So, What Are the Cheapest 2020 Electric Cars in the USA?

[MineralMan]

https://www.edmunds.com/electric-car/articles/cheapest-electric-cars/

At the link, you'll find a list of them, starting with the Mini EV, which comes in the lowest with a list price starting at $30,750.

The Nissan Leaf is next, starting at $32,535.

They go up from there. All of the cars with a starting price under $40K have a driving distance under 200 miles, except for the Chevy Bolt, which starts at $37,495 and can go up to 259 miles on a charge.

You want more than that, you'll have to pay more.

My wife and I bought a 2020 KIA Soul for $19,000 out the door. It's not electric. It burns gasoline at about 35 MPG on the highway, and can go about 350 miles on a full tank of gas. We drive it about 6000 miles per year, or less if there is a COVID-19 pandemic.

We couldn't afford to own the cheapest EV. Too expensive. Lots of people, I'd think, would fine an EV unaffordable.

[Cirque du So-What]

1. Economies of scale

Prices will trend downward when demand puts enough pressure on automakers to retool and make EVs. Once an OEM or two are all-in with EVs, the rest will follow suit to avoid getting left out.

[MineralMan]

2. Will they get cheaper?

I doubt it, frankly. I'm not seeing that trend developing, despite an active market for EVs.

Interestingly, the least expensive EVs have the shortest between-charge distance you can drive.

Batteries are expensive, and so are more powerful motors. And then there's the car itself.

What is the cost to keep such vehicles charged?

[Zorro]

6. Musk said Tesla is aiming for a $25k EV in the next couple of years

Yes I know he's prone to some exaggeration, but he did say that's the goal.

[ProfessorGAC]

12. The Curve Hasn't Been Reached Yet, MM

You're looking for trends where they cannot yet exist.
EVs are still a niche market for the automakers.
They retool the lines for lower volume machines (luxury and sport). They don't reset the lines for your Kia. That line is in higher demand, so any retooling is for next year's model. Not for an EV.
As this product becomes a dominant item of commerce, the economies of scale kick in.
But, we're way short of that. In 2019, it was only 1.9% of all new cars sold.
Less than 1 in 50 isn't going to generate downward price pressure. They're still a boutique item.

[MineralMan]

30. Oh, I understand that just fine.

KIA is making EVs, too. There is even an EV version of my Soul, although it is not available in the US yet. KIA and its parent company, Hyundai is investing heavily in EV production.

The problem is demand. There just isn't all that much demand so far. That's partly due to short driving ranges and challenges involved with charging EVs for most people. Now, if you have a nice attached garage at your dwelling place, it's not that big a problem, although you'll want to install a charging station to speed up the charging time. So, you have to buy the equipment and hire an electrician to install it, which adds to your cost of ownership of the EV.

For many people, the charging issue is an end-of-game dilemma. If you live in multi-family housing, as is also the dream of most city planners, someone is going to have to pay for charging stations in the buildings' garages. That's not going to play well with low-income housing, I'm sure.

I think we're a long way from the EV revolution, to be quite frank.

[Chili]

16. hardly any charge at all

I drilled a hole in my basement window so that a long outdoor extension would reach my car from one of the basement outlets. Works perfectly.

[bif]

3. I'm really disappointed they walked away from hybrids

We bought a used Lincoln hybrid and absolutely love it. We can go 700 miles on a tank of gas in the summer!

[frazzled]

54. It's why we bought another Prius

earlier this past year after our 14-year-old Prius developed an issue (its first in 14 years) that was too expensive a repair to justify. We average just under 60 miles to the gallon, and produce far fewer emissions than a full gas-powered car. And it was nowhere close to the price of the cheapest electric vehicle. (Plus, since we live in a multiple-dwelling building with indoor parking, we would also have to install the electricity in our parking spot to charge the car, if that would even be possible.)

Because there's nowhere to go this year anyway, we've only put very few miles on the new car, but hey ... it'll be there when we can toodle about and travel again. At this point, we have to remember to just get in the car once a week or so and drive around somewhere (without getting out) just to keep the thing in shape and make sure a rat doesn't come to live under the hood.

[albacore]

76. We've had two Prii since 2005..

Best all around vehicle we've ever had. Big enough for me - a big guy, but nimble as hell. Turning radius made in heaven. Always over 50 mpg. Moved a small chest freezer in the back, with the seat down. Low maintenance, too.

