What Other EV's Have You Driven?

[gmarcucio]

I was wondering how many people have driven other EV's other than their MiEV? What other EV's have you driven?
Myself:
- Chevrolet Volt
- Ford Focus Electric
- Nissan Leaf
- Honda Fit EV

 

[archie_b]

Here is my list of EVs; most I owned, a few just driven

Citicar
Elcar
Zenn
Kurrent
Miles ZX40S
Dynasty IT Utility
Tesla Roadster (do I wish I had owned this one)
Miev
Volt

When I think back to the Citicar I realize just how far EVs have matured. I put over 18,000 miles in two years on a car with a top speed of 38mph,a range of 40 miles, and absolutely no safety features except a seat belt. But, just like today, it was cheap to operate. Lived in Seattle and round trip to work, about 45 miles, was less than $0.10.

 

[gmarcucio]

Wow!!! That is awesome!! You have been into the EV culture for some time now! Nice!

Here is my list of EVs; most I owned, a few just driven

Citicar
Elcar
Zenn
Kurrent
Miles ZX40S
Dynasty IT Utility
Tesla Roadster (do I wish I had owned this one)
Miev
Volt

When I think back to the Citicar I realize just how far EVs have matured. I put over 18,000 miles in two years on a car with a top speed of 38mph,a range of 40 miles, and absolutely no safety features except a seat belt. But, just like today, it was cheap to operate. Lived in Seattle and round trip to work, about 45 miles, was less than $0.10.

 

[benswing]

Owned a 2007 Vectrix electric motorcycle (maxi-scooter).
Now ride a 2012 Zero S electric motorcycle.
2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Test drove a Tesla Roadster (wicked awesome!) and a BMW Active-E.

 

[jray3]

Have added two in the last two weeks! :mrgreen:
In reverse order, they are:
Tesla Model S Signature Edition (got to rocket from city to way past legal on the highway too, speechless reviews are right)
Ford Focus EV (reviews overhyped. How'd they manage to combine squishy acceleration with excessive torque steer?)
my iMiEV ES and SE (first test was in early Euro version)
Volt (for the price, with 5 seats and rear headroom, it coulda been a contender!)
Several LEAFs
Classic Beetle with Curtis AC drive
Ford Transit Connect Electric by Azure Dynamics (AZD RIP )
my 24V Cushman Minute Miser (warehouse heavy trike)
Classic Beetle with 72V 400A DC drive
340 kW twin-motor Fiero DC conversion
Ford Ranger DC conversion
my Karmann Eclectric 170 KW DC drive
Classic Beetle with 144V DC drive
Subaru microvan 96v conversion by Jet Electric
Geo Prism EV by US Electricar
Blue Meanie 156V Datsun 1200
Electric Mini-Chopper motorcycle
WaveCrest TidalForce special forces E-Bike
various e-bikes, lawn tractors, e-creations, and e-boats
Solectria Force (AC drive Geo Metro)
Ford Escort DC conversion
And my very first E-xperience? A 120V DC drive Porsche 914 waaay back in 2002.
(not counting electric forklifts at work)
and then there was that Battronic Electric van that I didn't know enough to revive in 1996 while working at a salvage yard... R.I.P.

And am trading cars with a buddy to drive his Hymotion PHEV Prius on a a road trip next month.

Have ridden in, but not driven a Tesla Roadster, the White Zombie dragster, a
1921 Milburn Light Electric http://www.milburn.us/
and a couple e-bus prototypes/ hybrids

 

[Vike]

While deciding about the i-MiEV, I also test drove the Nissan Leaf. I found the Leaf roomier, more comfortable, and more substantial, with more sustained power on the highway, but not nearly as much fun to drive around town, especially given the i-MiEV's 3 EV modes. EVs other than the Tesla aren't well suited to freeway cruising anyway, and I was mainly interested in something fun to drive to work and take out to run errands, so the i-MiEV got the nod, especially given the (at the time) huge price advantage. The price edge almost evaporated with the introduction of the 2013 Leaf S, but before the Leaf S showed up, that edge was back with a vengeance with this spring's big dealer incentives (you lucky procrastinators).

Before that, we've had a 2005 Gen2 Prius for years, and that was my first (albeit limited) EV-mode driving experience, which kinda got me hooked. Before finally ordering the i-MiEV we also drove the Prius C, a major disappointment. The Prius C is hugely popular, but I don't know why; it's pretty obviously a hybrid Yaris, a wretched little thing that I found much less pleasant to drive than the i-MiEV.

Just to mention, I expect this list to grow quite a bit when we commence shopping for a PHEV to replace our Prius, which would have to be something road-trip worthy. Without a reconfiguration to improve passenger/cargo space, the Volt won't work for us. We're eyeing the PriusPI, but it's not for sale in our state yet. Before deciding on buying a PriusPI we want to test the C-Max Energi (priced OK but cargo space is a question) and the upcoming Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (likely at least as pricey as the Volt, but hugely more useful than anything else on offer). The way things have been going, I don't know what other PHEV choices we'll have - the Fusion and Accord PHEVs, even if available by then, seem to offer no advantages over the PriusPI for our purposes.

 

[jz1]

I've driven an EV-1, Volt, Leaf, Tesla Model S and iMiev.

