Not as Nice as ICE for the $$$

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Clamps

Clamps

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The point was really brought home when I returned my Smart car to the Mercedes dealer. I stopped to look at a Mercedes, ICE, and marveled how luxe the interior looked and felt. I thought this must be spendy, $42K, cheaper than my Kona Ultimate, cheaper than a Bolt Premier, let's face it, cheaper than most EV's MSRP.

I understand that a big portion of EV's comes from the battery. In the same token don't EV's have reduced number of components by comparison? Maybe the scale of production is higher on petrol vehicles and that brings the unit cost down.
 
Modern EVs are new technology and still comparatively low-volume. Like every new gadget, from VCRs (yes, I'm that old), prices will come down over time, until some new technology comes along and starts the cycle over.
 
R P said:
Yup, it's the battery...
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They say that battery prices are close to going below 100$/kWh. And on the bleeding edge, there are R&D costs. Plus they know full well that people can get the 7500$ federal rebate, so they use this as an opportunity to raise the price. As battery production gets optimized, costs come down.

The ICE drivetrain costs surprisingly little (at least until you need a replacement). They buy them in such quantities that they get huge economies of scale, and the production of the things is already highly optimized.
 
Yes, it’s just a matter of time until EVs match ICE on the MSRP. It will be interesting when that happens. I’m currently trying to save up money for an EV. By the time I get enough the infrastructure situation should be improved, but there’s no guarantee.
 
SouthernDude said:
Yes, it’s just a matter of time until EVs match ICE on the MSRP. It will be interesting when that happens. I’m currently trying to save up money for an EV. By the time I get enough the infrastructure situation should be improved, but there’s no guarantee.
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You might consider an end-of-lease, plug-in hybrid with at least 50-70 miles range. You'll still have a long range capability as well as enough EV range for lessons learned. There are used, BMW i3-REx available in the $20k range.

Bob Wilson
 
SouthernDude said:
Yes, it’s just a matter of time until EVs match ICE on the MSRP. It will be interesting when that happens. I’m currently trying to save up money for an EV. By the time I get enough the infrastructure situation should be improved, but there’s no guarantee.
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You can get gently used Bolts for just over $20-25k.
 
Clamps said:
You can get gently used Bolts for just over $20-25k.
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You can get brand-spankin' new ones for under $25,000 in some places. At least, going by the listings on Cars.com (I always wonder, though, if there aren't a bunch of hidden costs in these publicized prices). This is why I didn't get a used Bolt EV myself. The gap between new and used seemed too small. Unfortunately, at the time (last summer), I couldn't talk my dealer down to $25,000.

Just to get back to the original topic of the thread, this is a great point. EV adoption will improve once buyers can get a premium-feeling interior that matches the premium price.
 
bwilson4web said:
You might consider an end-of-lease, plug-in hybrid with at least 50-70 miles range. You'll still have a long range capability as well as enough EV range for lessons learned. There are used, BMW i3-REx available in the $20k range.

Bob Wilson
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I’ve considered doing that. I’ve already got about 10k saved up for a newer car. I’m just trying to decide which would be the best thing to do financially. Should I save up more and wait to buy an EV later when there’s more infrastructure or should I get something like the i3 in the meantime? I’m not sure which is the better option.
 
Clamps said:
You can get gently used Bolts for just over $20-25k.
Click to expand...

I’ve considered getting a really cheap used EV in general to drive around town and do some vacation driving and then keeping my Xterra for long distance work trips, but I don’t think that would make financial sense.
 
SouthernDude said:
I’ve considered doing that. I’ve already got about 10k saved up for a newer car. I’m just trying to decide which would be the best thing to do financially. Should I save up more and wait to buy an EV later when there’s more infrastructure or should I get something like the i3 in the meantime? I’m not sure which is the better option.
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Let me suggest looking at charging options vs local and long distance requirements:
  • get a free, Plugshare account
    • set your car to the type considered using www.fueleconomy.gov to select vehicle(s)
    • set the EV range to 90-95% of the new range for used car battery degradation
  • set the filter to CCS-1 (for non-Tesla fast DC charging or CHAdeMO for Nissan)
  • Local - use a radius of 1/2 the EV range ... this is where you'll charge. You can include the J1772 for charging while shopping.
  • Long distance - use the trip planner (needs a large screen) to far places you would go.
Now with a PHEV, gas can be used for long distance without a problem. But to make sense, you need a radius large enough to cover work, shopping, and local visits.

Bob Wilson
 
Domenick said:
You can get brand-spankin' new ones for under $25,000 in some places. At least, going by the listings on Cars.com (I always wonder, though, if there aren't a bunch of hidden costs in these publicized prices). This is why I didn't get a used Bolt EV myself. The gap between new and used seemed too small. Unfortunately, at the time (last summer), I couldn't talk my dealer down to $25,000.

Just to get back to the original topic of the thread, this is a great point. EV adoption will improve once buyers can get a premium-feeling interior that matches the premium price.
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Fake prices.. You need to read the small print.. In many cases, it includes about a $3k trade in.. In other cases, it includes military or college student discount or both combined... If you see a new car advertised at a very low price, read the small print directly on the dealers site.. In some states, they also add almost $1000 in dealer fees.. Most dealer fees here in FL are about $800.. That's insane.. I paid $300 dealer fee in Maryland when I got my Kona... That's pocket change compared that Hyundai dealers charge in Florida..
 
BlueKonaEV said:
Fake prices.. You need to read the small print.. In many cases, it includes about a $3k trade in.. In other cases, it includes military or college student discount or both combined... If you see a new car advertised at a very low price, read the small print directly on the dealers site.. In some states, they also add almost $1000 in dealer fees.. Most dealer fees here in FL are about $800.. That's insane.. I paid $300 dealer fee in Maryland when I got my Kona... That's pocket change compared that Hyundai dealers charge in Florida..
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Yikes! I've been lucky enough to avoid buying from a dealer, but when I did go look at the Bolt EV, I think I got them to $28,xxx with no trade-in.I wish I had some time to call up about one of these and see the exactly the deal is.
 
R P said:
Yup, it's the battery...
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Not just the battery, it is also the fact that dealerships and manufacturers make.a lot of money off maintenance and repairs from people who think they have to take their car to the dealership for all maintenance. Personally, I only take it to the dealer for repair if under warranty or there is a recall, no matter the type of vehicle, so they aren't loosing anything from me, but they obviously aren't making money off maintenance on EVs.
 
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