I looked at all the electrics, then I looked at charging options, limitations on range... and our next car will be another Prius.

And yes... the plural of Prius is Prii.

[jimfields33]

4. Wow. That is expensive.

How on earth can I or anybody else pay 37,000 for an electic car. I don’t care if you get some back in taxes, you still need to pay up front. My last car was 19,500 and I will do all I can to buy a car under 20K. I don’t need the bells and whistles that add to the price of the car.

[Liberal In Texas]

27. Rebates. Almost $10,000 Fed and State around here. n/t

[jimfields33]

58. We don't have state taxes here so only federal and how is the rebate given?

[Liberal In Texas]

63. State of Texas - TEXAS - sent me a check.

Feds came right off the top. Got it all back.

Also, if I'd lived in Austin, they have an additional one for their residents.

[jimfields33]

64. You still had to come up with the money the day you bought the car

Perhaps they should deduct it immediately and let the state send it to the dealership. I think that’s more far and doable for buyers.

[Polybius]

5. Why isn't there a program in this country to dramatically reduce electric cars for the poor?

If we want to go all-electric, we have to push an incentive. Make under $25,000 a year? Then I trade in my 18 years old car, and pay a $,5000 fee or so.

[MineralMan]

10. Paid for by whom? Unless the government starts making EVs,

they will be made by private enterprise, which has to make a profit to survive.

Should the government subsidize EVs? Again, who will pay for those subsidies?

Who will pay for the electricity used to charge their batteries?

[tinrobot]

84. There are plenty of used EVs for a fairly reasonable price.

You could get a decent used EV for $10-20k. The cheapest ones go for about $5k.

Maybe the government could do an incentive for used cars.

[essme]

7. We like going on long trips

the range, and the cost bother me. Also, at one point it was hard to find mechanics that could work on Subaru's in small midwest towns. I don't know if that's true anymore.

But, yes- less expensive, longer range, and ease of charging are going to be detrimental to sales in the short term.

[tinrobot]

85. Most new EVs have 200-300 mile ranges and charge fairly quickly.

Road trips are totally possible.

The charging networks are the big bottleneck at this point. Most of the country is covered, particularly on the coasts, but we need more redundancy. That will happen within a few years.

[Chili]

8. I'm very lucky

My old falling-apart car was about to make me take out another loan and put another $1000 into it to keep running. But I got lucky - used car dealer wanted to get rid of the 2-year old Leaf just sitting on the lot with only 22,000 miles on it. They offered $7,900 for it.

*Snatch!*

Still driving it, love it. The problem with these cars is that, if you're not intensely interested in the environment, and you think you're just being cool owning it, you're going to be very disappointed in the car. I get only 100 "miles" when fully charged... which accounts for heat / AC usage, which eats up some of those miles. If you go to work, have kids or sig other to pick up, and still have groceries to get, you're screwed. For me, I don't have the easily rechargeable Leaf, but I don't have kids or sig other / spouse. I just need to get to work and back, go get groceries, and go to my Cavs game. That's it! I rarely even come close to the 100 miles. I charge it over night and I'm good to go in the morning.

However, my great vet is waaaay on the other side of town. Have to drive street traffic - highway miles sometimes suck up the mileage fast.

[shanti]

20. There are some good buys to be had

with the Leaf, especially the lease returns and rentals. The problem with an all EV (to me) is that the technology is evolving so quickly that I feel that what I'd buy now would be obsolete in a few years. I'd prefer a hybrid, but the current Prius styling is ugly to me. I like the older style, so may end up with an older Prius as I seldom drive anymore.

[Wounded Bear]

9. Price is an obstacle, but also charging is a big impediment, too...

As an apartment dweller, I don't have a ready means of charging an EV. Hell, I don't have a garage or even assigned parking.

I could perhaps get away with a hybrid, assuming the on board gas engine could adequately charge the batteries, but I would have to be careful there as well. If the hybrid requires frequent trips to a charging station, it's kind of unusable by me.

We need serious infrastructure upgrades if we really want to make that switch a general thing. Would like to make that switch, but for now, it ain't happening.

[Chili]

17. apartment living - that would be difficult

What would help is if parking lots could add EV plug-in chargers, especially large buildings with the space. The Walmart near me has 4 charging spaces... which get parked in by non-EV cars. Still... hopefully there will come a day when actually having an EV will be easier, more convenient.

