EV or PHEV, which fits best?

[OVERKILL]

Say you were considering two vehicles that are NOT similar (oh yes, this is fun!). One is a PHEV SUV, the other is a full EV performance sedan. Your usage profile means both will "work", but the PHEV being more versatile, would allow for a usage scenario where you'd otherwise have to take your backup gas vehicle, as the EV would increase the required time for travel by at least a day and add significant frustration (think 1,500km drive).

The PHEV has around 50km of full electric range however (24kWh battery), which means 90% of the usage profile could be in full EV mode (based on current driving patterns). It's luxurious, rides extremely well, and is, of course, absolutely gorgeous. Gas usage would only be required for trips out of town (rare) and driving to the cottage in the summer. It has significant interior room and a decent amount of power, at 389HP. Gas mileage is 50mpge combined electric+gas, 20mpg combined city/highway with no electric, 26mpg highway with no electric.

The manufacturer has been making PHEV's for quite a while now and the PHEV powertrain is a ZF product with basically an electric motor replacing the torque converter.

The other contender is a fully electric sedan. It's smaller inside, is a car, so clearly lower to the ground and nowhere near as spacious. It however, has absolutely intoxicating acceleration and performance. It's a first model year though, so that might raise a red flag for some. Interior appointments aren't quite as upscale as the PHEV, but it's also less expensive.

Your significant other likes the PHEV better than the EV due to the ride height and practicality and says you don't need a 534HP sedan because you've now passed 40, lol.

So, in this hypothetical scenario, would you go practical (how I suspect the voting will go) or performance?

 

[DemoFly]

I've owned an EV now for almost 4 years and I regret not buying a PHEV like a Volt. My Leaf works great as a commuter commuting 30 miles or so a day. I still charge it on 110v at the house.

But It's ONLY a commuter. The electric charging infrastructure here was a JOKE when I bought my car, and it's still a JOKE. Everywhere has about half the chargers in-operational or other issues. It's terrible.

With a PHEV, I'd only ever have to charge at home. It would eliminate ever having to charge at a charge location. (Which I don't now, but still) I have to reiterate that the absolute worst part of owning an EV is charging stations. It's horrible. With a PHEV you never have to deal with the hassles of them if you don't want to, and you can take long trips without tedious planning.

 

[Rand]

Happy wife happy life.. get both and trade in the truck? (lol)

If you have the truck for long trips and can manage..

You probably have room for a more toy car. but its really hard to go back to sedan after grand cherokee.

OTOH with this market buying new is always a better choice.

My situation where I need something that can tow a small trailer means For full EV it would be my second car..and I'd have to change both vehicles.

or a phev that can tow 1500lb in my price range of ~~40k that you can actually find without 5-10k markup

 

[JeffKeryk]

Happy wife happy life. That's that.

Beyond that? Depends on your budget. Just my 2 cents.
By the way, wifey decided on the Tesla and told me to get a Performance next. So there's that...

 

[Rand]

Happy wife happy life. That's that.

Beyond that? Depends on your budget. Just my 2 cents.
By the way, wifey decided on the Tesla and told me to get a Performance next. So there's that...

is there a tesla model 3 medium range going up for sale soon?

 

[JeffKeryk]

is there a tesla model 3 medium range going up for sale soon?

Our car will do everything a Performance will do, just slower. At least I keep telling myself that...
I will likely wait for new battery tech and HUD. At least I keep telling myself that.

Out for a ride for "Starbucks Double Dirty Non-Fat Chai", there were 4 Teslas and 1 other car at a stop light.
Sue said, "Look at all those poor people, they can't afford gas..."

What's your offer?

 

[Rand]

California is definitely one of the best markets for electric.

Everything from home solar & great weather, to high gas prices.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I always thought that PHEVs made more sense if we HAVE to go down the EV road. At this point in time, with EVs still in the early stages, with limited support across some countries, why? get into a total EV that can cause problems if you need to use it for anything more than commutes straight back and forth so many miles and must do most charging at the home? The PHEVs just seem to make more sense until the EV revolution becomes the norm more than the few and far between. You have a part of both and some level of confidence that you can't be stranded by something out of your control.

