Some EV Stuff From CR

[blkadr08]

“A Consumer Report study published in 2020 found that, overall, electric vehicles cost less to own than equivalent gas-powered vehicles, thanks to lower repair and maintenance costs (that’s partly because EVs have fewer moving parts), as well as savings on fuel. In fact, our survey of hundreds of thousands of CR members showed that drivers of EVs and plug-in hybrids paid half as much to repair and maintain their vehicles—an average savings of $4,600 in repair and maintenance costs over the life of the vehicle (15 to 16 years).


most ev owners, however, do pay higher insurance premiums than owners of gas-powered cars. Lynne McChristian, director of the office of risk management and insurance research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says that’s most likely because insurers don’t have decades of risk assessment data for EVs. This means they’re less able to accurately gauge the risk of theft or damage after a crash, and they factor that ambiguity into a higher premium.


Fortunately for consumers, elevated insurance premiums for EVs are likely to trend downward as companies collect more data and more models come to market, McChristian says. The share of EVs being sold in the U.S. is still relatively small, at just 4 percent of all vehicles in 2021, but that number has been growing each year.“;

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[Peaceowl]

“A Consumer Report study published in 2020 found that, overall, electric vehicles cost less to own than equivalent gas-powered vehicles, thanks to lower repair and maintenance costs (that’s partly because EVs have fewer moving parts), as well as savings on fuel. In fact, our survey of hundreds of thousands of CR members showed that drivers of EVs and plug-in hybrids paid half as much to repair and maintain their vehicles—an average savings of $4,600 in repair and maintenance costs over the life of the vehicle (15 to 16 years).


most ev owners, however, do pay higher insurance premiums than owners of gas-powered cars. Lynne McChristian, director of the office of risk management and insurance research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says that’s most likely because insurers don’t have decades of risk assessment data for EVs. This means they’re less able to accurately gauge the risk of theft or damage after a crash, and they factor that ambiguity into a higher premium.


Fortunately for consumers, elevated insurance premiums for EVs are likely to trend downward as companies collect more data and more models come to market, McChristian says. The share of EVs being sold in the U.S. is still relatively small, at just 4 percent of all vehicles in 2021, but that number has been growing each year.“;

i Remember another article stating similar, and it made me think what insurance will rise to when they compare replacement costs on parts to a gas car.(the battery, etc.)
fewer moving parts but some pretty expensive ones.

 

[heisnuts]

The insurance for our MME is within a few dollars of our 3 year old Subaru Impreza and actually less than the premium for our 6 year old Lexus RX350. I think the cost of ownership for EV's will come out a lot less than a comparable ICE vehicle right now for a couple reasons. First, with gas prices in the $3 to $4 per gallon range right now, the cost per mile comes out cheaper with an EV. Second, while some ICE vehicles come with some maintenance , most do not and that cost is higher than an EV per year. When you factor in any incentives offered to EV's right now it makes the case even stronger for the EV.

I do think, however, the cost of owning an EV will increase as that vehicle ages. I do not think it will be a major factor for the original owner of the EV since most people do not keep a car longer than 6 or 7 years. However after these cars get over the 7 year mark I do think the repair costs will be a lot higher than a comparable ICE vehicle due to the costs associated with the electrified powertrain of the vehicle. This will be especially true once the factory 8/100 warranty on the electric vehicle components expires.

Another cost that I think should be looked at is time. Right now purchasing an EV will require more time and effort than a comparable ICE. Just look at all of the threads on this forum on the time required to set up charging, PAAK, and the Ford Pass App, and that's assuming everything goes as planned and is working on the first attempt. Now factor in time required for charging on a road trip, dealing with EV specific problems as they pop up and longer repair times and that cost goes up as well.