[Liberal In Texas]

36. Many apartment complexes have installed charging stations.

Many hotels have as well. Either these are paid for as a community benefit or pay-as-you go stations could be installed.

The elec. really doesn't cost that much.

[MineralMan]

18. You raise another good question, of course.

I live in a city in which most cars end up being parked on the street in residential neighborhoods. Where do they charge their EVs? And who pays for the electricity? Where do they plug them in? Who pays for the charging stations?

While I agree that EVs would be more friendly to the environment, that will only be true when we are using renewable resources to produce electricity. Otherwise, burning fossil fuel to make enough electricity to charge all those EVs is going to create at least equivalent use of those fossil fuels. At least.

Our current energy grid could not come close to handline the requirements of a nation full of EVs. New power generation facilities would be required. Who pays for those?

EVs are nice. They're quiet and reliable. But, they cost too much and must be charged too frequently.

[WinkelTripel]

32. Here's a helpful map of charging stations

https://www.plugshare.com

You'll notice some areas have a lot more infrastructure built out than others. As an apartment dweller in the Bay Area, there are numerous opportunities for me to charge using a public charger within a few blocks of my home (if I had an electric vehicle). There's also fast chargers at a lot of retail stores (Walmart, Whole Foods, etc.) But I see elsewhere in the country the charger selection is much more sparse, for now.

You might recall that California is banning gas powered vehicles as of 2035: https://www.npr.org/2020/09/23/916209659/california-governor-signs-order-banning-sales-of-new-gasoline-cars-by-2035.

I'm sure this will greatly affect the economics in this space as we get closer, with effects seen well beyond CA also.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

80. A hybrid doesn't require any trips to the charging station.

Unless it’s a “plug in hybrid”

Even a plug in hybrid doesn’t REQUIRE a charging station.

We are on our second plug in hybrid Ford Fusion. Plugging it in will get us about 27 miles of pure electric. After that the engine kicks on like a regular car and you can go until you run out of gas.

Some people go a whole year or more without using gas if, say, they work close enough to home and/or can charge at the office. Weekend around towns are usually all electric for us.

(The fusion has a feature that burns some gas if you never use gas so the gas doesn’t get stale. Not sure how that works since we use gas on long road trips at least once a month)

[LuvNewcastle]

11. We need to have charging stations put in before

the cars will really sell. Besides the cost issue, people don't buy them because they're afraid of being stranded somewhere without a charging station. Make them mandatory at gas stations, maybe? They won't sell if people can't get the juice.

[MineralMan]

19. Again, who pays for that infrastructure and for the actual electricity?

Nobody seems to have an answer for those questions, but they are real question that must be answered.

[LuvNewcastle]

28. We need to have some major, pluperfect

infrastructure spending in this country, and it won't be cheap. It will require a lot of labor, though, so if those men and women are paid a decent salary, they'll be able to pay a lot of taxes. The job would be so massive that we would need a lot of immigrants to come in and work as well. If the Democrats and the Republicans could just work out some details about who and how to tax for the spending and who will be the beneficiaries of the largesse, we could maybe get something done.

[MineralMan]

42. Well, we have a very large bunch of existing infrastructure that is crumbling.

Roads, bridges, water systems, sewer systems and tons more things that need updates, repairs, etc.

I suspect that stuff is a greater need than EV charging stations everywhere.

[LuvNewcastle]

51. What I'm saying is that we could include

charging stations and universal broadband in the plans for our infrastructure juggernaut. Hire people to draw up plans for all of those things and then get to work replacing and/or building.

[MineralMan]

55. Yeah, well, we still aren't fixing the rest of the infrastructure, either.

Too expensive, I guess. We had a bridge in an Interstate fall into the Mississippi River in Minneapolis a few years ago. You know, that sort of thing. It got replaced, of course, but there are still big potholes in the street in front of my house, and the 75 year old water mains on my street keep breaking. There are rectangular holes all over the place in St. Paul, patched with asphalt, where they dug down and put patches on that old water main piping.

In some parts of the city, the water mains are over 100 years old. They are failing, too. I'm guessing they'll get a higher priority than charging stations at every parking space, somehow.