 

[siai47]

I have owned a Grumman "Kurbwatt", three Chevrolet S10-ev's (one Pba, two NiMH), a 2002 Rav4-EV (not the new one), a 2012 Nissan LEAF, a 2013 Nissan LEAF, and a 2012 I-miev. I have driven a Volt, a GEM, a Citicar and a few homebuilts back in the day. Boy, EV's have come a long way from DC lead acid systems to what we have now

 

[aarond12]

Am I in the minority having only driven a LEAF and my i-MiEV? I wanna drive a Tesla!

 

[Zelenec]

Opel Ampera (Volt)
T.King EV3 (Chinese 2-seater)
Tazzari

 

[Zelenec]

BTW
in Slovenia only 2 Leafs and 30 I-mievs (all 3 brands) are registered.

 

[gmarcucio]

Wow, I'm glad I asked I didn't even realize some of these vehicles existed. I checked them out online from the responses I received here. Thanks

 

[carnut1100]

First drove a 2012 iMiev then drove a Leaf.
Liked the Leaf a lot more and at the time only a $3k difference so had I been able to afford either then it would have been a Leaf.
Now Leaf in Aus has dropped to $40k and 2012 iMievs are mid 20s and a 2010 can be had for under $20k so when it turned out my local dealer had a 2010 I got a good deal and grabbed it.

 

[PeterC]

I have driven my home-converted Daihatsu charade for over 4 years and 40,000km.
I have driven two iMievs for short test drives. My own should arrive in a few days.
I have driven a friend's Nissan leaf for a short test drive.
Of the above three all are nice but I think my conversion had the best torque/weight ratio!
A Prius with a plug-in conversion for a short test drive-it was hard to drive gently enough to keep it in EV mode.
I have driven two scary electric go-carts for short rides.
Various bicycles with electric pedaling assistance.

 

[iwatson]

A Chevy Volt - Owned for the past two years. The first time I ever drove it was when I drove it home from Dallas Texas to Memphis, Tennessee. Love It, Love it, Love it. Use it as an EV to commute to work and back with no range anxiety when called upon to make unexpected or unplanned excursions. Also have made several road trips. Love the versatility and the fact that there are no compromises when transitioning from an ICE car.

2 Nissan Leafs - Test drives, Really liked it but my wife didn't. I feel the car is more refined than the i-Miev with more range, 5 seats, larger & roomier than the miev but I was concerned about The battery pack not having a TMS and the life of the battery in Memphis hot summers. Felt that the car was too pricey for a limited range car.

I-Miev. My wife's new (used) car. Was less than impressed with the car originally. Felt it was too small, too little range, not as techy. Rather strange design/look. My wife and children called it a clown car and suggested I wear big yellow shoes when test driving. My wife was afraid of going to an all electric car due to limited range. We warmed up to it because of price. We got it used with 8800 miles for $10,500. Monthly payment is less than we were paying in gas for her mini-van. After one month it's not a clown car anymore. She's lovin' it. This month she's put more miles on her i than I've put on my Volt. Deceptively impressive little car. Handles anything she throws at it and hasn't seen turtle mode yet. Even though it's not real high tech inside, I love how it sits up taller than my Volt and easy to get in and out of. Seats sit real firm.

 

[PV1]

I've driven 3 i-MiEVs (two test drives, plus my own), a LEAF twice, a couple of Volts (I think 2 test drives), and a Focus Electric.

I've ridden in a Tesla Roadster, 2 Model S, the same LEAF I drove twice, the Volts I also test drove plus one on tour (first experience with an EV IIRC), my own i-MiEV 2 or 3 times (what a difference from driving), a converted Saab (danpatgal, you know this guy ), and I sat in the driver's seat of a Model S at the local Ford dealer (who trades a Model S for a truck?)

I'd love the opportunity just to see an EV1, let alone sit inside one.

Wow. Three years ago, I thought I was lucky just seeing a LEAF at the Auto Show, and never dreamed of seeing a Tesla. :lol:

 

[MLucas]

I'd love the opportunity just to see an EV1, let alone sit inside one.

I saw an EV1 at the Auto Show in Toronto in the early 2000's. A sight to behold for sure. Being so close to it gave me goose bumps. I remember it was showcased in an Alternate Energy section in the Sky Dome and was positioned next to other electric vehicles of the time. Mostly companies that were converting cars to electric.

More recently, I had a Tesla Model S borrow my L2 charger. Now that was truly impressive, it even had the jumps seats in the back. Beautiful car, simply amazing.

 

[danpatgal]

... a converted Saab (danpatgal, you know this guy )

That Saab was the first time I'd been in an EV and I was hooked! I followed by buying my own project (the Lectric Leopard) and driving a Leaf or two and our iMiev. I've kind of stopped there. I'm a small car person, so I'm not enthralled by the thought of a Model S, but maybe on the open road I'd feel differently. The i3, however, might be interesting, if I could get one for 1/2 off .

 

[johnr]

My first EV was a 2011 Nissan Leaf, which I had for 3 years. Three months ago, I traded it in for my new iMiev, and I'm never going to back to a Nissan! Trust me, with the exception of its shorter range and less cargo space, in most every other aspect the iMiev is hands-down the better vehicle. This is because Mitsubishi understands the human factor much better than Nissan, and it shows in the design of the user interfaces.

 

[PV1]

Welcome to the club.

I can add the BMW i3 to my list, with another ride in the back of a Model S. Also, although it's not an EV (or even a plug-in), I've driven my parents' C-Max Hybrid a few times (first experience driving a hybrid).