Q: Assuming a person recharged his Nissan Leaf every night, how much would that add to his annual electricity bill? How long do the batteries last and what is the replacement cost?
—Tom Bennett, Rex
A: Nissan and online reports state that there are small increases in monthly power bills for Leaf owners, but the manufacturer states that people can save money by charging the Leaf, which is a fully electric car, during off-peak hours, "when electricity rates are at their lowest."
The car’s battery has two warranties, one that will “repair or replace a the battery within five years or 60,000 miles if it loses more than 30 percent of its charge capacity” and one that covers “defects and flaws for up to eight years or 100,000 miles,” according to AutoTrader.com. The life of a Leaf battery could depend on usage and weather conditions.
Replacement lithium-ion batteries for the Leaf cost $5,499 (including a $1,000 credit for turning in the old battery) and the fee covers about three hours of labor, GreenCarReports.com states on its website. A Leaf owner also needs to install the Electric Vehicle Service Equipment, which charges the Leaf. Those cost at least $600 uninstalled and up to $2,000 installed. About 56,000 Leafs had been sold in the U.S. as of the end of June.
Q: Can an executive order signed by a president be rescinded by his successor?
—Rebecca Noell, Woodstock
A: Yes. "The President is free to revoke, modify, or supersede his own orders or those issued by a predecessor," according to "Executive Orders: Issuance, Modification, and Revocation," released in April by the Congressional Research Service.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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