[Liberal In Texas]

31. Tesla has put it's own charging stations up all over the place.

For other makes, there are private companies installing charging stations and the driver pays for the electricity when he/she charges up.

Mostly one only uses these on the road, most everyone charges at home.

[MineralMan]

45. At home? What about all those folks living in apartment buildings

and parking in open parking lots? Who's going to install all those outdoor charging stations in all those parking lots?

It's easy to say that people will charge their EVs at home. However, not everyone lives in a house with an attached garage. Not even close to everyone.

See, that's all part of the problem. The more EVs that are sold, the more charging stations are needed. But, people don't want to buy an EV unless there is a way to charge it right now. Mostly, there isn't, really. Someone in this thread mentioned an extension cord from a plug in a basement. That doesn't seem to be a practical solution, really, overall.

[Liberal In Texas]

56. You do know you don't have to charge the thing up everytime you drive it.

You don't have to find a lot with a charging station when you drive downtown. The Niro EV (for example) range is 239 miles. The Tesla's are like 400. That's a lot of commuting.

You don't have to have a garage. Just a place to locate the box and run 220 to it. These things aren't rocket science. People are clever enough to figure out how they're going to charge their cars when they get one.

[hatrack]

38. VW is covering a fair amount of this, directly and indirectly . . .

As part of the settlement for their diesel emissions cheating, they founded a for-profit called Electrify America which is installing Level 3 chargers along major highways. That's the direct part.

The indirect part is coming through the states.

Each state got a piece of the settlement based on how many diesel VW cars with the cheat code were owned and operated in each state. So, for example, in Missouri, MODNR is in charge of building out the charging network, also along interstate and major federal highways, and is offering 80% support for contractors willing to bid to install the charging stations.

In both cases, the drivers pay for the electricity, either with a membership in ChargePoint or something similar, or with a credit card.

That said, since most of your time in your car is spent locally, that doesn't really go to the question of local charging. Some of the utilities (Ameren, Evergy, PG&E) have invested in regional charging networks, but there are still a lot of blank spots on the map.

https://afdc.energy.gov/stations/#/find/nearest?fuel=ELEC&ev_levels=dc_fast

[tinrobot]

87. Some of the infrastructure is paid by government, some is private.

Volkswagen, as part of the dieselgate settlement is spending $2 billion on a coast to coast charging network. It is complete enough so that you could drive from coast to coast in just about any EV. The stations are 70-100 miles apart.

On top of that, state governments are chipping in. California, Oregon, and Washington built a west coat network. Oklahoma (of all states) is placing chargers along all major highways. So is Iowa.

Even cities are getting into the act. Pasadena just put almost 50 fast chargers on the roof of a downtown parking garage.

Then there are private chargers being installed by Chargepoint, EVgo, and others.

On top of that, Tesla has their private charging network.

As for pricing, it depends. Some chargers are free, some charge a fee.

But the bottom line is that the infrastructure is getting built out and quickly - the rate is accelerating.

[BSdetect]

13. Keeping our 2007 Toyota Corolla that gets very good mpg. No problems mechanically

Of course its manual windows and door locks so no problems with those made to fail crap items. Cost $14k

Just over 100k miles. Auto trans and AC

Great for commutes.

Put money into Tesla shares. Making very nice gains. Enough to buy an EV one day. Maybe.

[Towlie]

14. Some states charge more to register an electric car.

 
←

States That Charge Extra Fees To Own An Electric Vehicle

Seems wrong, doesn't it?

[Chili]

21. Ohio should be added to that list

I had a pay a whopping $268 to renew my registration this year. Damn!

[MineralMan]

22. Not wrong. Highways and roads are paid for

through taxes on gasoline and vehicle registration fees. If a car uses no gasoline, revenues go down. If enough cars don't use gasoline, they plummet. Who pays for that?

So, no, it doesn't seem wrong.

[Towlie]

49. Maybe highways and roads should not be paid for through taxes on gasoline.

 
←

Advancing technology is separating the convenient correlation between gasoline use and road use that has been traditionally exploited to simplify taxation. Maybe we need to find a better way.

Also, fuel-burning vehicles deplete natural resources and pollute the air. Now what was your question? Oh yes: "Who pays for that?"

