Mastodawn

"don't isn't" hehe oops!

But to explain a little more: EVs are substantially more expensive, require access to charging infrastructure that many don't have, and have extra complication where gas cars don't due to 100 years of gas infra investment.

That doesn't mean I don't think they're a great option for some people. Or that we shouldn't invest in EV infrastructure. Just that right now, like for our minivan, there's no EV equivalent that would fit our family's use case (for any price).

Chris Ferguson Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy I understand your perspective, though I think many more people WOULD be able to be happy with an EV than THINK they would.

But I that's not the same as it fitting MOST life styles and needs yet, as you specified.

Raptor

@ChrisFerguson @geerlingguy especially with the battery size on the 2026 models most ev's you're looking at only needing to charge once a week even with a good sized commute if you can't trickle charge for some reason (I really only use my L1 charger off 120v, it's more than enough to keep my car charged overnight). A surprising number of people still don't realize you even CAN charge at home, lots of people think you can only charge at the quick chargers or the L2's at grocery stores.

@ChrisFerguson @geerlingguy

David S Sep 4, 2025

Agreed. Most journeys are short and could be done in an EV or even by bike. Plus EVs are always 100% full (for free if you also have solar) when you leave assuming you can charge at home, saving time.

Whereas often people think of their least frequent long journey and base their vehicle choice on that scenario.

Which I why I had to buy my own runway and plane for my summer holiday trip abroad.

Interpipes 💙Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy pretty much the only reason I carry my L2 cable on the daily (in the UK) is on the off chance the only way I can park somewhere is in a destination charger EV-only space which, frankly, is not a compelling reason to give up such a large proportion of your boot space 24x7 given your boot is going to be considerably smaller than the one in my Enyaq!

@interpipes haha yeah, I switched from the giant Nissan cable to a Lectron L1 cable because the Nissan one took like 15% of my cargo space!

Linh Pham Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy I'm in a situation where I work from home and the family still needs a vehicle to get to various appointments and other things. Right now, we've gone down to one car and very much looking at switching to a BEV for the next car.

We don't have a way to charge the vehicle over night, but there are Level 2 and DCFC stations within 5-10 minutes if/when we need to top up the car.

There definitely needs to be a push towards making it easier/incentivize multi-family housing and load-sharing EVSE for homes with 100A service. That will help reduce the need for super large batteries, which make up a lot of the cost and extra weight required to haul around (thus dragging down overall efficiency).

There is no single silver bullet, but there still needs to be progress made to get away from depending on ICE vehicles.

Raptor

@geerlingguy might be different in your area but fwiw in the past two years we've probably gotten 5x the quick charge stations here in mn, a lot of the holiday/circle-k gas stations have chargers now and the kwik-trip gas stations are starting to add them as well. (we also already had designated charge corridors for all major highways in the state that had big charge stations). Not much a worry here anymore with the high coverage.

Raptor

@geerlingguy Also "needs less maintenance" is an understatement from my experience, lol.

I drive a 2019 leaf and my maintenance for the past 5 years has been "change tires" and "new (12v) battery". Most EVs I see up here are substantially larger too, I see a LOT of rivian and ford electric trucks, their range is huge compared to my little car.

Krishean Draconis Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy i think the best option for now is plug-in hybrids, if you have access to charging infra you can use it, if not you still have an engine as a backup

四 Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy Finding out why something doesn’t work is the first step to fixing it. Nothing good comes from an attitude of ignoring problems because they don’t nearly fit some world view.

Like home charging. Don’t own a home/garage and it gets more complicated at once.

deBaer Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy The "charging infrastructure" is a wall plug or an extension lead. When charging at home, you normally don't need to quick charge with 32 A @ 400 V, a trickle charge is usually enough because the car is standing around over night anyway.

@deBaer Many of my friends live in an apartment, condo, shared space, etc. where they don't have access to a parking spot near an outlet. And I wouldn't recommend charging an EV off a 100' extension cord!

David S Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy @deBaer

In London in the UK we have mostly terraced houses and flats, but we also have lamppost chargers in some boroughs. Only 5-7kw but fine overnight.

