Can I get some car advice??

[albacore]

I'm thinking of getting a 2024 Chevy Equinox EV. Range 300 miles. About $32K .. with a $7500 Fed tax credit and a $2K rebate from my state. No state sales tax.
I like the whole EV concept.
We don't drive long distances much any more...maybe a few trips every year, so that's not a problem.
My other alternative is a Plug-in Prius hybrid. We've had two Prius since 2004, and we love them. The
good part is that it has about 30 miles range on electric, and then the gas engine cuts in. I'd get the advantages of both EV and hybrid.
The down side is that the Prius gets no Fed tax credit and a lower state rebate.
I also wonder about adding the gas-engine complications.... water, oil, drivetrain...
Any advice out there in DU-land?

[viva la]

1. Renting a car for long trips..

Would be worth it if needed. Get the tax credits!

[brush]

2. I'd go with the Chevy Equinox EV because of the tax credit...

the rebate and the 300 mile range.

The Prius's low 30 mile electric range is it's weak point, and there's also the maintenance cost of a gas engine.

[lastlib]

3. I just bought a 2023 Equinox, and like it.

Feels like a good car. (I'm not keen on the "auto-stop" feature, though--it's a bit of a nuisance.)

If you go with it, you can expect the dealer to try to tack on $5-6000 extra for things like service contract, gap coverage (which you should get back if you pay it off early), tire & wheel protection, body paint protection, etc. So watch for that.

[brush]

5. They always try to "up sell" you. There should be new car warranties...

for service so there should be no need for a service contract.

They always try to squeeze as much out of customers as they can.

[3Hotdogs]

4. Gap coverage --- if you need it. Price it at your own insurance company. It is much cheaper than at the dealer.

Go for the ev. But before you du, find the cost of adding electric charging at your house.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

6. A hybrid has to carry around all the stuff you shouldn't have to deal with.

[Mister Ed]

7. Bear in mind that the nominal range will decrease with time and/or temperature.

Last edited Mon Nov 13, 2023, 06:36 AM - Edit history (1)

The storage capacity of the battery will decrease over time, significantly reducing the car's original range. Also, because cold winter temperatures increase electrical resistance, the car's range may be reduced in wintertime.

In your mild climate, cold temperatures won't be nearly the concern that they are here in Minnesota, where the winter range of my plug-in hybrid is only half what it is in the early summer. However, I think you should expect that over a few years' time your battery's capacity will diminish to the point where you enjoy only about half the range you had when the car was new.

I don't think this should deter you from getting an EV or a plug-in hybrid. I've been very pleased with my own plug-in hybrid these past ten years. I do think, though, that for your long-term planning you should cut the manufacturer's nominal range roughly in half.

[CentralMass]

8. If you have owned a Prius before I'm guessing that you know that

They are well known for having low maintenance costs and lasting many miles..
If you are able to plug in charge at home I would consider the Equinox. It looks like Level 1 (110V) they will charge about 4 miles per hour. Level 2 (240V) charges ~51 miles per hour.
So you would get about 48 miles in 12 hours if plugged into 110V outlet. I think you would want a Level 2 charging setup at home to make it worthwhile.
Or you can use public chargers, Level 2 or 3.. they reportedly DC FAST charge (LEVEL 3) 70 miles in 10 minutes. But I wouldn't want to have to use public chargers all the time.