Anyone in Phoenix?

I recognize a few screen names on here from the Nissan LEAF forum. I used to have a 2011 (#182) but found a new home for it when I saw the battery issue arising and did not want to lose more than I already had on the car (values have since plummeted here in the Phoenix market). I have been driving a Lexus CT hybrid but I do want to get back into an EV. I am wanting to know if anyone on here is in the Phoenix area and could help shed some light on how their car does here along with which dealer they are working with for any service or warranty issues. I might also like to buy someone lunch in order to get to see one in person (might be a good idea before trying to make a deal on one).

Let me know if you'd like to test drive mine. I'd be happy to take you for a spin. I think it's too early to tell what effect the heat will have on their batteries, but there are several Tesla Roadster drivers in the valley who have been driving them for a good while. Camelback Toyota said they'd work on mine, and an interested party contacted a dealer down in Chandler, I think, who said they'd do it, but haven't had an issue yet.

PM me if you want to talk more and I'll give you my phone number. I'm just off HWY 51 and Glendale/Lincoln Ave.

I'm not in Phoenix and this isn't EV related, but be sure to check out my post re: a Kitchen Nightmares ep filmed in Scottsdale at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=291880#p291880.

It was a riot!

Fellow Phoenicians,

My brother and I are both looking into leasing a 2014 RAV4 EV. I'm in negotiations with a CA dealer now. For those of you who are driving RAV4s in the Phoenix area, I wanted to get your thoughts:

- Have you found a dealership in the Phoenix area that will service it? I'm referring here to the Tesla parts (e.g. 5k mile maintenance, firmware updates, etc). I imagine its Toyota parts can be serviced at any dealership (e.g. power door locks quit working)
- Has battery life remained stable despite our nasty hot summers?
- In the summers with the AC blasting (probably Normal or Eco Lo mode) what real-world range are you getting? Whether you charge to 80% or 100% is a certainly a factor so please specify.

Thank you in advance. There's a lot to love about this EV.

Currently, unless you have a way for the car to be leased in California and operated in Phoenix, good luck getting the $16,500 lease discount. It has to be registered first in California to get that discount.

No degradation has been reported that is even close to what the LEAF has:

Phoenix LEAF Range Test with Battery Degradation, Sept 15, 2012

If you need to keep the cells cool, with Rav4 EV, you can either leave the car charging slowly (which will run the Temperature Management System) or physically leave the car ON with the fob inside and lock the doors with the mechanical door key.

The third method is to precondition the cabin with the onboard timer or various online methods. For 20 minutes, it will cool the battery (and cabin).

We've got the lease details worked out. No worries there.

I'd love to get the perspectives of fellow Phoenicians on their experiences with a RAV4 EV in Phoenix. My biggest concerns are regular maintenance and range during summer while the AC is blasting.

The air conditioning is very efficient.

I suspect that range will only be affected by 10% on the hottest days (assuming precooling of cabin and battery while plugged in).

The other great thing about the RAV in Phoenix is turning on the AC before you get in your car using the Entunes app. It takes a bit of practice to remember, but when it's 115 outside, nothing is better than entering a pre-conditioned car.

Even in the middle of summer, we almost always use eco modes on the AC. During the winter we almost never need heat, only seat heaters.