@Pionir it'd be nice if we had more forward-thinking infrastructure here :(

Patch You Up Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy Yep, need a minivan for my family (2 adults, 2 small kids, 2 dogs). With a full EV we would need to stop to charge several times to visit parents (the ranges listed are high estimates with no cargo). I'd love a PHEV model, since the majority of my driving is within 20 miles of home. But as of right now, the only option I can find is outside of my price range.

@Jumpmed yeah and the best PHEV minivan seems to be the Pacifica. Expensive... and a Chrysler

Patch You Up Sep 5, 2025

@geerlingguy Haha I specifically avoided saying the name because the brand is another factor besides price that I won't be buying it.

Gordon J Holtslander Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy With the auto tariffs & Canada there is new focus on the Arrow 2 project, a collaboration of Ontario Tech U and Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) of Canada to develop a "made in Canada, for Canada" EV. Prototype is an SUV, perhaps a minivan next?

https://ace.ontariotechu.ca/project-arrow.php

https://www.apma.ca/project-arrow

https://www.projectarrow.ca/rfp

https://ontariotechu.ca/

Why the name arrow?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Canada_CF-105_Arrow

Project Arrow

Canada’s Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) selected Ontario Tech as the lead academic institution for Phase 2 of Project Arrow, an all-Canadian engineered concept funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev). The Arrow’s ambitious deadline was met, and the APMA’s brainchild made its global debut January 5, 2023 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the world’s the most influential tech event.

Brian Owen Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy Satisfied EV driver for the last 4 years here. The discussion around this topic kind of baffles me, and I think it's because the downsides of ICE cars are accepted as just 'normal'. If someone pulled the inverse, and tried to convince me to switch to gas, they'd have to explain that I can't fuel up at home, have to pay 4x for fuel, and I have to live with engine noise smelly tailpipe emissions, and I can't even run the AC before I get to the car. I'd say you're crazy.

mrsp Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy Bingo! Concur. I want an EV. Nothing fits quite right, and they all cost more than gas equivalent. I’m willing to put up with Infra shortcomings, etc.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Okflb2uMk&t=22

Jonas Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy
This "what if petrol car has been invented today in a era full of EV cars" made me chuckle a bit

(Disclaimer: I ride a bike)

What If Petrol Cars Were Invented In 2025

YouTube

Rupert Reynolds Sep 5, 2025

@geerlingguy I think you got it right first time, with "don't... isn't" :-)

I mean with used cars, you can pick almost any price point you want.

As for charging, average mileage in UK is 8,000 miles in Europe it's a bit more, and in USA it's nearly 14,000, or 260 miles per week (from memory).

That wouldn't need a huge amount of time per week charging, even at 120V, but I'd guess a lot of USA garages already have a 240V outlet, or it can be added easily.

So for a lot of people, driving somewhere to buy gasoline would be replaced by 30 seconds to plug in, then walk into the house and do something less boring instead :-)

Eric de Redelijkheid

Sep 7, 2025

@geerlingguy Do you have solar panels on your home? Charging would then cost you nothing.

Jeff Geerling Sep 7, 2025

@ericdere I wish. Almost put them in DIY with an electrician's assistance, but the county won't permit the install if the homeowner touches any little part of it. Paying for the install put it outside my budget range.

Bakunin Boys Oct 5

@geerlingguy CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE? I HARDLY KNOW 'ER!

Dr. Dek 👨‍🚀🐧🚀 )Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy I don't think cars are the right option for us citizens right now and in the future as well

@portaloffreedom That's a whole other argument, not one I touched on in this video :)

Ben Sep 4, 2025

I definitely would prefer to not have to have a car to commute (though, I love driving for fun, but that's different), but what's the alternative right now?

Besides New York and D.C. there are maybe a handful of cities with kind of okay public transport and everywhere else it ranges from total ass to completely non-existent.

For example, here in Austin, I can either take a 10 minutes bus plus a 20 minute walk to/from work (which honestly wouldn't be too bad in winter)... or a 7-10 minute drive (depending on how many lights I hit).