I have only had our MME for a little over a week now, but so far I am really glad to have it. I am actually finding it even more exciting and fun than I thought it would be. However, I am really into cars and find it entertaining to figure out and solve all of the little quirks and challenges that come with an EV. I do not think this applies to a majority of people though so I can see why a lot of people will be a little weary of owning an EV right now. I would say for the person who is looking for a car they can just get in and go and not have to figure out how to make it go, the total cost of an EV right now will probably outweigh the benefit right now due to the time/frustration cost associated with it right now. This will apply even more to people who are not car/electronic savvy. I can just see a picture of someone in their 70's, who has a hard time figuring out how to program their "smart" TV and getting into their MME with low charge and the Ford charger on the wall with an amber light on. Although it is funny to think of such a scenario, it would be really frustrating for the person in that scenario.

 

[Motomax]

I don’t see maintenance cost being a big cost saver vs the increase in price of an EV compared to IcE.

I do all of my own maintenance and basic repairs so I’ve never had a high cost of ownership. Most modern cars don’t need major repairs until well into their life span.

Now with gas being almost $5/gal, that’s where you save money. With my solar panels I drive for free as long as Ignore the cost of the panels lol.

 

[Rotmeat]

I actually agree with CR here in regards to maintenance.

I have an old 2013 Leaf. In every other 8-year-old previously-owned car I've owned, you start running into belts breaking down, leaks everywhere, other problems, which leads to broken radiators and other even more expensive problems if not repaired.

The only things I've ever had to replace on that old Leaf were the tires and, once, the 12v battery. Compared to the other cars I've owned, it was a wonder of long-lasting engineering. And the Leafs are notoriously poorly-designed, so I'm feeling much more confident about the Mach-E.

 

[Motomax]

I have an old 2013 Leaf. In every other 8-year-old previously-owned car I've owned, you start running into belts breaking down, leaks everywhere, other problems, which leads to broken radiators and other even more expensive problems if not repaired.

You may need to buy better vehicles… lol

 

[Rotmeat]

You may need to buy better vehicles… lol

I did

 

[OrchidMania]

The insurance for our MME is within a few dollars of our 3 year old Subaru Impreza and actually less than the premium for our 6 year old Lexus RX350. I think the cost of ownership for EV's will come out a lot less than a comparable ICE vehicle right now for a couple reasons. First, with gas prices in the $3 to $4 per gallon range right now, the cost per mile comes out cheaper with an EV. Second, while some ICE vehicles come with some maintenance , most do not and that cost is higher than an EV per year. When you factor in any incentives offered to EV's right now it makes the case even stronger for the EV.

I do think, however, the cost of owning an EV will increase as that vehicle ages. I do not think it will be a major factor for the original owner of the EV since most people do not keep a car longer than 6 or 7 years. However after these cars get over the 7 year mark I do think the repair costs will be a lot higher than a comparable ICE vehicle due to the costs associated with the electrified powertrain of the vehicle. This will be especially true once the factory 8/100 warranty on the electric vehicle components expires.

Another cost that I think should be looked at is time. Right now purchasing an EV will require more time and effort than a comparable ICE. Just look at all of the threads on this forum on the time required to set up charging, PAAK, and the Ford Pass App, and that's assuming everything goes as planned and is working on the first attempt. Now factor in time required for charging on a road trip, dealing with EV specific problems as they pop up and longer repair times and that cost goes up as well.

I have only had our MME for a little over a week now, but so far I am really glad to have it. I am actually finding it even more exciting and fun than I thought it would be. However, I am really into cars and find it entertaining to figure out and solve all of the little quirks and challenges that come with an EV. I do not think this applies to a majority of people though so I can see why a lot of people will be a little weary of owning an EV right now. I would say for the person who is looking for a car they can just get in and go and not have to figure out how to make it go, the total cost of an EV right now will probably outweigh the benefit right now due to the time/frustration cost associated with it right now. This will apply even more to people who are not car/electronic savvy. I can just see a picture of someone in their 70's, who has a hard time figuring out how to program their "smart" TV and getting into their MME with low charge and the Ford charger on the wall with an amber light on. Although it is funny to think of such a scenario, it would be really frustrating for the person in that scenario.

Are you age slamming? Some of us know how to program their smart TV. Computers became really popular in the 81 with IBM producing and selling the personal computer. Thats over 40 years ago, and most seniors are computer and phone literate. Maybe you're talking about my parents generation. who aren't around anymore.. !!!!!!