[TheFarseer]

82. Yes

Decouple gas tax from roads. Both the revenue and the expense should be part of general fund. Even if you never drive anywhere and object to paying for roads, somebody’s got to drive to deliver you your stuff you need to live. And if you’re Daniel Boone and McGuyver put together and you’re fully self sustaining - SORRY - we all pay for something we don’t use and don’t want.

[coti]

92. States are creating incentives to buy EVs on the one hand

as a matter of public policy. To then create a significant disincentive like charging extra registration fees seems to be working against one's self and inconsistent. There are supposed to be advantages to owning an EV, not artificially-created disadvantages.

[TheBlackAdder]

15. I watched a video that several car companies are coming out with new batteries.

.

These will charge the car in around 10 minutes, have twice the range and last over 10 years/ 150K miles.

Oh, and the batteries will cost a fraction of current technology.


Toyota plan to showcase a solid-state battery for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and a future variant might retain 90% of its charge for upwards to 30 years and charge the vehicle in under 15 minutes.

.

[MineralMan]

25. OK. When will those be available and how much will they cost?

[TheBlackAdder]

33. One video I saw a few months ago said 1/3 the price.

.

Several companies are moving to solid-state, because it's made mostly from silicon which is worldwide.

The problem is, when you buy a new electric car, some of the batteries under-perform and other are not even functional. They degrade at varying times and when you get them serviced, if they even last 5-7 years, only the batteries that are under 70% or so get replaced and that just means others in that pack are about to fail too. So, the rebuilt battery packs generally only extend the life about two years, no more than three.
.

[Liberal In Texas]

37. My car has the battery guaranteed for 10 years.

And they aren't just thrown in a landfill at the end of life. They're recycled rebuilt.

Makes a lot more sense than subsidizing the fossil fuel industry with generous tax breaks every year and pumping chemicals into the atmosphere out of your tail pipe.

[Chili]

26. I intend to wait a few more years...

... to buy another used Leaf. Hopefully the cost will still be affordable (bought my 2 yr old for $7,900), plus a newer vehicle will offer more than the 100 miles I can charge up to now.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

81. Yeah, battery technology is growing by leaps and bounds.

It’s already changing home construction.

As these batteries get cheaper and more capacity you will see more people able to go truly off grid. If you can store excess power on site for cheap there will be no reason to tie in to the grid.

Instead of using a gasoline/propane/natural gas powered back up generator we will see more quiet battery packs hung on walls.

[AlexSFCA]

23. eventually EV cars will be affordable due to innovation

but it will take years. In the meantime, hybrids are a good compromise and affordable. We may need to wait a decade before large family SUVs can be charged in 10 mins.

[Liberal In Texas]

24. You haven't figured in rebates.

The Mini you mention has a $7,500 federal rebate. That brings it down to $23,250.
Other makes have similar incentives. (Although for some makes the limit was reached and they're not available anymore.)
Then there are local rebates that vary from state to state. In Texas I got a check from the state for $2000 over and above the federal for my Niro PHEV when I bought it..

I hardly ever buy gas for it. Most trips are within the 25 mile round trip range and only use electricity, no gas. And we haven't noticed a change in the power bill charging at home.

[TheBlackAdder]

35. Mini's are notorious for poor electrical systems. God help an EV version.

[Liberal In Texas]

39. I just cited that because it was in the OP. There are lots of EVs and PHEVs to choose from. n/t

[tinrobot]

88. Its the same drivetrain/electrical as the BMW i3 - one of the most mature EVs on the market

That EV is also one of the most reliable on the market. The Mini EV will not be very different.

But hey, the old British Minis in the 60's sure had problems...

[TheBlackAdder]

90. The BMW Minis are horrific and are plagued with electrical and transmission issues.

.

BMW's electric car was at least in good company; it was one of no fewer than seven BMW models deemed to be poor used-car choices.

And it wasn't the worst of the bunch.

While Consumer Reports says the i3 has below average reliability, the carmaker's 5 Series sedan was determined to be "much worse than average" across model years 2006-2008, 2010-2012, and 2015.

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1102878_consumer-reports-avoid-buying-used-2014-bmw-i3-electric-cars

.

[LizBeth]

29. I agree. I have a 2018 camry. Just hitting 8000, two and half years old.

Pandemic certainly made a difference but not lots of driving otherwise. But, no, I won't be spending that kind of money. My Camry was 25k'ish.