On the other hand, when I went to UT Austin and lived near campus, there were frequent busses that took roughly the same amount of time as walking to/from campus but had all the luxuries of heating/air conditioning.

I kind of went off on a tangent, but my point was mostly that I don't really see alternatives for the majority of Americans right now. I'd love for that to change in the future. We actually voted on a bond here in Austin to massively expand public transport back in 2020 but the GOP hates Austin so they're not letting us do it.

Dr. Dek 👨‍🚀🐧🚀 )Sep 4, 2025

@ben as individuals you have no alternatives. You might build some infrastructure if you collaborate.

R.L. Dane

🍵

@geerlingguy

Ok, I read the image description before I saw the image, and I was honestly confused by the wording. XD

"Like... he's inside the car holding the steering wheel, or... WHAT?" 🤣

I love using terminal #fediverse clients

Janne Moren Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy
We have a Leaf. It's my daily commuter and it's nearly perfect for that. We also use it on weekends for shopping trips; again it works great for that kind of use.

I'd definitely want a much bigger battery if we'd want to use it for long holiday trips or things like that. But we don't, so this one is good.

Chris Hayes Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy
"The above photo was taken by the dealership; apparently their social media team likes to post photos of all purchasers."
😆 Privacy advocates hate this one simple trick.

@chris Haha right?

Thibaultmol 🌈Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy fyi, Technology Connections is Alec (not Alex) 😉
(subtitles in the video say Alex)

@thibaultmol Dangit! Will fix.

older Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy

Crossover episode with @TechConnectify would be fun to watch!

@thibaultmol

Ryan Walmsley Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy Some bits I agree with, but I wouldn't not want my heated wheel in winter!

Recently got a CCS2 adapter myself which I plan on trying this weekend.

Oddly I've never gotten along with one pedal driving myself.

Steering wheel replacements are a pain though, on a different nissan I had prior I did it and the airbag part is the scariest.

Ryan Walmsley Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy
And I was similar with asking the dealership to charge mine, but on a prior EV as I didn't have any way of charging at home to begin with and almost no public chargers then!

Adam Honse Sep 5, 2025

@Ryanteck @geerlingguy After driving a Volt for 10 years I've gotten used to regenerative mode, always driving it in L "gear" which has fairly strong regen when you let off the "gas", but I just got a Mach E and don't like the full 1 pedal mode. It is too much. The Mach E also has an L mode that works similar to the Volt or Unbridled mode which does the same regen with a bit more responsive throttle. I can coast to most stops and only use the brake at the very end which I like.

Ryan Walmsley Sep 5, 2025

@CalcProgrammer1 @geerlingguy I don't mind regen, I had a Volt before and a Renault Zoe

I primarily drive in Eco mode which has a stronger regen than none, but just can't get used to the single pedal.

BedastGPT Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy I feel like the biggest shift I had to make in owning an EV is how I think about "fueling". Having an EVSE at home means I can use parked time, which is ample, as fueling time, and I never have to visit a public charger.

Since you're a tinkerer, you might be interested in checking out OVMS. It appears to support the Nissan Leaf. It does require buying some hardware, and possibly IOT mobile data service (it's super cheap!), but it's, otherwise, open source.

@bedast Yes, I have been looking into that. We'll see! The having to hack the CAN bus internally is a little annoying, compared to older Leafs where you could just tap into the OBD-II port that was exposed :(

BedastGPT Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy I use OVMS with my Niro EV and there's still missing functionality. It's an interesting project that I wish had more attention.

I just now watched your video. An option many folks may have for L2 charging at home is something like NeoCharge to safely share a receptacle. Since my water heater is in my garage, I have mine shared with that. I'm in a rental house and modifications aren't really an option (I tried working with them).

see shy jo Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy

> 16 Amps for L1 (they shouldn't do 16 on a 15A circuit but it seems like some do!)

For a 16A charger, you need a 20A circuit. Use a 12A charger on a 15A circuit. This derating is important for safety, most outlets are not designed for continuous load.

