For me, a night’s charge at home for the Leaf would easily take care of my commute and any regular errands I run in town. I like the idea in a pure economic sense. I ran the numbers about six months ago, and it came to 99 mpg equivalent at my electricity cost and the price gas was at that point. It would be even better now. All of that driving is city, so regenerative braking and lack of idling in traffic would give me a big boost beyond that. Add maintenance savings cost and giving up the time to do it, and it’s looking pretty tempting.
But that’s specifically for my case. Your Mileage May Vary — literally. It could be a complete non-starter for you.
At home in Pocatello, the city is small enough that I could get around with a Leaf. That falls apart if I want to go to the bookstore. The nearest bookstore is 53 miles north in Idaho Falls. Freeway speeds are 75 MPH. My favorite place to visit Spring -> Fall is Yellowstone National Park. 154 miles to the west entrance. The one-way distance from the west entrance to Old Faithful is 30 miles. Non-starter distances. Winter temperatures and snow add a new dimension to the Leaf. The battery capacity is severely impacted by cold temperatures. Having to run the heater and a cold battery are a recipe for an early dirt nap.