Snowbird - please help me decide

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MtnWindows

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I would love to have an EV and never buy gasoline again; however, my wife has range anxiety and would prefer a PHEV. Every winter we drive about 1000 miles each way between Pennsylvania and Florida. I figure we could probably get by with 1 charging stop per day if we spread the trip over 3 days and stayed at motels with charging stations. From my reading the Tesla 3 Standard Plus would have better charging station availability and the quickest charging, but maybe not get the advertised 263 mile range. We like hatchbacks better, so I'm also considering a Kona or Bolt, but am I correct that they would need longer charging stops on 300-400 mile trips?

If we go with a PHEV, then I'm thinking about a RAV4 Prime or Honda Clarity. I want at least 40 miles of range for local shopping trips.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
 
We find both of these cars easily handle +700 mi/day:
  • 2014 BMW i3-REx - drive it like a motorcycle with a fuel stop every 1:15 along the Interstate
  • 2017 Tesla Std Rng Plus - full charge in the morning to drive +3 hours. Thereafter, take a charging break every 2 hours for about 20-30 minutes.
Bob Wilson
 
Can only speak to experience with the Clarity. Really easy on road trips when you can’t stop and charge. Then we get a hotel with a charging station to fill up overnight and keep going the next day.
 
How far do you drive each day when you get to either Florida or Pennsylvania? Do you need a vehicle that sits higher to get into the vehicle easily due to hip replacement or back issues? The Chevy Bolt is not known for their great seats.

If 80% of your daily driving is under the electric range of a PHEV, then a PHEV with an electric heater makes a lot of sense. Although I think any EV with 200 miles of range or more could work out will for you, you are bit early, since the new VW, Nissan, and maybe the Hyundai cars are coming out this fall.

Toyota has done hybrid vehicles for a while. If you can find a RAV4 prime to buy, I would consider it due to any local dealer being able to service it.

Note that Ford is coming out with a PHEV too. So you might want to look into this Ford product. https://www.ford.com/suvs-crossovers/escape/models/escape-se-plug-in-hybrid/

I like Tesla for their technology. That technology may be able to keep you driving longer if your age is getting up there. However, Tesla's are performance vehicles and as such may have a harsher ride then you may find comfortable. Due to you being a snowbird, I would choose a Model Y or a Model 3 since it sits higher.

If you are thinking a Tesla, then I would rent both the Model 3 and Model Y on Turo for the day. https://turo.com/
 
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I have found my 2018 Clarity PHEV to be a great road car. I have driven it twice from Florida to Ohio (890 miles each way) and back. We do this without stopping to spend the night anywhere. The drive takes about 14 hours. Normally, when driving together, we take my wife's 2017 Honda CR-V. However, on our last trip (pre-pandemic) we took my Clarity because the 12v battery in the CR-V failed the morning of our trip. The Clarity is smooth, comfortable, and quiet. The only drawback on a long trip is the tiny 7 gallon gasoline tank. At 43 mpg (our observed trip mpg) the car can only do about 260 miles before the low fuel warning comes on.

I go for weeks without buying gasoline. At this time, I've driven over 1,300 miles locally without refilling the gasoline tank.
 
I drive a Hyundai Electric Kona with 258 miles of real world driving range. I don't hesitate to take it on road trips. It takes a little planing but other than that I have had no issues while traveling. Longest road trip to date 2800 miles. I am planing a 3400 mile trip next month. With 260 miles of range I have no range anxiety. The only limits are travel in to remote unpopulated area but if your going to those places its usually to get away and relax so slow charging is acceptably in those situations. There are some helpfull things to know about EV range that help alleviate range anxiety. If you slow down the range increases significantly. My Kona driven at 20 miles per hour has a range close to 600 miles. The record is 618 miles at 18 miles an hour. I have used this when I think I am going to be low on battery power. If I drop form 70 mph to 55 mph I get n extra 50 miles of range. That will usually get me any where I need to go.
 
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. We decided on a 3-year lease on a Prius Prime. If it was just me, I might have gone for a really good deal on a Chevy Bolt, but my wife would never be happy with the long recharging times. The Kona and Tesla 3 are not available in our area, so I ruled them out. Even though the Clarity was better for EV range, I decided on the Prius because it's a hatchback and has significantly higher MPG when running on gasoline. I'm thinking in 3 years the batteries and fast charging will be better, and we can go all electric then.
 
MtnWindows said:
The Kona and Tesla 3 are not available in our area, so I ruled them out.
Click to expand...

I know Hyundai limits Kona sales to certain states but I never heard that about Tesla.

By the way nice choice on the Prius, very nice car. And you’re right, the market will be vastly different in three years. It’s already different from when I purchased my Kona last year.
 
Honda Clarity, SW Florida to upstate NY we used 30 gallons and about the same return trip. Great road trip vehicle.
MtnWindows said:
I would love to have an EV and never buy gasoline again; however, my wife has range anxiety and would prefer a PHEV. Every winter we drive about 1000 miles each way between Pennsylvania and Florida. I figure we could probably get by with 1 charging stop per day if we spread the trip over 3 days and stayed at motels with charging stations. From my reading the Tesla 3 Standard Plus would have better charging station availability and the quickest charging, but maybe not get the advertised 263 mile range. We like hatchbacks better, so I'm also considering a Kona or Bolt, but am I correct that they would need longer charging stops on 300-400 mile trips?

If we go with a PHEV, then I'm thinking about a RAV4 Prime or Honda Clarity. I want at least 40 miles of range for local shopping trips.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...

Sent from my SM-N986U using Inside EVs mobile app
 
I think the Clarity and the Rav4 Prime are great choices for your needs. The Clarity is a bit more economical and you'll probably find to be more comfortable. As others have mentioned the 7 gallon fuel tank can be a bit limiting, however you can actually buy one right now which can't really be said for the Rav4 prime.
 
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