First Cheap US EV

The Bolt EV starts at $31k. I know that’s $1k over but that’s damn close. I’m sure incentives will bring that down under $30k plus depending on your state you could get a rebate. But I get you’re talking MSRP.

 

Skywell ET5

Goodbye, stealerships. Hello direct ordering.

https://topelectricsuv.com/news/imperium/imperium-et5-us-price-details/

 

The irony is dealerships have long practiced 'bait-and-switch' to get buyers into an ICE car. They could convert a corner of their property into a 24x7, fast DC charger but they don't. Instead they put in a L2 EVSE and park their excess inventory there to block any EV access. Some deserve to go out of business.

Bob Wilson

 

Is there a hyphen in "anal retentive"?

 

The MINI Cooper SE was introduced in 2020 and has an MSRP of $29900 for the base model.

 

Good, long range, or cheap: pick two.

 

I can see why aomeone would look for EV that is under $30,000 US dollars. But there is no real need for 240 mile EPA range.

Dan

 

Also the 2022 Nissan Leaf S 40 kWh $27,400, Leaf SV 40 kWh $28,800 both under $30,000 US dollars

 

Mine and others have different range requirements. For example, Mom and blood kin live just over 700 miles away. The SuperCharger network is fast and dense enough we can drive there in a day. Thanks to AutoPilot, we arrive not exhausted by the trip.

For battery life, I only charge to 68% daily, ~154 miles. This easily handles local driving yet is enough to reach SuperChargers North, South, East, and West of Huntsville. Yet I can charge to 232 miles the night before when going out of town. This gives an initial drive 3-4 hours to reach the lunch charger.

Bob Wilson

 

For that distance ( 700 miles ) I would just take a plane. In my case I only travelled more than 125 miles ( by car ) 1 way 2 times since 1979 by car. otherwise went by plane

 

The way inflation is going, you soon won't be able to get a golf cart for that money...

 

I wouldn’t use Nedc estimates for actual range quoting. I bet that will have 150-180 miles range. NEDC is extremely optimistic.

 

Would not be surprised that some golf carts are already $30,000

 

Exactly, travel requirements are individual and I have not criticism of yours. Air travel in the USA is challenging because of the hub-and-spoke routes. Then there is rental at the destination that invariably is a disappointment.

If flying works for you, GO FOR IT! Just realize not all flying is equal. Living in Huntsville, my first flight is a feeder to a hub. At the hub, I often have to transfer to another hub before the final regional hop to reach my destination:

• Huntsville-to-[Nashville/Atlanta]
• Hub-to-hub_2 [Kansas City/Dallas]
• Hub_2-to-Tulsa
• Rent car to drive to either Stillwater OK or Coffeyville KS

Bob Wilson

 

Bob, I see your point now that you mentioned hub-and-spoke routes. In my case , they are direct flights with no hubs and rental car only when get to destination

Dan

 

Fortunately there are many different kinds of BEVs to choose from as options for people with different needs or tastes. Many, like Tesla, are not affordable to many people. Others, like the Leaf and MINI Cooper SE, offer an opportunity for people to get a BEV for about the same price as a nice ICE vehicle. With the (current) Federal EV tax credit, a brand-new SE is going to be $22,400. It's also an incredibly capable and fun BEV, if the range fits your lifestyle.

 

Well, almost all YOUR driving needs. For many people, a drive of 100 miles at a time is a road trip; for others, it's their daily commute. Most people don't need long range (even if they think they want to), and could happily drive any of the good EV's that sell for <US$ 30,000.