I'm leaning towards a Bolt. She's only talking about a Tesla but isn't Toyota coming it's a EV? Who else should we go drive?
I'm leaning towards a Bolt. She's only talking about a Tesla but isn't Toyota coming it's a EV? Who else should we go drive?
Jaguar I-Pace. Duh.
There are many EVs that currently only exist as press releases. If you want to limit your options to those in showrooms, I think that's Tesla, GM, Nissan, Jaaaaaag, VW, Ford and (in some markets) Hyundai. Audi maybe, I'm not 100% sure.
I'd drive them all. More exposure can only help you make your decision.
Let's see, I've driven a few as week-long loans and thanks to friends...
Bolt has awful seats and slow "fast charging" that makes it pretty lousy unless you're only going to drive it locally:
My counterpart Tyler drove the Jag I-Pace and loved how it handled in particular. There is an updated model coming out for 2022, I believe, but the outgoing model is also pretty good:
I just gave back a Ford Mustang Mach-E this morning and while there's no review of it live yet (give it a week or so) I loved it. Took it through some mountain roads and hustled it far faster than a 4,700 lb crossover ought to be hustled. It was great. 159 kW fast charging (more kW means faster charge speed - Bolt can only do 55 kW in optimal conditions).
Have also driven a RAV4 Prime which was quick in hybrid mode and otherwise fairly typical-Toyota. Competent, boring, generally well-executed. They will be hard to get given supply constraints and the fact that Toyota was only going to bring 5,000 of them here for 2021 in the first place:
I am not a fan of Tesla given they use their customers as beta testers, and have convinced a lot of people to pay for full-autonomous driving (marketing it as such) when the cars cannot factually drive themselves. The cars are fine, pretty good to drive and the Supercharger network is a nice perk. Build and paint quality is so-so depending on the car you get.
Toyota doesn't have any full-EVs coming yet, the RAV4 Prime and Prius Prime are the closest things they offer now, and both are plug-in hybrids that can go 40ish miles on battery alone before becoming a hybrid.
Hyundai has the Ioniq and Kona EVs, I know a few people who love their Ioniqs and the new model has longer range.
Feel free to ask me about any of these, I am not the biggest fanboi of EVs but I would buy a Mach-E today if I didn't have to tow. It's good and it's fun.
I was VERY surprised to like the Mach-E as much as I did as well... and it was a base version. I bet the GT will be darn good!
Saron81 said:I was VERY surprised to like the Mach-E as much as I did as well... and it was a base version. I bet the GT will be darn good!
I just SO MUCH wish they hadn't stuffed a CUV into a Mustang suit like Fat Elvis trying to fit into his old leather jacket.
I'd be looking at VW ID4, Ford Mach E, Chevy Bolt, and the Hyundai Kona EV/Kia Niro EVs (may not be currently available due to a battery recall). All but the Bolt will be eligible for the full $7500 tax credit. They're all 5 door hatchbacks with plenty of range for most people and upright seating positions that might be easier for people of a certain age. I guess you could include the Audi ETron here as well, but I'm not sure how many are really out there.
If you don't need as much range, or are ok with a lower, more traditional car type seating position, then Mini has an EV, Hyundai has their Ioniq EV, Nissan has their Leaf too.
If you can wait a year, there are a few compelling choices from Hyundai/Kia, the F150 EV, Audi, etc expected to become available.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
I would think the Porsche Taycan is worthy of consideration here.
Before looking at specific models and makes, I'd look at the expected usage. Once you figured that out - especially if you expect to venture further from home than you can go on a charge, figure out the charging infrastructure.
Tesla Superchargers are a big plus when it comes to longer distance driving. The other big network (Electrify America) doesn't quite have the same density outside the bigger cities, and I sometimes get the impression that if you live/travel in a place like WV, you better bring your own power plant.
Once you figured out what the usage is and how and where you can charge the car, then you can pick a car.
Short circuit decision - your wife wants a Tesla, ergo you want to buy her a Tesla.
