Steven Marsh, a Nissan Leaf owner from Kent, Washington, recently joined the exclusive 100,000-mile club, open only to drivers who have covered at least that distance in a single car. Unlike most other members, Marsh hasn’t used a single drop of gasoline in his travels.
In fact, as Marsh points out, his all-electric Nissan Leaf has actually eliminated thousands of dollars in fuel costs from his budget: “With a daily commute of about 130 miles, I’ve saved more than $9,000 compared to my old gas-powered car since I bought my Leaf.”
Certainly helping matters are the Leaf’s 75-mile electric-driving range, along with a fast-charging time of about 30 minutes, but the state of Washington also gets kudos from Marsh for its quickly growing EV infrastructure: “With plenty of public charging options, as well as a charger installed at my office, my LEAF is a perfect car for my commute.”
He’s not the only one in the Evergreen State to feel that way, either. Thanks to projects like the West Coast Electric Highway, the Seattle-Tacoma area has become one of the country’s biggest markets for the Nissan Leaf, backed by a 230 percent jump in sales during the first 11 months of 2013.
Added Erik Gottfried, director of Electric Vehicle Sales and Marketing at Nissan: “While many early buyers were excited to buy a Leaf for environmental reasons or to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, Steve Marsh is a prime example of consumers who approach electric cars with a practical mindset. Most buyers now choose Leaf for the simple economics that Steve recognized right away. Nissan Leaf costs much less to drive and maintain than a gas car yet still provides a great driving experience.”
