I have been watching the EV forums for quite a while and am to the point where I am thinking of making the plunge. I have gone back and forth as to what I should get. I live in Central Florida and have dismissed a few models like the Leaf and old type Ioniq since they do not have an active battery cooler. It gets very hot here in the summer. Although I did a test drive of a 2019 old type Ioniq hybrid and really liked the size and style. One of the issues I have seen is that there aren't very many dealers here that even know much about EV's. My brother lives in San Diego and has volunteered to help me find something as there are many to choose from there. That would mean I would have to drive it across the US and I'm not quite ready to jump into the deep end yet. Another issue is that I am retired and am living on about half the salary I used to make, so the more expensive models are not in the equation. In fact, most of the EV's seem to be priced a bit high for most people. So, I will be looking for a used vehicle. I thought I might like a Volt or a Bolt, but not real happy with the style of the Volt. Currently the Bolt has some battery/fire issues, but if I could get a good deal on a used one, and then take it into the dealer to get the battery issue fixed, that could be a possibility. I would also consider a Honda Clarity. I like the PHEV concept, but may regret not getting a full BEV. I would use the EV (or PHEV) for short trips of 30 to 40 miles at a time, so the Clarity might make sense as I would probably not use the ICE portion much, if at all, as these short trips are probably 75% of our driving. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.
I recently came across this EV Info List, which is a list of all EVs available in the US with price/range/etc. It seems to be updated regularly, maybe it can be of some help.
Perhaps you can go car shopping with your brother in San Diego, figure out what you want, and then make the purchase locally.
I wouldn't dismiss the Hyundai Ioniq out of hand. The 28kwh has an air cooled battery, thermostatically controlled like my Soul EV and Ford C-Max Energi. These cars have an excellent track record in hot climates especially if you avoid Level 3 charging when the sun shines. Don't lump these with the LEAF which doesn't even have a fan, no battery cooling at all. Keep in mind that the later 38?kwh Ioniq with liquid cooling fast charges much slower than the earlier air-cooled one. If you fit well in the 28kwh Ioniq, keep in mind it's the most efficient EV out there. European EV expert Bjorn Nyland loves them, see his excellent YouTube videos. Mark
I won't recommend a Kia Soul EV for a warm climate. They had traction battery issues in Arizona. An air cooled battery might work if you didn't need much DC fast charging. However, once you start needing DC fast charging in a warm climate you really want a liquid cooled battery to get an adequate charging speed. Anyhow, buying a used or new car right now is going to cost extra. So if one can wait a few months, the chip shortage will work its way out and you can save some money.
I believe there haven't been hot weather issues for the Soul EV 2018-2019 with the 30kwh battery. Arizona is hotter than FL too, temps above 100 degrees F are very rare in FL. Otherwise the above statement is accurate. Mark
