I'm going to ask "what is your goal"? Is the BEV to save money or you just think it's cool? To get a BEV with enough range, it's going to cost you big time. I would go with a hybird myself as the miles and AC usage you use per day will cost quite a bit over a ICE or Hybird car.
What would be better for our type of use? Full Electric or Hybrid?
- Thread starter Nicasio
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Either the Kona or Kia Niro EVs would handle this easily and I think are similar in size and utility to the Vibe. Jump in with both feet and get a full EV, you'll never look back.
You can buy a lot of gasoline for the price of a new EV or Hybrid. I’d stick with what you have. Just do the math I bet you can’t get a payback on a new car. If your current car is not reliable or has mechanical issues it might be a different story.
Full disclosure we buy used cars and drive them until they are not reliable. It’s usually cheaper to repair than replace.
Just my $0.02
Full disclosure we buy used cars and drive them until they are not reliable. It’s usually cheaper to repair than replace.
Just my $0.02
a good point above, capable EV’s are expensive. Also it’s smart to consider your true electric cost. Make sure to understand the following:
1) the cost per KWh is not the full cost (taxes/fees etc)
2) the dashboard Kwh used is not how much your elec meter spins (there are a stack of losses) between grid and wheel.
3) elec rates often jump to a higher rate tier due to high power consumption. Check your provider. An EV would push me from less than 12 to more than 17 cents per kWh. And that’s before taxes that effectively double my bill.
in some areas of CA, on a plug in hybrid like the chevy Volt, it’s cheaper per mile to buy gas than it is to charge At home.
1) the cost per KWh is not the full cost (taxes/fees etc)
2) the dashboard Kwh used is not how much your elec meter spins (there are a stack of losses) between grid and wheel.
3) elec rates often jump to a higher rate tier due to high power consumption. Check your provider. An EV would push me from less than 12 to more than 17 cents per kWh. And that’s before taxes that effectively double my bill.
in some areas of CA, on a plug in hybrid like the chevy Volt, it’s cheaper per mile to buy gas than it is to charge At home.
How many EV charging stations are in the area, in case your wife needs a charge along her route?
The step in height of a RAV4 Prime or Hybrid may be more desirable than a Prius/Corolla/Camry.
While the car is running on AC, the Hybrids can kick the engine on as needed, as the AC compressor is electric, not mechanical.
The Toyota Primes are also eligible for the $7500 tax rebate.
The step in height of a RAV4 Prime or Hybrid may be more desirable than a Prius/Corolla/Camry.
While the car is running on AC, the Hybrids can kick the engine on as needed, as the AC compressor is electric, not mechanical.
The Toyota Primes are also eligible for the $7500 tax rebate.
We love the Prius we got, and have 15k on it already. Can carry a fair bit too, with the hatch and fold down seats. They are decent to drive too, not the penalty box like they used to be. Averaging about 53 mpg us gallon, and she drives it hard. If new to electric vehicles might be good to go hybrid first before jumping right to full EV
Prius Prime is cheaper up front than the regular Prius but plugs in
If he’s going Prius there really is no other option
Thank you for all the information everyone. We have a lot to think about!
Base price here in Canada is 4500 more for a prime.
Ah ok.....not so lucky here.
Hybrid makes the only logical sense, unless the USA builds 100 mid sized “safe“ nuclear plants.
My Accord hybrid gets 48-50 mpg in warm weather and 44-46 mpg in cool weather. With a fill-up, it has a 600 mile range. For "long" drives it is very comfortable.
If I recall correctly, the hybrid is only a $1,500 premium over the convential Accord. Unfortunately, in today's environment I have no idea as to availibility.
Let's call that 47mpg annualized. Using 112500 BTU E-10 gasoline, that's 2400 BTU per mile. (remember 1Kw =3412 Btu)
A Model 3 will pull from the elec meter (not dashboard display) about 350 watt hours per mile in CA, or about 1200 BTU per mile.
Now, remember that electrical power is not generated at 100% efficiency. The BEST fuel powered plant is 54% efficient at the power plant fence. Add in 7% grid losses too. Let's call it 50% efficient. 1200 BTU per mile x 50% = Amazingly, 2400 BTU per mile.
Accord Hybrid 2400 BTU per mile.
Model 3 2400 BTU per mile (absolute best case)
Model 3 3636 BTU per mile (average US grid efficiency)
My point: It really does take a certain amount of power to push a vehicle down the road. There is no free lunch.
That right there would make a hybrid a better car for her use.
This is easy for an EV. The AC uses a few hundred watts and 15 min is not long. Say it were 400w x 15min/60min per hour = 100 Wh per event, you'd need 10 such events to use 1kWh. EVs you'd be considering would have at least a 60 kWh battery.
With her daily mileage, range anxiety will be a thing. She’s going to see the gauge falling throughout the day, each day. Forget to charge it one night, or run the heat more than normal, or need to run by a store, and she could have one or two incidents that turn her off entirely, unless she *wants* it. What does *she* want?
if she’s interested in playing the game, learning where charge points are, perhaps next to a favorite hang for her, it may work better for her. Mine would feel too much anxiety and inconvenience. In this case, I’d be more tempted to go with a hybrid.
if she’s interested in playing the game, learning where charge points are, perhaps next to a favorite hang for her, it may work better for her. Mine would feel too much anxiety and inconvenience. In this case, I’d be more tempted to go with a hybrid.
As stated PHEV is the best of both worlds
You can run mostly electric but if you screw up keep right on rolling without a hitch
Zero range anxiety and no worries about planning a long distance trip
You can run mostly electric but if you screw up keep right on rolling without a hitch
Zero range anxiety and no worries about planning a long distance trip
I recently read article that gave calculations on break even points for electric depending on the cost of electricity in your area. Our current cost is .11 cent//kwh and the break even point for me was a car that got 40 mpg. less than 40 was a cost savings. I believe CA is a high cost electricity state as is the gas. Daughter has the new Mustang E and loves it, range is 250-300 miles on a charge, lots of power. I have a hybrid and ave about 40 mpg highway/city. If you would use the car for a trip once in a while consider that you will have to stop to recharge but if close to 100% commuting use the electric is a good choice. Also, in my experience hybrids have a lot more to go wrong than an electric with the gas engine, all the normal R&M, a pain plus electronics to make it go. Electrics are really reliable. I have driven the ID4, Mustang, Volvo electrics, Mustang I loved but pricey, Volvo not so much and pricier. ID4 a good choice or the Chevy Bolt. Ford has the Escape plug in hybrid a good options as well.
Definitely either a hybrid or electric for her. Availability is an issue now with all of them, hybrids included.
Definitely either a hybrid or electric for her. Availability is an issue now with all of them, hybrids included.
Measuring Off the wall you can easily get 4 miles per kwhr at lower speeds using minimal HVAC
This means AT 11c a kwhr you get
2.75 cents per mile and oil changes and maintainence are lower
Conversely a gas car using our local $3 a gallon gas would have to get over 100mpg to equal that cost.
If you live in a mild climate or minimize HVAC and drive averaging under 45mph that is where there is simply no comparison between gas and EV
The trouble is in climate and speed extremes coupled with high EV taxes and insurance.
In that situation you pay more on the taxes then the fuel and the math breaks down, especially if you don’t drive a lot of miles
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