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Comment by maxerickson | Hacker News Reader

Nor are people spending $30,000 on a vehicle showing particularly price sensitive behavior.

Lots of fine vehicles available for $15,000, $15,000 is an awful lot of gas (and you save on insurance and financing with a cheaper vehicle, so the lower maintenance on the electric isn't the only consideration).

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Maybe it's not just about cost, but about driving a vehicle that doesn't directly contribute to diffused emissions? And use motor oil, hydraulic fluid, coolant, belts, etc?

If you're going to compare long term maintenance costs, you absolutely have to include the battery pack replacement cost. Otherwise you're being disingenuous or even deceptive.

Many '11-'12 Leaf owners are already complaining about significantly reduced ranges on their vehicles. What happens after 60,000 miles if your battery starts rapidly going under 9 bars?

Keep driving with terrible range anxiety? Plan your routes with chargers in mind? Have a stopless commute now require you to stop and charge, making trips even longer?

Replace the battery pack?

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1111264_new-life-for-old...

Whoops, that's going to be $6,200.

> If you're going to compare long term maintenance costs, you absolutely have to include the battery pack replacement cost.

> Keep driving with terrible range anxiety?

If we're bringing all of this up; we must consider the reliability increase as well.

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