Right, forgot the Porsche in my list. It's actually a longer list of manufacturers than I expected it to be.
Re: Tesla. You have to separate the actual vehicle from the sheer amount of noise that surrounds them. The whole self-driving kerfuffle is a separate thing from the vehicle. You don't have to pay for it, you don't have to use it, you don't even have to read Elon Musk's tweets. But it does flavor some people's perceptions of the cars pretty strongly. And because Tesla is such a lightning rod for press stories, every single time one has a flat tire it gets news coverage. Makes it really difficult to get a solid opinion. So I would strongly recommend visiting a Tesla showroom and making up your own mind based on the car itself.
BoxheadTim said:Before looking at specific models and makes, I'd look at the expected usage. Once you figured that out - especially if you expect to venture further from home than you can go on a charge, figure out the charging infrastructure.
Tesla Superchargers are a big plus when it comes to longer distance driving. The other big network (Electrify America) doesn't quite have the same density outside the bigger cities, and I sometimes get the impression that if you live/travel in a place like WV, you better bring your own power plant.
Once you figured out what the usage is and how and where you can charge the car, then you can pick a car.
Short circuit decision - your wife wants a Tesla, ergo you want to buy her a Tesla.
One of the things people often forget - you mentioned it, but it bears repeating - is that the charging network only matters when you're 100 miles or more from home. Basically, half of your available range. The majority of the time you will be charging at home and charging becomes invisible.
Teslas can use some types of EA chargers but not all and you may need a $450 adapter. Nothing but Teslas can use Superchargers. This is not an ideal situation for anyone, but Tesla does have the most mature network at the moment.
Duke said:Saron81 said:I was VERY surprised to like the Mach-E as much as I did as well... and it was a base version. I bet the GT will be darn good!
I just SO MUCH wish they hadn't stuffed a CUV into a Mustang suit like Fat Elvis trying to fit into his old leather jacket.
But then they can sell the sweaty neckerchiefs used in the show... ;)
Previous Hyundai EV's were only available in a few states primarily in the NE and on the west coast. Not sure if that is still the case.
BoxheadTim said:Short circuit decision - your wife wants a Tesla, ergo you want to buy her a Tesla.
I think this is the right answer. I recall an article in some car magazine that pitted the Tesla Model S against the Porsche Taycan Turbo. While the slight edge went to the Porsche, two facts were prominent:
1) The Tesla Model S went on sale in 2012, and it has taken nearly 10 years for another automaker to catch up.
2) The Tesla is half the cost of the Porsche.
Edit: I'm probably 20 years from considering an EV in any auto buying decision, but if I completely lost my mind and was shopping today, I'd be shopping for a Tesla.
I hated the Mach-E in photos, but I saw one on the street and both my wife and I were turning our heads watching it. In that metallic ruby red color, it's gorgeous. I'm also a big fan of Teslas - as Keith said, they have the most mature network, which is a serious factor to consider. I've also driven several and I was very impressed. The downside is they can be fairly expensive - I don't know your budget, but my wife also wants a Tesla in the future. We'll be looking at a used one.
Above everything else, I would recommend going to showrooms and test driving them. It's a very easy process at Tesla, and they pretty much just throw you the keys to the Model S Performance, and it's one hell of a car to drive. Try them all!
For me, Tesla is the only one I would consider. And I am considering one. It's all they do. It's not an electric version of a gas version they already make.
I find Tesla interiors to be bland as can be, and the 3 suffers from cramped entry, so if I were going to get one it'd be the tall version of the 3, e.g. the Y. That said, if my neighbor's rants about his Bolt hold water, I'd be happy to have one of them in the driveway.
My friend’s wife just got a Model 3, and to my surprise it came with an adapter so it can be plugged into a standard US outlet with a normal extension cord. I had no idea. Maybe all EVs have that, dunno.
Seems like you could just bring that with you and plug into a hotel if you were in a pinch.
I kinda like the Model Ys I see driving, seems like a good size for a city car.
