I feel like that’s the future 10-20 years down the road.
Does a Volvo count?
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That will be the future if we don’t quit being unwise with EV mandates. (Namely pushing them too hard too fast without first developing more of the infrastructure or developing ethically sourced minerals and materials for them.)
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sure, why not? I have owned US, german, and korean cars. are they at a good price, safe, and pretty reliable?
I’d like to think we will get here. But when have we done a good job with this?
We certainly don’t have a great track record with ethically sourcing oil. Maybe as long as we aren’t assassinating heads of state it is a win.
I don’t know. The quality of Matchbox Cars went downhill in the 1980’s when production moved to Asia.
I’m not sure what you mean with the connection to EV here. China will make cheaper better EVs and will eat us? We’ll completely forget how to make gas-powered cars and China will eat us when we completely drop EV mandates and China will be the only one who can fill the void?
I mean, a few states have already decided that banning gas-powered car new sales is a good idea even though we’re nowhere near ready from an infrastructure and a range reliability standpoint, so EVs are basically the only cars that will be allowed to be sold even though people also just plain don’t want them, so in the unrealistic short term China benefits from us not being ready for the so-called “EV Revolution” and from us not creating and maintaining our own EV supply chain. (tl;dr: China wins long-term if we don’t start making shit again.)
That said, I would happily drive an EV if someone paid for upgrading the electric at our house and then paid off my car so I can buy one, just to own the MAGAz in my town.
Those xiaomi evs have been in the news
The only problem with the new ICE car bans is they don’t come soon enough. We should be phasing them out by the 2028 or so model year, not 2035.
I respectfully disagree. There’s no way we’ll be ready to go all in on EVs that quickly (assuming all in is what’s supposed to happen). As it is, EVs are currently basically just playthings for the rich. When common folk can afford them in a variety of sizes, we’ll talk.
Not really. Look at what many Americans are buying now: small SUV type things. The Honda CR-V starts at $30k. The Model Y starts at about $36k after the tax credit. And for that the Model Y is a little bit nicer since Tesla doesn’t do options. You get heated seats and dual zone climate which Honda doesn’t put in the base model CR-V.
But once you’re off the lot, let’s say 15k miles per year, 30mpg, $3 gas. So $125/month for fuel, vs about $50/month to charge the Tesla. Unless you live in San Diego or somewhere with very high electric rates. Or if you road trip all the time and can’t charge at home.
So the Honda is $6k cheaper upfront but then $75/mo more monthly, we aren’t miles apart here. Now you may want/need a 220v charger, add a grand for that. The Tesla would wear tires more, but no oil changes.
So roughly speaking, it would cost about $50-$75/mo more to own a base Model Y than a base CR-V. Maybe I’m a little off, whatever. I wouldn’t call something that costs $100/mo more than a CR-V something reserved for rich people.
Hm. Interesting. I do like the less maintenance aspect.
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Two years ago the Tesla would have been over $50k with no tax credit. So it’s easy to think EVs are expensive if you haven’t paid attention lately, prices have shifted quickly.
Right now our biggest barrier is that our house is awkwardly laid out and has only one-car garage, and the wiring is old. So I’d make a mushroom cloud if I plugged in an EV. (I know that’s not how that works. But I’m not sure that full electric will ever be able to happen in the current house.)
You’d want an electrician to take a look. I know folks who just use a 110v charger, which adds about 40 miles of range overnight. I have a 220v charger and wouldn’t want the anxiety of slower charging.
Best case they could run new wire from the panel to the garage for a few hundred bucks. Or you can buy a fancy switch if you have a 220v clothes dryer, it basically allows either the dryer to work, or the charger, but not both at the same time.
Worst case you need a new panel and then you’re talking $3k or more likely. In my case I already needed new service for my garage so it was like $500 to bump it up to a 100A run and install a 220v 40A breaker plus 12’ of wire.
Was thinking about converting our 220 dryer outlet in our garage into an EV charger (the type we have is not grounded and while a lot of people say they use it as-is without issue, it’s not a risk I’m taking) for our PHEV since my range is only around 40 miles when fully charged, but there are so few times I only have 3 hours to charge before needing to go somewhere else, it wouldn’t have been worth it.
That being said, I forgot to charge my car last night, and only have an hour before I have to leave for the office. My car is currently at 45% charged, and it’s cold outside so that likely won’t get me through my travel needs today. Oh well, I’ve only used a quarter tank of gas in the last two months, I’ll be fine.
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Totally fine. And don’t forget gas goes bad, you want to use a tank of gas at least every six or so months.
Yes, my car will force me to use gas after six months for that reason. I’m probably not going to fill up next time, I might just get a quarter tank.
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