Good afternoon all. I am new to the forum. I am also hoping to be part of the ownership community in the near future. My current car is a 2014 Hyundai Sonata Limited with 151k miles and is nearing the end of it's life. So I am looking at a PHEV or EV (BEV) vehicle in America. I have a budget of about $30k max that I can spend. I do not drive more than 50-75 miles in a day. We have a Honda SUV we use for long road trips and as a backup vehicle if needed. I am looking for a mid sized sedan with creature comforts. As an example, I LOVE the heated and cooled driver seat in my Sonata. Interestingly enough, I already have 220 service in my garage if I went with an EV and a stage 2 charger. My overall goal, described in a sentence or two: A comfortable and roomy car with a nice touch of luxury but top tier efficiency. Horsepower doesn't matter to me, range and efficiency does. I will also add in I would want this purchase to last 10 years or 200k miles, and be reliable both in drivetrain and car features. I don't mind buying used, but would need to be 2020 or newer and lower mileage, say under 30k miles. For the PHEV side, the newest model I found that I liked is the Honda Clarity Touring. On the EV side, I am really not sure. I know Tesla is the standard and has the best charging stations, both in capacity and reliability, but I am not sure if I like any of their cars outside of the too-expensive Model S. I would say I like the Ioniq6, but I would want NACS charging and that is just coming out, and the RWD long range limited will be out of my ability to afford I am open to ideas, and was hoping to get some input from current owners and discuss what's out there. I am not brand loyal, even admitting I like Hyundai, but I just want to avoid vehicle with known issues or known crappy service if something does arise. Thank you for your time.
That will be later this year or early next. In the meanwhile adapters are being supplied - Ford is one, until the ports are NACS incorporated into the vehicles. I have owned 2 Hyundai Kona EVs, both very good in range and dependability. The size is a little small-depends on your requirements. I am sure more will chime in with different brands and offer more guidance, There is a lot to read on this forum on each manufacture by their owners (sub-forums), which is a benefit to this particular forum. Good luck, and welcome to Inside EVs forum.
You might want to consider a used one. Lots more of them on the market, at greatly reduced prices. Lots of Bolts available now, really cheap. They had all their batteries recalled recently, so those would essentially be like a new car. https://insideevs.com/news/715413/study-ued-evs-price-drops/ https://www.recurrentauto.com/research/used-electric-vehicle-buying-report
If you can make do with a little less luxury, a used Ioniq 6 SEL would be an option. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with ventilated seats. However, if watch closely and are patient, you may be able to find an Ioniq 6 limited for sale somewhere in the USA and have it shipped to you.
I can only share my hands on experience with a 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus. I did by a used 2017 BMW i3-REx last year for urban driving. comfortable and roomy car My 2019 Tesla Model 3 is comfortable and roomy The 2017 BMW i3-REx is a comfortable, 4-seater around town with a nice touch of luxury Hard to qualify but the nicest car I've ever owned after the BMW i3-REx. top tier efficiency Use www.fueleconomy.gov for efficiency order range and efficiency [important rjw] The 2019 Model 3 was 240 mi new and the latest ones get ~270 mi On a recent 882 mi, eclipse viewing trip, 231 Wh/mi The 2017 BMW i3-REx is like the Tesla around town. last 10 years or 200k miles My Tesla is at 5 years and 130,000 mi with 90% of the original battery The BMW is at 7 years and 67,000 mi with 95% of the original battery reliable both in drivetrain and car features Tesla has with ordinary car parts wear out, not the motor or battery BMW i3-REx had another car back in the passenger door but otherwise, worry free buying used . . . 2020 or newer and . . . under 30k miles Tesla takes trade-ins which saved me $18,300 Lots of used options today but back then, the BMW i3-REx was my best choice Not a fan of Prius Prime PHEV as my 2017 was too short EV range and triggers the engine on too easily Good Luck! Bob Wilson
Consider a used Hyundai Ioniq PHEV for efficiency and comfort within your budget. For EVs, explore Kia Niro EV or Chevrolet Bolt for range and comfort. Ensure any purchase fits your long-term reliability and charging needs. Research owner experiences to avoid issues. Good luck!
Of course, there are no new Claritys for sale, so you'd have to buy a used one, but it's a good choice (the Touring model is worth the extra money). If you check out the InsideEVs' Clarity forum you'll find that I and many others really like this special car. One reason it's special is because it's a car, and not an SUV. Why Honda gave up on PHEVs for North America is puzzling considering how successful Toyota is with their PHEVs. I'm sure a PHEV CR-V (like China gets) would be a hit.
i'll step one further and say the bolt euv. you can get them highly appointed and cheap used or dealer demo. not all bolts get a new battery. some got software updates instead. in canada i didn't like the stories of a $60k battery from hyundai. and their bad rep for not standing behind warranty or recall for their faulty engines. not their electrics are bad, just my thoughts. bolt is about the cheapest there is, and the euv comes a little better done. more rear seat room. a little less range. but it's easily within your requirements even in cold. drawback is 55kw fast dc charging speed. and not a heat pump for heat. i bought a 2023 demo fully loaded for cheap where i am. alberta canada isn't the cheapest to buy ev's in. you might find a few new ones still at dealerships, but i took the premier redline fully loaded they had for the same price as a 1lt. 2023 comes with the new battery already too. no maybe. another thing. i phoned my insurance company and was surprised how cheap it was to insure. i'm 62 and it was just under $1400 cdn/yr. that's for my wife and myself.
Well, OP, your timing is really good for BEVs. Sales are not taking off as quickly as expected, so manufacturers and dealers are starting to come up with great incentives, especially on leases. There was recently a great offer on the Ioniq 6 SE models, but everyone snatched them up. Toyota has a lease offer going right now of $119/mo with $3999 down on the BZ4X (great car, mediocre EV). Teslas prices are lower now. What state are you in? Some states have incentives as well. I highly recommend the Honda Clarity on the used market. There is a $4000 federal tax credit on used EVs purchased from dealers, just check the qualification details.
I recommend a lease, rather than outright purchase. The Toyota/Lexus EV has generous lease cash offers, bringing 3 year cost of ownership below $10,000 USD. I daily drive a Nissan Leaf SL+ (bigger battery pack and motor) with a Lexus hybrid as backup. https://www.edmunds.com/lexus/rz/2024/deals/
