Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm interested in buying an electric vehicle as a supplemental vehicle to my BMW 7 Series. Especially if you own a EV or if you've researched it, is the cost per mile including purchase, fuel, maintenance & resale now approaching the cost of similar petrol vehicles?
One comment, our electricity cost is among the lowest in the nation at $.061/KWH (Thank you Hydro power) and petrol cost among the highest. So the energy cost per mile for most EV are about 12-15 less than my BMW.
I would love the Tesla S but the cost is in the BMW 7 series range and I have doubts that you would get the overall driving satisfaction and you still have range issues even with the best range of any EV.
I'm thinking of the Smart EV which is the cheapest EV and seems like a fun car. I like the BMW I3 and Honda Fit EV but those are substantially more than the Smart EV.
From what I've read, most owners of EV's enjoy the smooth power and instantaneous torque.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,146 posts, read 80,240,475 times
Reputation: 57005
I think it's still too early to tell. We considered the C-Max before buying a 2014 Escape. The longevity of the batteries and replacement cost is still a big unknown. I know someone with a 2007 Prius that is still chugging along just fine but the warrant is almost up on the batteries, and it's currently close to $3,000 to replace them. The "regular" battery for the starter went out and cost $600 to replace largely due to labor, having to remove the rear seat. The all-electrics have
not had a long enough run to judge the battery life/replacement cost, but also the gas prices into the future are unknown. Currently at $3.15 in our area with 30 mpg and light driving time it's definitely not cost effective to pay so much more for
an EV.
Plus with small displacement Clean Direct injected turbo Diesels being put more and more into production in Compact and Sub-compact cars that get the same or better Fwy mileage then the new Hybrids that are out also.
I mean a Gas-electric plug in hybrid is best for the city and a Clean Eco-diesel for people that work in the city and live in suburbs make sense.
A EV loses because in colder climates they are useless and can be dangerous if they run out of power and leave a person stranded over an efficient modren Gas/Gas-Electric hybrid/Diesel powered car.
That "Study"as far as can be known from the article is someone making a conclusion without showing any data or analysis. It should be looked at over the life cycle. However, considering the ill effects of benzene and burning carbons near where you're breathing, hard to believe electric cars are more harmful to the environment especially to the environment where you and children are living. So in my "Study," EV's are less harmful to the environment.
I think it's still too early to tell. We considered the C-Max before buying a 2014 Escape. The longevity of the batteries and replacement cost is still a big unknown. I know someone with a 2007 Prius that is still chugging along just fine but the warrant is almost up on the batteries, and it's currently close to $3,000 to replace them. The "regular" battery for the starter went out and cost $600 to replace largely due to labor, having to remove the rear seat. The all-electrics have
not had a long enough run to judge the battery life/replacement cost, but also the gas prices into the future are unknown. Currently at $3.15 in our area with 30 mpg and light driving time it's definitely not cost effective to pay so much more for
an EV.
I agree the life/replacement of the battery is the biggest X factor in this equation so it is a risk.
Even taking the $3.15 and 30 mpg, if you drive 30,000 miles, the fuel cost is $3,150. At the cost of electricity and calculating 17.6KW charge will take you 70 miles, the cost of electricity would be 17.6 *.061*30,000/70 = $460. So the energy cost savings would be $2,960. So at 100,000 miles, you would have saved $8958 in energy cost.
What I know in my personal case is I traded in a car I was paying $300/month for, and another $200/month in gas, for a Volt that I'm paying $300/month for and $14/month in electricity. I'm also paying $30/month less in insurance. So, if you have an older paid off car now, you may not save money. But if you're looking at other cars in the same price range you can start saving money right off the bat.
Main point to consider is that you are not likely to purchase an EV or PHEV, but lease it instead, as the lease deals are damn impressive AND the tech will be outdated failry quick, and you don't necessarily want to get stuck with outdated tech outside of the warranty period. So in comparing "costs" you really are going to compare monthly costs vs total lifetime costs.
Another thought... I was talking to a person the other day about my Volt. They had a 12 year old Ford Explorer that was paid off. Zero cost vs a new car, right? Except that they were paying close to $500 a month in fuel for the Explorer. A cost that was only going to go up. If they traded the Explorer in on a VOlt lease, they'd be saving $200 a month in monthly budget right from the start even going to a perpetual lease situation, and be saving money every year vs their old paid off car.
Other the two trips to CT from Baltimore this year, I haven't put gas in my Volt since February when I got it. That's a $2000 savings this year alone vs the car I traded in on it.
I find the volt and Prius to be viable my problem is with pure electric cars that are very limited in terms of range and time to recharge if their is no fast charge station nearby..
Then to add the major problem with pure EV is that driving conditions across the country where elevation and extreme weather are major factors on how far/long a pure EV battery can function come into play make them (at this point on current infastructure) not viable outside of major cities that are set up for them.
OP are you a EV car salesperson or an non-biased actual owner giving you own insight/opinion?
Neither. I'm looking into buying an EV. In my case, I'll keep my 7 series to drive any distance or open road and if I buy an EV, use that for short trips around the metro area. But I would like to hear more from people who have bought and have some experience with their EV. I know a few people that own them and they overwhelmingly are happy with their purchase.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Don't believe everything you read or everything you think
