Plenty of water has flowed under the bridge since we took delivery of our Nissan Leaf Tekna about 15 months and 7200 miles ago.
We’ve seen the arrival of half a dozen new electric models – notably from Volkswagen, Ford and Tesla – and we’ve watched Renault extend the driving range of its Renault Zoe supermini to a realistic 150 miles.
All the way, the Leaf has deservedly kept its position as the world’s best-known battery electric car, a practical, Volkswagen Golf-sized five-door with worldwide sales reaching 250,000 at the end of last year and now nearing 75,000 in Europe. That hardly makes it a mainstreamer, but the fact that most people know a Leaf when they see one shows Nissan’s success at publicising its pioneering model.
Our motivation for acquiring
 a latest-spec 30kWh Leaf (earlier models, going back to 2010, had 24kWh batteries) was to investigate what we saw as an emerging trend in electric cars, a tendency for them to be acquired as second family cars and soon – because of their convenience, economy and easy driving – to take the lead role. And so it proved. Our Leaf became a short-haul specialist, constantly taking people to the airport, home from work, on errands and generally proving useful. Its total mileage wasn’t impressive, but its number of journeys was dizzying.
The art of making a Leaf work 
is never seriously to test the range, claimed at 150-odd miles on the NEDC cycle but closer to 100-110 in sensible everyday driving. Depend on the Leaf for round trips of 70-80 miles and it is a smooth, quiet, convenient joy – complete with a decent ride, solid brakes (enhanced by its regeneration system) and light, enjoyable steering. But challenge
it to go beyond 100 miles and you’d forget all the advantages (including silence, a decent boot and practical rear accommodation) as the sweat of range anxiety pops out on your brow. You don’t even count the meagre fuelling cost – somewhere between a fifth and a tenth of what you’d pay for petrol – as an advantage when you just don’t have enough of the stuff.
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two-car families?
Now call me a cynic but how many families can afford to live in London (central or near-central, given the range of the Leaf) and own/park/run a large diesel tourer and an electric 'shopping trolley' complete with garage or charging point nearby?
Most london dwellers rely on public transport for most of their needs, I believe... could be wrong, mind!
fuel cost savings perhaps more meaningful for those paying?
re: "You don’t even count the meagre fuelling cost – somewhere between a fifth and a tenth of what you’d pay for petrol – as an advantage when you just don’t have enough of the stuff. "
do you guys pay for your own fuel? The cost savings would indicate a private owner might be more fosussed on what they save by buying electric. You also don't mention the lower servicing costs with electric vehicles.
Fairy tales
Just 7200 miles after 15mths in the hands of motoring journalists ! Has there ever been a car thats covered so little miles in the hands of Autocar hacks?
EV is a nice idea in practice but it's going to take at least another 20 years of development to become even remotely viable. Does anyone other than tree huggers really believe no more petrol/diesel powered cars will be produced after 2040?
20 years? really
Less than 7200 miles in 15 months not sure, perhaps you could research it, doesn't sound that unreal if you've a choice of a a Leaf or latest M3 in morning.
20 years to be "even remotely" viable, really, did you not read the review, or other peoples opinion of EV's (including the one above your very comment). 1 in 4 new car sales in Norway are electric already and it looks like the Model 3 will be out selling the BMW 3 series in America early next year.