For so many years and over 260,000 miles, I drove my "Mom van." The kids grew up with it and it carried us safely on several cross country trips and many "firsts." It delivered kids to new schools, soccer practice and violin lessons, baseball games and birthday parties, trips to the lake and moves to college. I was beyond sad when it met its demise. A malfunctioning automatic gate closed on me as I was driving through and it lifted my sweet van full of memories up a couple of feet before dropping it to the ground and ripping the side off.
I have a relationship with my wheels and have kept my cars as long as possible, always choosing to repair rather than replace. Nevertheless, the insurance totaled my van after the gate attack and I no longer had kids to haul around so a large vehicle made no sense. A few years earlier I had experienced the all electric Nissan Leaf before they were available. I thought it was a dream car, so quiet and zippy and pretty. My favorite color was electric blue but I filed the dream away because, when they hit the market, the price was dreamy too.
In 2016 I made the rounds looking for slightly used electric or hybrid cars. Lucky for me, a lone Nissan Leaf sat on the lot of a Chevrolet dealership. It was a blue 2012 with low mileage and almost a steal of a price. We brought her home and I named her Gracie and our journey began. I love this car and, though she now only goes about 70 miles on a charge, that covers about 98% of my driving needs. She has spoiled me with her quiet and fume-less ways and we still have so many adventures together.
If you are keen to go electric, consider this a testimonial for the Nissan Leaf. If Gracie died tomorrow, I would mourn, but then I would get another one just like her...a pre-owned rescue with so much love left to give.