Tesla Roadster
Peruse forums and you’re likely to find any number of comments both for and against electric vehicle [EV] technology. Really though, these anecdotal responses don’t add up to a whole lot more than hot air. The reality is, that happy people are pretty quiet, but unhappy people, well, let’s just say that misery loves company.
The only way to get the word out about how great EV technology can be is to speak up. On the other hand, if any hot air is going to do any good, say, regarding limited reduced EV battery life, then it needs to be quantified.
To that end, last year, in the Fall of 2012, Plug-In America surveyed owners of the Nissan Leaf, a pure EV. For the most part, consumers reported excellent stability and performance characteristics, but the survey also found that hotter temperatures, such as those experienced in Phoenix, AZ and other desert communities, were a leading factor in the failure of Nissan Leaf batteries. Just after the results of the Nissan Leaf survey were revealed, Nissan announced a new battery warranty program.
Nissan Leaf, though, was hardly the first EV on the market. It was really the Tesla Roadster, a $110,000 EV-modified Lotus Elise, that opened the doors to the EV market back in 2008. Seeing as the Roadster in its various iterations, the 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5, as well as the Sport, has been on the road for up to three years longer than any Leaf has been, Roadster owners just might be the perfect people to ask about their EV experience.
The new Plug-In America survey was opened this week, and past and present Tesla Roadster owners are encouraged to participate. The results of this survey will be very informative, especially for those who might be considering participating in the Tesla battery replacement program.
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