... people who buy EVs get suckered out of their money -

IMHO the best of both worlds for most folks is a Toyota PHEV if they can charge at home or for free at work..

 

hybrid was the bridge to ev's. thanks toyota!

 

My standard car benchmark is to ascend Brindley Mountain, 8% grade, 1.2 miles:

• Wait for traffic to pass
• Standing start in lane, base of hill
• FULL accelerator up the hill
• Do not exceed 85 mph at the crest

So I had my girlfriend do the test and she really enjoyed it. Then about 1/3d the way up the hill, "How fast are you going?"

"<EXPLITIVE> 106 mph!" and she backed off.

I have the speed limit alert set at 85 mph and have busted it a couple of times. But normally, the car drives itself in "chill" mode. I don't like to exceed the rated speed of my tires.

So my 2019 Model 3:

Tesla took "$18,300" for the former 2017 Prius Prime bringing the Tesla purchase price to $22,000. In January, Tesla offered "$8,500" for trade-in for my Tesla.. But it ain't broke and with the latest Full Self Driving, it has become my favorite ride around town instead of the 2017 BMW i3-REx ($15,000 two years ago.)

I want (not NEED) to replace the BMW with a HW 4.0 Tesla, either Model 3 or Y. But these are only a year old, the HW change was in March 2024. My GF has asked about the BMW so she can get it for whatever the Tesla seller offers as BMW trade-in.

• $2.50/100 mile - Home
• $7.00/100 mile - Supercharger
• $0/100 mile - Other

Bob Wilson

 

EVs on offer globally range from tiny (Wuling, etc.) to small and middle (BYD, etc.) to proper sedans (see Tesla and its Chinese copies from XPENG, etc.). Above that are many offerings from legacy vehicle manufacturers making SUVs and niche performance vehicles.

The spectrum is wide and not fully available in all countries. Utility depends on recharging infrastructure that varies across countries. Utility also depends on battery capability which remains crappy IMHO. And yet the EVs they do come.

==
If US lags on recharging infrastructure expansion, a smart choice will remain hybrids (mentioned above). Why not be the last large market to divorce from petro-based mobility?

Revel in the past. Let others 'future' first.

 

Just to complement these wise words:

My ~6.4 kW (peek 16*400W), solar roof project is sized to cover 90% of my EV and home usage. By adjusting my loads like charging the EVs between 9 AM and 5 PM, it should cut my monthly electric cost from ~$200 to about 2-3x the $10/month connection fee. We sized it to minimize any excess electric power generation dumped onto the grid.

I plan to optimize EV charging to follow the solar radiance. Some software may apply.

Bob Wilson

 

Not until quicker charging & longer range come to market. i see the Chinese claim to have the quicker charging piece, but not in the US.

 

Based on my experience, PHEV is the bridge to full EV. Toyota may have gotten my memo about the 2017 Prius Prime when I traded it in on a Model 3 and kept my first, 2014 BMW i3-REx.

Bob Wilson

 

It MAY be a bridge to a fast charging EV which does not yet exist in the US.. Not everyone has the time & patience for long trips with the current EVs available.For them, a PHEV or Hybrid is a no brainer.

 

My block-to-block speed ranges from 50-52 mph regardless of Prius (I've owned three), PHEV, or EV. I start the clock when I walk out the door and stop it when I walk in the destination. Miles are by tripmeter or odometer difference. Don't worry, I know EVs are not for everyone.

So I'm window shopping for a used, HW 4.0 Tesla to replace my 2017 BMW i3-REx. So far, not finding affordable ones where I usually look, eBay motors and Tesla's used inventory. I may have to wait another two years for the leased ones to hit the market.

Bob Wilson