@joeyh Indeed, that's why I said that! I'm amazed Amazon allows chargers to advertise as 16 amps when it has a standard 15A plug!

https://blog.se.com/datacenter/2014/06/12/clearing-confusion-80-vs-100-rated-circuit-breakers/

Perspective Sep 7, 2025

@geerlingguy @joeyh

Standard breakers are meant to be used at 80% of their maximum rated current on a continuous basis. This leaves 25% headroom for intermittent increases in current demand.

Then there's 100% rated breakers ...

YurkshireLad Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy A PHEV is a good middle ground for those that don’t want an EV. Though PHEVs are just as expensive.

Alessandro Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy we have similar thoughts about the EVs. I want a cheap car that happens to be electric, I _don’t_ want an electric car! Chinese ones might be the closest to what I’d like at the moment.

Ati Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy Something a little more modern, that has 50-60 kWh net battery capcity at least NOT 29kWh and that charges 10% - 80% in 25min every time NOT 45min on a first charge and 2 hours on every consequtive time (because of 60C battery with no cooling) .... would change a lot. With the likes of eNiro / Kona EV / VW cars / Stellantis cars you always charge at 80kWh per hour. With Leaf it is 45kWh per hour at first fast charge of the day and maaaaybe 15kWh with hot battery 💁‍♂️

@ati1 my gen 2 plus has 60 kWh batter I think? And will do 55 kW fast charge, still a lot less than more expensive EVs

Ati Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy This bigger battery makes it a bit better for no charge / single charge trips. But still close to nothing on long trips couse of no active battery cooling system. Once battery gets hot (after 1st fast charge) you only get 25kW charging power or so (from 2nd "fast" charge onwards) That's why in Bjorn Nyland 1000km challenges 40kWh Leaf is capable of around 60km/h average speed (charging included) 60kWh battery only betters it to 65km/h, modern ones do 90km/h and top ones > 100km/h

Ati Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy So maybe choosing sth more modern and sometimes just a little bit more expensive would suit more ppl (like here in EU used, compact, Leaf sized Citroen eC4 does around 85km/h average in 1000km challenge and is in 60kWh Leaf price range). Not to mention top ones like Ioniq 5, EV6, Teslas.... VWs 95 - 100km/h average (charging included). That is really close to gas cars. And a whole different planet than Leafs 65km/h.

Marco

@geerlingguy such a different experience then here in Europa (The Netherlands). Ofcourse you cannot directly compare the US with Europe but still… planning larger trips can be a hassle but most of the time its fine.

David S Sep 4, 2025

@marco @geerlingguy Fastned is amazing

LordMortis Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy (note: I live in Western Australia) as someone who has both a 2023 leaf and who’s partner has a 2019 Kona - the Kona is by far the better car. She can do a 184 km round trip and use barely half her battery, and it supports CCS2 fast charging (though, we pretty much always charge via L1)

That being said: an older couple I know borrowed my CCS -> CHAdeMo adapter and crossed the Nullarbor and back a few months ago, so I’m shocked at the capability of the larger pack leaf.

I do like my leaf though :D definitely don’t have range anxiety - but charger anxiety is a thing (at least in Australia)

minecraftchest1 Sep 4, 2025

@geerlingguy
Here are some of my thoughts on EV's vs ICE vehicles.

Most EV's want to be smartphones on wheels, and you have very few options if you don't wan't that. Used market isn't as big as ICE.

My Daily driver is from 2003. Good luck finding an EV that old that is worth buying as a daily driver. They probably do exist, but the shift to EV's didn't really start until the mid 2010's.

Jeff Geerling Sep 5, 2025

@minecraftchest1 I do hate that EVs missed out on the "actually just driving" era of cars :(

eickot Sep 5, 2025

@geerlingguy You bought the worst EV, I think. I liked the dessign, but I bought an EV 2 years ago, and I never tried it. Regarding the Reverse sound (I don't know nissan leaf) but I think is a legal stuff, to indicate differently. (And I think is super good, because is more "alarming"), and Btw, the one pedal drive, is the worst for eviciency. I reduced more than 1kw/100km in mine disabling it. Enjoy your EV!