Tesla Model Y LR Electricity Costs vs. Gas

[zyxelenator]

Right, this is one of the options "in case it needed to be replaced" for someone with similar driving conditions. I am surprised we still do not see PHEV trucks flooding the market. EV versions suck big time(in terms of range) when you actually need to tow or haul something heavy. I don't think "frunk" is very useful for trucks. Just stick 4 banger with turbo in there and make it PHEV with EV mode as a priority like Volt, but the ability to drive front wheels like Outlander in my sig (rear wheels electric motor only.

 

[Ws6]

View attachment 120110
My PG&E off-peak rate is 42 cents per kWh.

Tesla Model Y LR efficiency is 26.2 kWh/100 miles according to this review.

At the time of this post, 87 octane is $5.79/gal at my local Costco.

So, the cost to power a Model Y is about the same as driving a 2023 Prius or Camry Hybrid. Is it inexpensive compared to other things? Sure. But it is definitely not "stupid cheap" like some EV owners would like you to believe.

I drive a C40, my average is about 38kwh/100mi. I spent $75 more last month on my electric bill than the same month last year. Temperature averages were within 1*F as last year. My Acura RDX averaged 24.2mpg. I was spending $4-500/mo on gasoline using 91 octane as recommended. Yes, it is "stoopid cheap", for some of us. Obviously look at your electric bill for YOUR results.

 

[Ws6]

A Tesla Model Y LR starts at $65,990. A top of the line Prius starts at $33,990. $32k buys a lot of gas at any price.

Why are you comparing new cars? Why not an older clapped out Prius? Since obviously quality of life doesn't matter, go for the gold!

 

[wpod]

In cali you pay to Ceasar what is his - you pay 10-15K worth of road tax on registration before you drive a single mile.

Its kind of hard to save money if you start off with a 66K ride.

These cars are uber cool and drive cheap for the performance whallop they deliver, but the whole package is $$$$$.

There is never a free lunch.

 

[jurko]

Here's the snapshot of last bill. Total charge was $31.95.
So many items in Charge Details that I am little confused by it.

 

[alarmguy]

Yes it does.

If your goal is the very cheapest transportation you can get, then starting with a much cheaper car always a good idea.

Lets not pretend the driving experience is remotely the same.

Ones a dog slow penalty box, the other a super quick machine capable of slaying a very high % of all gasoline vehicles 0-60 and quarter mile.

I agree, the only thing is this is a thread about the cost of gas vs electricity and for some reason $60,000 Tesla's seem to always come up as saving money on gas or even almost free fuel (electricity) for people with solar panels in many threads, think we can agree it's a constant discussion.
So in that sense, nothing wrong with saying for a car around the same size $32,000 buys a lot of gas.

Of course then there is performance but another subject and personal decision for performance. People like me could care less about performance (going 0 to 60 in 3 seconds vs 0 to 60 in 6 seconds) than a nice big spacious, road cruising, comfortable, quiet SUV that can still cruise all day long at 95 MPH without breaking a sweat (which my current Chevy Traverse does) Id be happy even if it was a Tesla if in the same price range.

No secret I think Tesla needs to get its act together in this area because the onslaught is about to begin from other manufacturers. Im just being honest here, I think the Tesla will look like a Toyota Corolla once these other manufacturers start rolling SUV types off the assembly lines.
I have nothing against the company, I just dont know why they arent turning out exciting new cars like the legacy makers do. Being first they have been cut alot of slack in the media. I think that is about to change and actually starting too right now.
Americans want SUVs not 4 door sedans. Time will tell. Maybe I am nUtS ..

 

[UncleDave]

I agree, the only thing is this is a thread about the cost of gas vs electricity and for some reason $60,000 Tesla's seem to always come up as saving money on gas or even almost free fuel (electricity) for people with solar panels in many threads, think we can agree it's a constant discussion.
So in that sense, nothing wrong with saying for a car around the same size $32,000 buys a lot of gas.
Of course then there is performance but another subject and personal decision for performance. I could care less about performance than a nice big spacious, road cruising, comfortable, quiet SUV even if it was a Tesla if in the same price range. No secret I think Tesla needs to get its act together in this area because the onslaught is about to begin from other manufacturers.
Americans want SUVs not 4 door sedans. Time will tell.

The very title of the thread has a "Tesla model Y" in it thats why a 60K Tesla "came up."

And as the OP discovered its driving cost about what a penalty box ride is.

I think you have it backwards - its the other guys need to get to together and come up with something competitive electronically not just cosmetically, and in terms of infrastructure we know they will not build anything dedicated like tesla has.

Ive been waiting over a decade now for everyone to catch up, and so far its pretty dismal, I hope GM and others get it together, but the Bolt and Mach-E were gong shows. The ID4 is not competitive even the Germans dont buy it.

Even when the new cars from the other guys come what will they actually cost and can they make a profit on them? We know Tesla is the automotive margin leader WW and its not even close.

I agree people love SUV's, which is why the model Y is so enormously popular and slays all competition in its segment.

I also agree there is nothing really competitive with a really big gasoline SUV- but this have become prohibitively expense for your average guy to drive in some places unless its doubling as a tow vehicle, or relatively full of people every trip. It will be a long time before any BEV fully recreates these - if ever.

I believe the model Y is the best selling vehicle or was in Q3 in Germany overall even beating the golf- a feat that was declared all but totally impossible just a few years ago.

For people not wanting sedans they buy an awful lot of model 3's, but I agree SUV's are the most popular format and pushing more air and weight through the wind will cost.

