Featured Leaf vs Prius

We have a 2012 PiP and 2016 Nissan Leaf. Electricity is pricey here, but we have home solar, are on tiered and time of use net meeting, and run close to net zero. So we don't have to worry much about which vehicle is more efficient.

Practically, the only time now we use gasoline is on long trips, and only one of our two vehicles can conveniently do that.

 

There is a friendly rivalry in the EV club between the Prius & the LEAF.

There were times when the electricity to run the LEAF was cheaper than the gas for the Prius. More recently the gas was cheaper.

Fuel economy is no contest. The LEAF mpge is about twice that of the Prius.

The LEAF will require less maintenance until the traction battery has to be replaced. The Prius will need more fluid & filter changes but is still low maintenance until the traction battery has to be replaced. None of us have had the cars long enough to face the situation.

The Prius gets the same range and fuel economy at 100,000 miles as it did new. One older LEAF has already lost some battery capacity.

Range is no contest. Fast charging the LEAF adds an hour to the journey to State College compared to driving straight through with the Prius. I can drive 90 minutes to Bethlehem, run the SCCA rally, and return home. Probably won't be able to do that in a LEAF. (I don't know how long the rally is.)

In round numbers the Prius can commute between Bellefonte and Altoona, PA 5 times on a tank of gas. A LEAF can get to Altoona but it won't get back without a charge.

I don't believe there is Chademo in Bethlehem so if the LEAF can handle the rally it needs to be charged on arrival and again before departure. That trip will take a lot longer.

Those who own LEAFs love them and may trade up to a Tesla. Those who own a Prius may trade up to a Prime but probably not a Tesla.

 

the problem with the comparison is the leaf hatch space. when someone makes a bev with the same interior footprint as a prius, i'll be interested in the comparison.

if you're going to compare fuel cost and emissions of two different size cars, might as well compare a segway or electric bike.

 

True, but they're different cohorts. Leaf and other BEV drivers tend to be younger and are more likely to want the latest eco toy, and an all BEV experience. Prius drivers tend to be older and, ok, I'll just stop there.

 

...and more mature.

 

Bisco, go check out the Leaf then look at other PHEVs and BEVs. There's a surprising amount of room back there. More vertical, but quite usable.

 

but you aint driving to daytona (from nashville) in one day except in a prius.......

 

Yeah, Leaf won't work for many in a one car household. But a two car household with PiP + Leaf can be awesome.

 

it may have useable vertical space when things can be stacked, but i'm more interested in length x width. most hatchback bev's and phev's are very short from the back seat to the hatch door. that's what makes prius so flexible.
i'm not knocking the leaf in any way, it just isn't a fair comparison. i realize this isn't important to everybody, and tbh, i may wind up with a 200 mile bev someday, even if it's smaller.

 

that is the key. for sure. i have a very high-performance car for fun...but when i do serious traveling i take my plug in prius......

 

The PiP has a very usable cargo area as many here can attest to, maybe the best in its class. Haven't tried or needed yet to put the back seats of the Leaf down to get in really big items, but no problems with anything else yet.

We checked out several PHEVs before we ultimately went with the Leaf. The CMax Energi, for comparison - functionally small and unusable cargo area for many things. For example, if we had to take that to the airport with suitcases, it would be a no-go. But could do it in either the PiP or Leaf.

Thinking we will eventually replace our PiP with a full BEV, but would really like ~300 miles of affordable range. 200 miles is doable with enough planning, but some individually minor things could add up to an out of electron road trip event - among them using up EV too quickly stuck in traffic and having to run AC or heat full blast, mountains, possible bad weather, unexpected charging station detours/outages..

 

Most people with a Prius still don't understand daily driving range.

I have a Prius (a few actually) and a Leaf. Leaf is the daily driver. Leaf can take me anywhere in the world because I can get to the airport where there are chargers and fly away. When I return the car is fully charged and I go home. Nobody at the airport puts gas in my Prius tank when I am gone.

For most people, the Leaf can do all of their driving. For the 1 event a year that they drive further away, rent a vehicle. $10/day for two weeks ($140) to go on that road trip everyone talks about going on is way cheaper than keeping around a giant vehicle for the two weeks you might maybe sort of want it every year or four. And the rented vehicle will be brand new, every time.

If you live out in the boonies, which by definition is not many people, then no a Leaf won't work for you. But you can ride your tractor to the general store. If you are the majority of people that live in the city or suburbs, the Leaf does everything you need daily.

Having said that, the Prius is an infinitely better vehicle. Fit, finish, cargo area, styling even. For me I am glad I have both and more. I drive and travel way more than most people, live in an area that has almost no EV infrastructure, high speed limits (75mph) and good breaks in civilization between cities. Basically close to worst possible use case for EVs. And the Leaf works for me. So I call BS when people say it won't work for them in most cases.

 

Long term, the Prius' emission will rise as the emission system wears and clogs up. The Leaf's will improve with the trend of switching to renewable in most places.