[SWBTATTReg]

34. Good p.m. MM, I just wanted to take a quick few seconds to thank you and all of the other posters

of DU for this very helpful snapshot on owning an EV. I've always had an urge to perhaps own an EV, with the very low mileage I drive per year (16K since 2016-2020 (note to self, call insurance co., see if I get reduction due to low miles driven)). But I've always thought that the prices would be somewhat higher (and they are, from the posts). I did pull up some stuff on tax rebates too, on these cars, and of course there's tons of information one can find out while online regarding tax rebates for EV (states especially may have differing amounts if they offer a tax rebate). Thanks again all.
+++
Electric vehicles powered by a battery or hydrogen fuel cell are eligible for a rebate of $2,500, for the first 2,000 applicants. Tax credits for heavy duty electric vehicles with $25,000 in credit available in 2017, $20,000 in 2018, $18,000 in 2019, and $15,000 in 2020.

Electric Car Tax Credits: What's Available? | EnergySage
www.energysage.com/electric-vehicles/costs-and-benefits-evs/ev-tax-credits/
www.energysage.com/electric-vehicles/costs-and-benefits-evs/ev-tax-credits/

[Miguelito Loveless]

44. On H2 FCEV

Would not buy, new or used, as fueling stations are scarce.

[MineralMan]

47. True. Finding a source of H2 can be daunting.

I doubt that is going to be a solution, really.

[Miguelito Loveless]

72. H2 may work for trains and ships

but for road travel, not a chance.

[SWBTATTReg]

60. I agree w/ you. When I am out and about, a charging station is rare to see...and I wonder how much

installing such a charging unit at home would cost too. Thanks for the tidbit of info.

Take care!

[Miguelito Loveless]

71. Most are in Cali

And a few in TX and DC. That’s it.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

89. We paid a little over $400 bucks for a no frills level 2 GE "charger"

They are actually called “Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE)” as the actual “charger” is built in to the car.


I see nicer Level 2 WiFi EVSE’s on Amazon for around $700 bucks.

A level 2 wired at 230 volts will max out our plug in hybrid in less than 2 hours. That’s only 27 miles on pure electric.

A level 2 will fully charge a full electric Tesla in 10 hours. A level one charger would take days to go from 0 to 100%

Our car came with a level 1 charger that took 8 hours plugged in to a 110 volt wall outlet. No electrician needed.

Obviously the situation would dictate what an electrician would charge for a level 2. Some level 2s can plug in to 230 volt outlet (think something like dryer outlet) or you can hard wire them.


They are relatively easy basic electrical work for a skilled handyman.

[SWBTATTReg]

97. Thanks so much for the very informative information.

Take care and be safe.

[Wellstone ruled]

40. Like you,love to have a EV

just for my contribution in save our Environment. Our Neighbor just Leased a new Leaf two weeks ago. Yes it is great for running around town,but,if they do go out of town,they take their Prius. So the old adage is,if you need to travel more than two hundred miles,the infrastructure and the Charging down time forces one to go Hybrid,which is only viable if you do a bumper to bumper lease.

Cost of Repairs on Hybrids are beyond through the roof.

BTW,your local Power Company was the first in the nation to have a fleet of EV's back in the late 70's and early 80's.

[Initech]

41. I bought a Subaru Legacy and got a killer deal.

I was originally looking at plug-in hybrids like the Honda Clarity and Chevy Volt, but was told that they are not practical for how much I drive every day. Plus Honda and Chevrolet had like zero incentives for new car buyers. The deal I got on the Subaru more than makes up for the amount that I spend on gas every month.

[Miguelito Loveless]

43. Look for used EVs

Which are much cheaper, especially as quite a few will be coming of lease.

The model depends on your daily driving needs.

Leaf 2015-2017
Volt 2016-2018 PHEV
Bolt 2017-

[hatrack]

48. This, exactly . . . .

There are a lot of used EVs on the market, usually low-mileage and typically for half or less of MSRP.

Depreciation is still fairly high, since batteries do degrade over time, and the market's still relatively small, as noted above.

You will lose some range since that's just the nature of batteries, but in most cases no more than a bar or two. Buying off-lease is a good approach.