 

[OVERKILL]

I drive a C40, my average is about 38kwh/100mi. I spent $75 more last month on my electric bill than the same month last year. Temperature averages were within 1*F as last year. My Acura RDX averaged 24.2mpg. I was spending $4-500/mo on gasoline using 91 octane as recommended. Yes, it is "stoopid cheap", for some of us. Obviously look at your electric bill for YOUR results.

Time to update your signature

 

[JeffKeryk]

There are many articles showing Tesla Model Y sales; it is currently the top 4 or 5th best selling vehicle in the world and may become the best selling car in the world next year. Not bad for a vehicle that starts at $68K, plus tax and license, of course. I think a lotta people must be late for work so they need the 4.8 second 0 to 60 times... Not sure.

I think the Y is already #1 by revenue. That's huge and with Tesla's margins generates a whole lotta cash from operations. And the analysts said Tesla missed in Q3... Their Tesla operations performance results expectations must be off the freakin' charts.

What can hurt Tesla in the near term? IMO, the China geo-political problems will interfere with the Shanghai development and release of the new, smaller, cheaper car. But with their years of real world experience, by far world class manufacturing cost optimization (Giga cast, etc) and battery technology, the new car, if and when it goes for sale, will kill the world. Imagine a $25K Bolt that is far better than any competition in every metric.

 

[NismoNVT]

There are many articles showing Tesla Model Y sales; it is currently the top 4 or 5th best selling vehicle in the world and may become the best selling car in the world next year. Not bad for a vehicle that starts at $68K, plus tax and license, of course. I think a lotta people must be late for work so they need the 4.8 second 0 to 60 times... Not sure.

I think the Y is already #1 by revenue. That's huge and with Tesla's margins generates a whole lotta cash from operations. And the analysts said Tesla missed in Q3... Their Tesla operations performance results expectations must be off the freakin' charts.

What can hurt Tesla in the near term? IMO, the China geo-political problems will interfere with the Shanghai development and release of the new, smaller, cheaper car. But with their years of real world experience, by far world class manufacturing cost optimization (Giga cast, etc) and battery technology, the new car, if and when it goes for sale, will kill the world. Imagine a $25K Bolt that is far better than any competition in every metric.

Tesla being an engineering Tour de Force=Agreed.

Not sure on the battery front, which accounts for 60% of vehicle costs.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Tesla being an engineering Tour de Force=Agreed.

Not sure on the battery front, which accounts for 60% of vehicle costs.

What does this mean for the other car companies? They are far more resource and experience constrained.

 

[NismoNVT]

What does this mean for the other car companies? They are far more resource and experience constrained.

If every company is restrained by the same problem, how does Tesla get the upper hand?

 

[JeffKeryk]

If every company is restrained by the same problem, how does Tesla get the upper hand?

They have cash reserves from operations. They have by far the most experience. Best engineers in place today.
And Tesla is a pure play EV company.

 

[NismoNVT]

They have cash reserves from operations. They have by far the most experience. Best engineers in place today.
And Tesla is a pure play EV company.

Has all that helped them maintain production/restart production of the $35k Model 3 or the $39K Model Y?

 

[Ws6]

Time to update your signature

Im skipping the c40. Its just a placeholder that got me the tax credit before Biden killed it. I dont identify with it beyond that, lol

 

[wpod]

We should look at the over all cost of the vehicle over its life time. 10 years ? Resale value , utility ease of repair etc.

 

[Ws6]

We should look at the over all cost of the vehicle over its life time. 10 years ? Resale value , utility ease of repair etc.

Driving an EV saves me about $5-6K per year vs driving something like an Acura RDX. In 10 years, the vehicle would have completely paid for itself and then some, even at just today's gas prices. In 5 years, it will have paid for its own replacement battery at the very least, were it to need it. On day 1, an EV gives me a vehicle with supercar levels of performance but in SUV format.

If you really want to pinch pennies, used Prius is the way.

 

[wpod]

Driving an EV saves me about $5-6K per year vs driving something like an Acura RDX. In 10 years, the vehicle would have completely paid for itself and then some, even at just today's gas prices. In 5 years, it will have paid for its own replacement battery at the very least, were it to need it. On day 1, an EV gives me a vehicle with supercar levels of performance but in SUV format.

If you really want to pinch pennies, used Prius is the way.

That is a good thing. To me a vehicle is a tool to do what I need to get done , While I am not motivated by the media or Tv, I can see the utility of an EV. I used to live in San Bruno California until I moved in 2000 and an EV would be nice for running around the bay area, for example. The EV is still in its infancy [they seem to be getting a good start] in my opinion and I am sure they will get better and better for cost and repairs as more people learn to work on them etc.

 

[LouC]

To me EVs don’t make sense unless you own your own house, with the dedicated charger.
Here we pay the highest price for electric in the country. Why?
We are still paying for the Shoreham Nuclear power plant that the Government told us we needed. It was built, powered up and closed. And still we pay for it. In a stroke of “genius” Mario Cuomo realized there is no way Long Island could ever be evacuated. They didn’t know this 10 years before? Of course they did!
So the Government now it telling me I must buy an EV? Fool me once….
Show me the (non existent) proof of climate benefits; while certain unnamed other countries ignore all this….
Been through this once….

 

[Ws6]

That is a good thing. To me a vehicle is a tool to do what I need to get done , While I am not motivated by the media or Tv, I can see the utility of an EV. I used to live in San Bruno California until I moved in 2000 and an EV would be nice for running around the bay area, for example. The EV is still in its infancy [they seem to be getting a good start] in my opinion and I am sure they will get better and better for cost and repairs as more people learn to work on them etc.

I am not really influenced by media, and don't fall into any political spectrum very cleanly at ALL. I bought an EV for performance and money saving and because I feel the tech is mature enough not to handicap me 98% of the time, and 2% of the time the $5K/year it saves me will be worth it in the trade.