Nissan LEAF & home solar owner touts EV + PV

Nissan LEAF-solar-cayenne
The Nissan LEAF.
Tom Cotter is no ordinary car driver. After buying a Nissan LEAF last year, Cotter has stopped going to the gas station. Cotter is part of the growing segment of electric car drivers helping the environment — and their pocketbooks.

In an entry about his EV experiences published last month on Greencarreports.com, ā€œWhy I Drive a Nissan Leaf Electric Car: One Ownerā€™s Story,ā€ Cotter writes about the advantages to having an EV ā€“ and of using home solar PV to fuel it.

ā€œI figure Iā€™m saving about $3,300 in annual gas and oil change bills, compared to the average Ford Expedition driver,ā€ he writes.

Savings beat Prius savings
Cotter claims to save about $870 more than those who drive a Toyota Prius, one of the most fuel-economic cars on the alternative fuel or hybrid market. By reducing energy use and decreasing pollution, Cotter has followed his life goal of changing the way he uses energy.

ā€œIā€™m a firm believer in moving aggressively toward using available and realistic clean energy sources,ā€ he notes. ā€œIā€™ve seen it work again and again, both in my job and first-hand at my own solar-powered home in Clovis, California.ā€

Cotter writes that he was motivated by his family and his faith to make the switch to EV + PV. As a minister, he believes he has a religiously motivated responsibility to improve the earth and quality of life for others.

He has a concern for the poor, which stems from his realization that negative impacts on the environment most strongly affect those who are less fortunate than the majority of people.

Ultimately, Cotter concludes that saving energy and doing something good for the environment does not mean changing our daily routines.

ā€œ(It) doesnā€™t mean sacrificing our lifestyles,ā€ he writes. ā€œSwitching to clean transportation like electric cars can be surprisingly fun.ā€

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