The mobile charger that comes with a Tesla can't provide a whole lot of charging on a standard 15A 110V outlet. That's a limitation of the amount of power available. You can get different plugs for it that allow it to make use of higher amperage circuits, but you have to make sure one of those circuits is available to you which is unlikely at your average hotel. Probably better to look for a hotel with chargers - they're more common than you think.
I believe it's fairly typical for an EV to come with a charger of some sort, but definitely look to see what the maximum output is. See NGTV's experience with his 110V Volt charger versus his new 220V unit. The Tesla unit, when given a big enough pipe to feed off, is a decent Level 2 charger that's perfect for garage use. You just have to buy the right $35 plug for it and have access to a circuit that will support it.
Keith Tanner said:Right, forgot the Porsche in my list. It's actually a longer list of manufacturers than I expected it to be.
Re: Tesla. You have to separate the actual vehicle from the sheer amount of noise that surrounds them. The whole self-driving kerfuffle is a separate thing from the vehicle. You don't have to pay for it, you don't have to use it, you don't even have to read Elon Musk's tweets. But it does flavor some people's perceptions of the cars pretty strongly. And because Tesla is such a lightning rod for press stories, every single time one has a flat tire it gets news coverage. Makes it really difficult to get a solid opinion. So I would strongly recommend visiting a Tesla showroom and making up your own mind based on the car itself.
I e already dismissed the noise. The vast majority of noise creators don't own a Teasla.
You have a great deal of credibility not only because you own one but also the factual way you report stuff about your Tesla and other experiance s.
Plus I like the way they sell them. Here's what you pay and there is no haggling.
I quickly found this web site all prices Canadian and PHEV, BEV mixed together https://electricvehicles.bchydro.com/buying/EV-models-in-BC
Edit: Ranges are in kilometres km x 5/8 = miles
We are overlooking something important: Zero. Does Mrs. Frenchyd like wheelies?
In reply to Appleseed :
And I used to live over her left shoulder.
I don't find the Bolt's seats to be all that bad and I've spent upwards of 6 hours at a stretch in them. I got the LT with the cloth and I like them better than the Premier's leather (a little softer and grippier). THe '20's also got the bitter battery for upwards of 300 miles of real world range in the summer and 180-220 in the winter depending on how you use the pre-heat function and the heated seats and steering wheel instead of cabin heat (if you preheat it you can have it 70 degrees inside wihto0ut running the heater while driving it). As for slow charging on road trips, it's not as much of an issue as you might think. Most people don't drive over 200 miles from their homes regularly so the need to charge away from home is limited. But it can easily be done and I know a lot of Bolt owners who have (including crossing Canada).
When my wife drove from here in Baltimore up to eastern CT to visit our grandkids in February (cold weather range) she stopped in NJ (3 hours away) for a half hour to charge, use the restroom, eat lunch and answer a few work emails. She only needed to charge to 80% to get the rest of the way so it wasn't a bad stop. It turned a normally 6 hour trip into a 6 1/2 hour trip. BFD. And she did that trip twice in 2 weeks due to needing to be back here after the first week for an appointment, then going back up for another week. So no, it's not hard to road trip a Bolt even with it's "slow" fast charging. Her it in in NJ at the Electrify America charger off exit 9 of the NJTP:
I love the Bolt as it's a bargain at the current price of $25k (which is also what we paid for ours back in Feb 2020). Quick, decent handling (would be better with real tires on it, rather than the hard LRR tires it comes with) and lot's of space inside for it's size (basically it's an EV version of a GTI and a touch smaller than a MINI Countryman). Don't pay MSRP (no one should since GM has been discounting them by over $8500 since Feb of 2020 and giving dealers an additional $4k off, that MOST pass on to the customer. And if you're a Costco member, you can get an ADDITIONAL $3k off that! Making a new on cost as little as $19k in many places!)
That's a Bolt? What happened to the Volt? The Volt was a somewhat attractive car. The Bolt is apparently a queer-looking little jelly bean. No offense.
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