Checking out alternatives

[ARK]

I like the MME too much to switch away from it, but Volkswagen isn’t doing itself any favors with these oddball names for its electric vehicles. I feel like a large segment of the population wouldn’t be caught dead driving something called an ID.Buzz and how do you even pronounce ID.4? As a word, reading the initials out?

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[Raymondjram]

I think a lot of it just comes down to price point. Even after tax credits, EVs tend to be around $15k more purchase price than a comparable size/type of ICE. It's just hard for a middle-income buyer to justify spending $35k for the equivalent of a $20k vehicle to get BEV.

When I decided to buy a Ford Hybrid, I knew it would cost more than a normal engine Fusion (it cost me $38K and I am a middle income buyer). But after six years of ownership, I have saved more than the difference in cost from the saving in maintenance and gasoline purchases, and if you add the time saved it would be higher. As an example I visit my dealer only once a year for oil and filter changes (includes tire rotations) for $45. A full tank of 12 gallons last me for over a month, and I live just 600 feet from my service station.

EV producers have to point out these savings in comparison with a similar featured vehicle of the same brand. So the bottom line is: do you prefer to buy a cheaper vehicle and spend thousands of dollars a year (and hundreds of lost hours), or do you prefer to pay more for a higher quality vehicle, then pay nothing and waste no maintenance time in the future? The second option is more logical.

EDIT: I forgot to add that "refueling"an EV is done in your garage overnight while you sleep. Visiting a gas station is a big risk and a bigger loss of time, even if the station is close to your home as in my case.

I have done much analysis about the benefits of an EV and there are no excuses to avoid buying one. Even if it cost more, many buyers get high luxury gas vehicles yet no one complains about that.

 

[dbsb3233]

Yep. There are situations where BEV makes the most sense. There are situations where ICE makes the most sense. There are situations where PHEV makes the most sense. There is no singular mode that's ideal for all.

If I lived in an apartment with no cheap, easy, dependable L2 charging, there's no way I'd buy a BEV. Nor will most people. Few people are going to put up with 30 minute retail charging sessions all the time when it takes 3 minutes to do the same in ICE.

But I own a home with a garage where it's easy to charge overnight. And I have a 2nd ICE car for road trips. And I can afford to pay $15k extra upfront without needing a loan. (Actually more like $25k for the MME at purchase time, getting $10k back later in tax credits.) So the MME is a good fit for my situation.

 

[JellyBelly]

I have an ID4 reservation in the first ten minutes of website opening but the dealer never called me and now not interested as much but may be next week will call him to cancel. Its the only vehicle i would consider instead of the MME or may be go PHEV route with Toyota Rav4 Prime but they have supply problems

 

[dbsb3233]

It's fine for you. I was talking about most people. Full-time retail charging (at EA rates) would wipe out any cost savings over gas. That's the main $$ reason for even considering a BEV at current prices - being able to recover some of the extra cost in fuel savings.

It also wastes a ton of collective time in refueling. You're lucky enough to have a 150kW charger at your nearby grocery store. Most people don't have that luxury. That's two very big negatives relative to buying ICE/PHEV.

Few people are gonna look at that pro-vs-con balance sheet and not say "Why in the hell would I pay $15k extra for that??".

BEV enthusiasts may do it, but that's only a few% of consumers.

 

[ajmartineau]

Don't tell EA, but I would be driving an "expensive" BEV even if the cost of electricity was more than the price of gas. After about a month of not going to the gas station, plus all the other joys of driving on electricity, I was hooked and will never go back. I will be buying (or handing down) used BEVs to my kids when they need their own car.

 

[trutolife27]

 

[eltonlin]

ooof.

 

[Shayne]

Don't tell EA, but I would be driving an "expensive" BEV even if the cost of electricity was more than the price of gas. After about a month of not going to the gas station, plus all the other joys of driving on electricity, I was hooked and will never go back. I will be buying (or handing down) used BEVs to my kids when they need their own car.

Agree; guess we are not most people. Push a button and on; no gas, oil, plugs, transmission filters etc. The switch from small engine to battery tools solidified that for me. Just need to pick well engineered, quality products, charge and push the on button. If you value your time and the quality of it at all that also should be factored in. Some do pros and cons on everything and are cheap; which is what the up charge of BEV's is quickly becoming. Charging 90% from home and planning trips should be no problems in most areas by now. If it can be done in a LR EV in northern Canada it can most likely be done many places down south. Make sure you pack a picnic for the charging stops; cheap and that goes in the frunck .

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

When she described the braking clicking sound, I couldn't help but think of this:

 

[dbsb3233]

After about a month of not going to the gas station

Because you can charge at home, yes. That was the point. The scenario above was discussing not being able to do that, and having to always go out and do lengthy retail charges.

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