 

[heisnuts]

Are you age slamming? Some of us know how to program their smart TV. Computers became really popular in the 81 with IBM producing and selling the personal computer. Thats over 40 years ago, and most seniors are computer and phone literate. Maybe you're talking about my parents generation. who aren't around anymore.. !!!!!!

? not really age slamming, rather pointing out that for those who don’t have the patience to deal with the inevitable hiccups that will come with owning an EV right now, there might be a better choice for them right now. In the 9 days I have owned the car there have been several hiccups in setting up a charging schedule, setting up everything in the Ford Pass App, and even hiccups on day one with an EA charger on the 260 mile trip home from the dealer.

it is not a big deal breaker for me… I have actuallybeen having a lot of fun figuring everything out….And I must say I absolutely love how the car performs, drives and using a lot of the tech stuff bundled inside. However, for those who are just looking for a car they can get in and go and don’t see the “fun” of working through the EV hiccups, an EV might not be the best choice for them right now.

 

[Motomax]

? not really age slamming, rather pointing out that for those who don’t have the patience to deal with the inevitable hiccups that will come with owning an EV right now, there might be a better choice for them right now. In the 9 days I have owned the car there have been several hiccups in setting up a charging schedule, setting up everything in the Ford Pass App, and even hiccups on day one with an EA charger on the 260 mile trip home from the dealer.

it is not a big deal breaker for me… I have actuallybeen having a lot of fun figuring everything out….And I must say I absolutely love how the car performs, drives and using a lot of the tech stuff bundled inside. However, for those who are just looking for a car they can get in and go and don’t see the “fun” of working through the EV hiccups, an EV might not be the best choice for them right now.

If you ignore all the fancy features, it’s still just a car that works like any other car. Key opens door, key starts car, drive car, then refill tank. Most new cars Ice/EV are going tech crazy right now so I don’t see it as an EV issue, more of a new car issue.
Yes it’s true, some people are completely lost with technology and it has nothing to do with age (although it is a little lopsided ). Let’s be real though, if they can’t search a manual to reference a warning light or figure out a menu tree, they wouldn’t be fixing an ICE car anyways. They would be paying the dealership $500 to change a bulb.

 

[heisnuts]

If you ignore all the fancy features, it’s still just a car that works like any other car. Key opens door, key starts car, drive car, then refill tank. Most new cars Ice/EV are going tech crazy right now so I don’t see it as an EV issue, more of a new car issue.
Yes it’s true, some people are completely lost with technology and it has nothing to do with age (although it is a little lopsided ). Let’s be real though, if they can’t search a manual to reference a warning light or figure out a menu tree, they wouldn’t be fixing an ICE car anyways. They would be paying the dealership $500 to change a bulb.

That's where the problem lies... It is not just like an ICE car in that you don't just drive until the low fuel light comes on and stop at the nearest gas station for a quick fill up. The EVs right now require an owner to be aware of the charging limitations and challenges that come with that. These include the fact that there is not a charging station on every main street like a gas station, charging the car requires a little work at the charger (not to mention some time) and that is assuming everything goes as planned, and the owner has to be mindful of how weather and driving conditions can greatly affect your energy consumption.

 

[Motomax]

That's where the problem lies... It is not just like an ICE car in that you don't just drive until the low fuel light comes on and stop at the nearest gas station for a quick fill up. The EVs right now require an owner to be aware of the charging limitations and challenges that come with that. These include the fact that there is not a charging station on every main street like a gas station, charging the car requires a little work at the charger (not to mention some time) and that is assuming everything goes as planned, and the owner has to be mindful of how weather and driving conditions can greatly affect your energy consumption.

Well I give people a little credit. If they buy an EV not knowing how to charge it, there’s no helping them. They should take the bus.
The average person in the US drives less than 40miles per day (I suspect that number is even smaller in Europe). Losing half their range in winter is likely not a problem. Surprised or not, they can still drive their car.

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