They are both midsize cars with the same interior volume. Can't get much fairer than that. Length is better in most cases, it's why some got an Insight2 over a Prius c, but it comes down to what individual needs out of their car. The Leaf has more passenger space, and that may be more important for some.

Many are thinking they need a car that can do things just in case they might do them. You know, the same argument people used to justify a large SUV with 4WD.

 

The Leaf is much smaller than the Prius in usable cargo room. Prius can fit almost anything. Leaf also has obtrusions from the side of the rear seats meaning the width of whatever you put in there with the seats down is greatly reduced unless it magically fits that weird cutout shape which it won't. Compare that to the Prius, where I have put an entire bathtub in the box in the back...

Yes same argument, but it really needs to die. I expect those that "need" large SUV's to be more ignorant of what they actually need than Prius owners.

 

People often use convenience to define what “works” for them. There are things that are technically possible and practically possible. What one guy thinks is practical may be completely different for another.

For example, if people were more technically oriented as to what “works” for them, we would see a lot fewer SUVs and trucks on the road. Instead, there are mostly solo commuters to be found in SUVs and trucks. They don’t “need” these oversized vehicles to commute, but they feel it “works” for them to use their vehicle all the time given the fewer times they need to haul something big or a bunch of people.

Having to rent another vehicle several times a year is technically doable, and may be the best eco option, but many consider that a hassle compared to just using the vehicle(s) they have.

Not condoning it, and I’m sympathetic to your argument, but not sure the masses agree.

 

Both the haul and people argument are fallacies anyways. But yes it is the same people that "need" a huge SUV or pickup truck. Next time you're out and about look at the beds of the pickups and usually they are completely clean and scratch free. Anyone who has ever put something in the bed of a truck knows that doesn't last if you are actually using it. And I can fit 5 people in my Prius just as comfortably as 5 people in an SUV. Rarely do people venture out in groups larger than 5-per-vehicle anyways. Usually it is 3-4 per vehicle, and with 5 people take two vehicles so you don't feel smushed no-matter how big the vehicles are.

It is thinking you need or want something without thinking why you need or want something. It is a pervasive problem in the US in all fields.

When I bought my hot-tub, it came with delivery and haul away. When I bought my fridge, or dishwasher, or other appliance, it came with free delivery. Range was purchased on Amazon and delivered to my door for free. A 55" TV sits flat in a Prius, larger if sat up diagonally. All the while these things are delivered inside a vehicle so when it rains or hails it is completely protected. When I picked up my server rack on Craigslist I rented a uHaul for $19.99 + tax. There was so much room in the tiniest truck I picked up a ping pong table and TWO server racks! They don't even fit in a truck bed anyways. For a total of less than $30, it inconvenienced me a total of 30 minutes including the time I spent online reserving the truck, and the additional time from my house to the uHaul place, delta between uHaul place and my house to the pickup and then the same in reverse.

When I rent a car I reserve it online, show up and drive away. At the gate, usually I am there for 2 minutes as they photo copy the ID and I use that time to sync my phone to the bluetooth and put in GPS directions. It couldn't be easier today.

I think people think back to scenes like in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles where he stands in line for forever, gets keys, taken on a shuttle bus out to the middle of nowhere, only to find there is no car in the space, and has to find his way back. That may have been true in the digital stone age, but not today. If you show up and your car isn't there, or even if your car is there, you just get in one you like, the keys are in the car, and you drive away for the same price.

It is a similar hassle to have to rent a seat on a plane when I could just own a private plane, yet people still seem to fly without owning their own jets. And when I can buy a plane ticket 2000 miles away for $100 and arrive in 4 air-hours, 6 total hours for non-travel types, why would you not fly versus drive 25 hours?

The masses indeed don't agree, but they are just flat out wrong. Argumentum ad populum is a ridiculous reason for almost everything. Just because people are used to something or think they need something, doesn't mean they should continue getting it.

I understand your point, and agree that that is what the problem is. But I think we as a society should stop allowing people to use stupid excuses.

 

if the prius and leaf have same interior footprint length (not volume), than the leaf must be huge ahead of the back seat backs. i mean, just eyeballing it, the leaf must give up 12" or so from the interior hatch door to the back seat.

 

The Leaf is just terribly designed.



They are basically the same wheel to wheel and total length.

But look at this inside the Leaf:



The amp sits in the middle of the floor and then the seats sit up high. Then there are two big stupid intrusions into the cabin space that in the 2013 and up models don't even do anything, on previous models the on board charger was in there.



Compared to the Prius where you have a flat area with good flaring for extra space instead of taking up space over the shocks which are comparably less intrusive.

So yes they look the same from the outside and the numbers, but seriously nothing fits in the Leaf. Two large 28inch suitcases fit in the Prius back with the rear seats not folded. In the Leaf it has to go lengthwise or else the hatch won't close and it takes up the entire rear area with the seats up because of the stupid window slant. So the other has to go in the passenger area.

 

do you think some of it is the battery configuration?

i suspect gen4 prius designer fell into this rabbit hole.