[stan_rogers]

The primary market for cars like this won't entail a full charge/discharge cycle in daily driving, so it is very practical to charge over common 110V. Don't think that a vehicle like this needs to suit every driver in every market in order to be successful -- there are plenty of places in the US (and in Canada) where a 40-50 mile driving day would be closer to the norm. And in northern areas, where industrial parking lots have long offered power for block heaters in winter, one could quite possibly see 110V being made available as a cheap sort of "happy worker" benefit while the driver is on shift. (Even if the cost of electricity were to, say, triple in a hurry, that's only 12-15KWh for an 8-hour shift -- a lot cheaper than a dental plan.)

[SamAtt]

The question really isn't whether 100 miles would be fine most days it's what happens when you get stuck in traffic or you have to drive somewhere unexpected for an emergency. Without the ability to quickly stop at a gas station to refuel you're severely limiting yourself (and while I agree there will be more sockets in the future I think that's more a 5 year cycle than it is something that will happen right away)

[stan_rogers]

Stuck in traffic isn't really an issue for an electric -- there's no idle cost (apart from environmentals and, of course, the head-splitting and door-rattling stereo). And how many times have you had an immediate need to drive 200 miles out of your way so quickly you couldn't rent?

[EDIT-ADDED] And the sockets are there already in a lot of places (think Michigan, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, most of Canada) it's just a matter of not turning off the switch at the end of February.

[aidenn0]

Ah, but the nice thing about an electric car is that getting stuck in traffic doesn't hurt the mileage. In fact, I would not be surprised if it gets better mileage in stop-and-go than going 70. Especially since the 100 mile range they are advertising is based off of a test designed to simulate driving around downtown LA during rush hour (I'm assuming if it got better mileage on the freeway they would be advertising it's freeway range).

[aarongough]

One thing to remember is that with an electric vehicle there's no such thing as 'idling'. If you're stationary in a traffic jam the car isn't going to be using much juice (stereo, etc only) so that really shouldn't affect the range...

[anamax]

> The primary market for cars like this won't entail a full charge/discharge cycle in daily driving, so it is very practical to charge over common 110V.

However, the leaf is not a very good "only car". It's at best a second car, and probably commute only.

$33k is a lot of gas, and it also takes insurance and registration.