[Baclava]

46. Pure electrics are still toys for the rich, with practical convenience trade offs for most others.

Yeah, battery 'improvements' are always 'a year or two away', meanwhile range and recharging options are limited

$60-80,000 will get you features u get in a $30K gas equivalent, so spend away, its your money

[MineralMan]

50. Yes. That's really my point.

Until that isn't the case, we're not going to all be driving EVs. I know a couple of people who have an EV. All of them have a gasoline-powered vehicle as well. All of them. Typically, it's a big-ass SUV they use to tow the boat or for long-distance trips. The EV is for commuting and as a show for their neighbors about how progressive they are.

Funny, that.

[Sogo]

68. A good friend of mine and his wife bought the less expensive of the Teslas

specifically because they do a lot of long distance travelling. As mentioned in another post, Tesla has their own charging stations, so that's never been a problem for them.

They purchased solar panels (I believe from Tesla; at least I know Tesla sells them) that they've installed on their garage and charge their car from them, so operating their car locally is virtually without cost. The cost was all up front in purchasing the panels and having them installed. He explains that Teslas are virtually maintenance-free and expects his to last a million miles, just occasionally needing to purchase tires.

His rational for buying Tesla is that all the upfront costs of owning a Tesla are paid out over time in owning less expensive, fossil fuel cars.

P.S. He's been making a good sum off his Tesla stock, as well....

[Liberal In Texas]

59. Not true!

My battery is warranted for 10 years.

Range for pure EVs is up to 400 miles and getting better all the time.

My 2019 Kia Niro PHEV after incentives came in around $30K. It has power everything, heated and cooled leather seats, heated steering wheel, remote start, Harman Karden stereo, parking assist, power heated folding mirrors, power memory seat, wireless phone charger, navigation system, cargo cover. The only thing not available I wish they'd offered is a power rear gate.

I put in a charging station. It was tax deductible, including the electricians fee.

[Baclava]

66. Is that the ONLY vehicle you own? Can you tow my 20 ft boat with it or throw my kayak in the bed?

I can buy a used Kia Soul for $3700 right now if i want a ride to the grocery store car, lol, and never have to worry about finding a gas station

[Liberal In Texas]

73. I didn't get the towing package. I have roof racks, you could put 2 kayaks on top.

I've bought gas for it all of 2 times last year. I also have 2 cars that are older. A Firebird and a Honda. But I'm never buying an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car again.

Once you drive an EV you'll never want to go back.

[Liberal In Texas]

74. Actually with a boat (I'm sure everybody has) you'd probably

want a bit larger vehicle. (The Niro is a midsized SUV or some say a crossover) I'm not sure what model one could find, but no doubt you could get an EV or PHEV that would do just fine.

I had a TrailBlazer before this with all the towing capability and hookups and used it exactly once in 15 years to tow a buddies homebuilt ultralight to another airport. So frankly, if it doesn't tow boats or airplanes I don't really care, and I doubt most people would either.

If I really need a vehicle to tow something, I'd rent one.

[coti]

93. You have a boat and you're calling EVs toys for the rich?

You should take that boat money, spend it on an EV, and better carry out your responsibilities to your children, their children, and future generations.

[Baclava]

95. I live in FL, I'm required to have a boat, to fish, to eat, to live, its a necessity, not a luxury

Now a solar powered boat, that would be cool, why the hell isnt Musk working on that one?

[GeorgeGist]

52. Why'd you ditch your previous Soul?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1002968999

[MineralMan]

61. I didn't ditch it. I kept it for seven years, and traded it in on

a new Soul. So, I have a 2020 Soul now. This time, though, I will trade it in the moment I've made the last payment on it. I didn't do that before, and saw the trade-in value drop too much after seven years. I'll keep the 2020 for just five years and swap it for a new one. Bottom line is that my car costs me about $2500 a year to own.

[Poiuyt]

53. I'd like a Tesla Model S

If everyone on DU chips in just a little, I should be able to afford one.

Thanks in advance!

[Zorro]

65. 4 year old used Model S can be picked up for $40k

May still be too expensive for many, but it's encouraging to see prices coming down.

[Baclava]

69. $7,000 to replace the battery? They are 18650 flashlight batteries yaknow, cant recharge forever

[ansible]

57. Don't forget the cost of registration for electric vehicles being raised higher

Government wants more $$$ now that they're going to start seeing less money from gasoline powered cars

[MyNameGoesHere]

62. Adoption of EV makes as mush sense as stop eating meat crusade

It's going to cost me more and taste like shit. Helluva a marketing strategy.

