A Nissan Leaf driver going through a Nissan buyback says being temporarily back in a gas-powered loaner has highlighted electric vehicle habits they had stopped noticing.
They told the r/ElectricVehicles subreddit that the adjustment isn't just about spending more on fuel. Even something as routine as running the heat or air conditioning feels like an unnecessary use of gas.
Here's what to know
In a Reddit thread, a driver said their 2020 Nissan Leaf is in a buyback process with Nissan, so they have been using an internal combustion engine loaner instead. That change has meant replacing free charging at work with repeated fuel purchases.
"It is killing me pumping $40 every few days into it considering that I charge my EV for free at work!" they wrote.
They said the more frustrating difference shows up during ordinary waiting and quick errands. In the EV, they were comfortable with climate control running for a short stop. In the loaner, doing the same thing feels wasteful.
"The thing I miss the most about my EV is just sitting and idling while waiting to pick someone up or leaving it on with the heat or A/C on while I am in a store or something," they wrote. "I can do the same in the loaner but the thought of wasting the fuel galls me."
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Other EV drivers in the thread said they understood the feeling.
"My wife gets free charging at work," a commenter wrote. "I don't know any company that offers free gas. It's great."
Another commenter pointed to a different benefit that can stand out after switching away from a gas-powered vehicle: "Whenever I drive or ride in a non-EV, I feel the vibration."
More background
The original poster is not comparing sticker prices or making broad pollution claims; they are describing the routines of daily life. Free workplace charging versus roughly $40 for gas every few days is the kind of difference drivers are likely to notice almost immediately.
Other commenters described benefits beyond fuel savings. One commenter said gas-powered vehicles feel "as loud as a lawn mower," while another said the "quiet cabin is a big one for me too, especially on longer drives."
A different commenter said riding in a gas truck worsened their motion sickness after months of driving an EV, saying their body had adjusted to the smoother ride.
Convenience also came up repeatedly. One commenter said they do not miss "waiting in line at Costco gas," and another replied that their Costco has EV charging that is "almost always available while the line for gas wraps around the parking lot."
What can be done?
For the OP, it seemed like they would be back to their EV lifestyle soon. Commenters suggested the greater transition away from gas-powered vehicles was only a matter of time.
"The only reason anyone cares about them at all is because of legacy infrastructure that's more costly, dirtier and harder to maintain," a Reddit user wrote.
"I think that once you can 'fill up' in a very short time that people will start to change, at least in the US where a three- or four-hundred mile trip is pretty routine," the OP replied. "The infrastructure will follow because the oil companies will be electric stations rather than gas stations."
Where can I learn more?
The costs, comfort, and daily routines drivers notice most when switching between EVs and gas cars are a robust source of discussion.
• A Nissan Leaf owner said owning an EV still brings savings many drivers underestimate.
• Longtime owners said maintaining an EV versus a gas car can mean fewer routine costs.
• On Reddit, would-be buyers heard heaps of praise from drivers already living with EVs.
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