 

[mightymousetech]

Having the same dilemma. Pick up a 330e (or a used 530e) or an i4 M50. Do I rip off the bandaid and go full EV, or go the safe route and get the PHEV. The thought that continues in my head is why get a PHEV and drive around with two complete power trains, such a waste. The frustrating indecision continues as I continue on with my immaculate mechanical condition E90.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Having the same dilemma. Pick up a 330e (or a used 530e) or an i4 M50. Do I rip off the bandaid and go full EV, or go the safe route and get the PHEV. The thought that continues in my head is why get a PHEV and drive around with two complete power trains, such a waste. The frustrating indecision continues as I continue on with my immaculate mechanical condition E90.

There is your answer in your comments..... you have pride and enjoyment in your E90. So , can you have that same pride and enjoyment in an EV ?
Would it be easier to accept in the PHEV that still has some of both worlds (especially the one you know about so well) as the first step into the pool? Good luck. My dilemma will be when I am forced out of my ICE toys. Were I younger I would not feel this way.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Based just on your use senarios, the PHEV makes more sense. If you like the style, reliability (established model) and the built quality & fit/finish and it drives nice and has good performance, then it seems like an obvious pick.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Oh yeah, I neglected to answer your question.
I will never buy a PHEV. RX450h F Sport is as close as it gets.

 

[OVERKILL]

Having the same dilemma. Pick up a 330e (or a used 530e) or an i4 M50. Do I rip off the bandaid and go full EV, or go the safe route and get the PHEV. The thought that continues in my head is why get a PHEV and drive around with two complete power trains, such a waste. The frustrating indecision continues as I continue on with my immaculate mechanical condition E90.

I'm sure you saw my i4 M50 review thread? LOL!

 

[PandaBear]

Let's get the tough questions out of the way first:

1) Neither vehicles are about "saving money" or "saving the world" fuel economy wise or cost wise.
2) You really want a mid-life crisis performance car, not a family SUV.
3) Your wife does not understand your mid-life crisis yet, (my wife doesn't either but my mid life crisis is not about car, but about career or house)
4) It is never wise to pay a lot of money on a first year high performance car, many people got burnt that way
5) You probably would do just as well with a PHEV SUV as a regular gas SUV, and the only non performance car advantage the EV sedan you were looking at is being slightly cheaper.

Out of all of the above reason other than mid-life crisis, the PHEV SUV is the better choice of the 2. Are you willing to buy a gas performance sedan or lease the performance EV sedan to satisfy your mid-life crisis for a while? or are you willing to buy both? I don't think you can find a way to be happy without having both if you really wanted the performance EV sedan but wife really wanted the PHEV SUV.

 

[Spyderman24_7]

Our car will do everything a Performance will do, just slower. At least I keep telling myself that...
I will likely wait for new battery tech and HUD. At least I keep telling myself that.

Out for a ride for "Starbucks Double Dirty Non-Fat Chai", there were 4 Teslas and 1 other car at a stop light.
Sue said, "Look at all those poor people, they can't afford gas..."

What's your offer?
View attachment 93465

Those that settle for/tolerate anything from CharredAllToHell kinda sums things up anyway! You can do FAR better/FAR cheaper at home.

 

[wemay]

PHEV
It just makes more sense. But oh that i4M50.

 

[supton]

I vote practical. but for us to go to the grocery store it is a trip out of town, practically no trip is shorter than 20 miles roundtrip.

 

[mightymousetech]

There is your answer in your comments..... you have pride and enjoyment in your E90. So , can you have that same pride and enjoyment in an EV ?
Would it be easier to accept in the PHEV that still has some of both worlds (especially the one you know about so well) as the first step into the pool? Good luck. My dilemma will be when I am forced out of my ICE toys. Were I younger I would not feel this way.

I have the same pride and joy in all my cars. An i4 would be no different.

 

[The Critic]

PHEV for the reasons you mentioned.

What's your offer?

If you have a "can't refuse number" in mind, you know how to reach me.

 

[PimTac]

Another vote for the PHEV SUV. Practicality is a primary reason to purchase a vehicle.