[JCMach1]

67. I have had my 2011 Chevy Volt for 4 years... Paid 8K

Changed the oil 2x and had one small repair (about $200) and changed the front tires.

I buy gas about once every 6 months and use less than $20 of electricity per month.

Cheapest car I have ever owned, overall.

No battery degradation.

It is a PHEV, so I charge when I can and never worry about range. It runs like a Prius when it's riding on the ICE.

[WA-03 Democrat]

70. I don't buy new cars

It’s a depreciating asset. The EVs have an even steeper depreciation curve. If your goal is to get into an EV inexpensively then have a look at a used Leaf. I bought a 2015 two years ago for $10k. It had 25k miles and the batteries were in top shape. Two years later, it’s my favorite car ever. It’s a joy to drive, we have the 220v rapid 3hr charger in our garage. Total maintenance cost since buying, was $30 pair of windshield wipers. It added $15 to our electrical bill per COVID. It’s so low now tracking it would cost more than the info gained. It’s range is 80 miles. For 99.9% of COVID driving it’s perfect.

We also leased a Camry Hybrid. It gets about 50 mpg. It doesn’t look like a Prius. 3 drivers in our household all prefer the Leaf.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

98. Yeah we bought a couple used Fusion plug in hybrids

With 3000 miles

I think the value drops because people are worried about a used battery. Even though the battery has extra warranty 8 yr 100k

I’m with you. Go used any car. Especially electric cars.

But do calculate tax credits as they might change that advantage.

[marlakay]

75. Why I bought a Prius I can drive

From here in Oregon to my daughters place in CA 6 hr drive on one small tank.

I get between 50 & 60 mpg. If I drive, lol its close to 60, hubby brings it down because he puts the gas on too fast after a stop light.

It tells you after every drive how you did so I have been taught how to drive to save gas. 😛

[obamanut2012]

77. My Kia Niro Hybrid was $23,750 out the door

The EV was more, but the hybrid is great. They usually have used ones for a few thousand bucks more, but they gave us a very good trade in, so...

My second Kia, the first was a Soul. LOve 'em.

[Baclava]

78. That's just it I DO want more, a Tesla S with a 400 mi range STARTS at $70,000, buy me one dammit!

[MineralMan]

79. Sorry. Can't help you with that...

[tinrobot]

83. Nope. You need to dig deeper. That Mini is not $30,750

You need to subtract the $7,500 federal and any state rebates. That puts the car at a little over $20K, pretty much the same price as your Kia. The Leaf would also qualify and be under $25k.

If that's too much, there are plenty of good quality used EVs in the $10-20k range.

So, EVs are very affordable. The average car in the US sells for about $35k. You can get plenty of EV for less than that.

On top of that, you need to factor in a much lower cost of operation. Electricity is way cheaper than gas, plus there are no oil changes, no belts to change, much less maintenance. And, if you only drive 6000 miles per year, you'd be a perfect candidate for an EV.

I've been driving electric since 2010. So much better than gas. Will never go back. Shopping for my next EV right now.

[Demonaut]

86. you are not the market they are lookng for, the auto industry has to change

but eventually the price will drop as ice loses it's dominance

[AmericanCanuck]

91. There need to be massive federal and state income tax credits

like they have for solar. Then the EV's would take off.

A $40K car with a 30% federal and 10% state tax credit would be competitively priced and will force manufacturers to invest as the volume will sustain the cost.

Electric motors cost far less than a gasoline engine and drive train. EVs don't need a transmission because the motors can sense the load and adjust the torque automatically.

Come to think of it, even solar would be unaffordable without the tax credits.

[coti]

94. There is a lot of rationalization that goes on in not buying an EV

Even just one EV for a two-car household.

EVs are still slightly expensive comparing initial cost, but there are so many fuel and maintenance advantages for EVs the longer-term cost of ownership is much more favorable, given time.

But people need to start considering the cost our society is taking on by not sufficiently addressing climate change.

[Ron Green]

96. We traded in 2 ICE cars for one EV almost 4 years ago.

Gets almost 300 miles on a charge in summer, closer to 200 in winter. Charges at home, electric bill went up about $15 a month. Juice comes from dams on the Columbia River.

There’s so much naysaying in this thread. When we fly and rent a car, I’m always reminded why no one ever goes back to fossil fuel.