affordable EV in the world.

I used one of those KILL-A-WATT meters and keep track of how much it took to charge my car. I drive 40 miles round trip to work every day, plus any extra stops at the store two or three times a week. I used the trickle charger that came with the car. My first 1006 miles it took 279.8kwh to keep the car charged. Tipmont.org charges me $0.09999 per KWH. If you round the figures here is what you have: 280KWH times $0.10 per KWH equals $28.00 for 1000 Miles. That is 3.6 miles per KWH. Do I need to say more?

Our LEAF has been great. We go 5-6 miles on 1 kWh 10 cents so $1 goes 50+ miles. The range is 80-140 miles on a charge since it can vary by terrane and speed. Our 4 KW Solar system runs our home and car and still makes extra.

Why hasn't a single owner writting a comment? Just wondering...

Why does anyone living in metropolitan NY need charging stations to purchase a LEAF? We travel less than 40 miles to and from work and can use our home/office as charging stations. We should have the option of purchasing the vehicle and worrying about our own charging issues.

Any chance of a convertible being available for driving for Hawaii's beautiful subtropic weather? I can't wait to put up my 2.2 KWh worth of solar panels which I understand should power the Leaf for 12,000 miles per year.

The initial price - even with the tax credit and monthly payments - is prohibitive for us guys out here making a mere $15.50. I'll wait until more mass production helps the price to come down. Also, the charging system should be looked at. Ford's EV, and some others can be charged with house current - much more practical. Right now, the LEAF is just too expensive, all around. ...