When do you think you will buy a 100% pure electric vehicle?

When will you buy a 100% pure electric vehicle?

  • Already Own One

    Votes: 57 7.0%
  • In the next year

    Votes: 8 1.0%
  • Between 1-5 years

    Votes: 144 17.6%
  • 6-10 years

    Votes: 184 22.4%
  • 10+ years or never

    Votes: 427 52.1%

  • Total voters
    820

Cyclonsin

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Dec 4, 2020
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yeah, gas around here is anywhere between $3.00-$3.35 on any given day, from what ive seen. I know in the long run, its probably better.

i know absolutely nothing about EV. I live on about 3 miles worth of gravel and in Iowa so will have snowy/muddy/washed out gravel roads to deal with. However, I use my truck on those days.
Just my two cents:

I don't have an EV and won't be getting one anytime soon. But that's because I live in an apartment without a reliable charging source and only have 1 vehicle.

But if I were in your shoes, with 2 larger reliable ICE vehicles and (presumably) a place to plug an EV in at night, I'd be looking HEAVILY into getting a fully electric vehicle.
 

HFCS

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Aug 13, 2010
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yeah, gas around here is anywhere between $3.00-$3.35 on any given day, from what ive seen. I know in the long run, its probably better.

i know absolutely nothing about EV. I live on about 3 miles worth of gravel and in Iowa so will have snowy/muddy/washed out gravel roads to deal with. However, I use my truck on those days.

Yeah that makes it harder to pull the trigger on pure dollars and cents. If you charge at home you’d likely still save a little with the tax credit but it’s not some guaranteed significant savings like if you had 4.00 or higher typical gas.

I think people who live slightly isolated will eventually love having their own fuel station more than anyone. The awd options that can handle light off-road conditions are only now becoming decent but at least they exist unlike 4-5 years ago.
 

HFCS

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Aug 13, 2010
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Just my two cents:

I don't have an EV and won't be getting one anytime soon. But that's because I live in an apartment without a reliable charging source and only have 1 vehicle.

But if I were in your shoes, with 2 larger reliable ICE vehicles and (presumably) a place to plug an EV in at night, I'd be looking HEAVILY into getting a fully electric vehicle.

I’ve lived in really urban areas in Chicago and LA so I think about your situation a lot. In both cities I had apartments with only street parking, but also a condo/townhouse w my own spot/outlet.

I’m thinking you could get an EV in your situation if you can see if there are low cost (or free) level 2 chargers near somewhere you constantly go anyway like grocery, target, gym or especially work. Then also if you have a dc fast charger within 5 miles for maybe a once or twice a month quicker charge. You’d kind of need both of those to have anywhere near comparable convenience, but it could be possible. You wouldn’t save as much on fuel as home charging but almost certainly still somewhat less than gas.

I do think “I only have street parking” is probably the most common actual reason to answer “never” in the original poll although even then for people under 50 I’m guessing most get one at some point. There are other reasons but those are like 2% of population reasons where street parking is large % of urban people.
 

Cyclonsin

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Dec 4, 2020
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I’ve lived in really urban areas in Chicago and LA so I think about your situation a lot. In both cities I had apartments with only street parking, but also a condo/townhouse w my own spot/outlet.

I’m thinking you could get an EV in your situation if you can see if there are low cost (or free) level 2 chargers near somewhere you constantly go anyway like grocery, target, gym or especially work. Then also if you have a dc fast charger within 5 miles for maybe a once or twice a month quicker charge. You’d kind of need both of those to have anywhere near comparable convenience, but it could be possible. You wouldn’t save as much on fuel as home charging but almost certainly still somewhat less than gas.

I do think “I only have street parking” is probably the most common actual reason to answer “never” in the original poll although even then for people under 50 I’m guessing most get one at some point. There are other reasons but those are like 2% of population reasons where street parking is large % of urban people.
My complex has a parking lot, but there's only 2 charging spots for a complex with several hundred units. So far from something you can rely on when they're not often available.

Gas is also cheap down here and I go on significant road trips monthly(ish), so I'm not in a rush to go electric for my only vehicle.
 
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HFCS

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Aug 13, 2010
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I cant believe I'm in the low end. I'm saving a pretty significant amount, maybe my local electric rates are low compared to CA statewide, gasoline is a huge financial bill locally. I'm definitely saving more than 2k over 5 years. Even on my previous tiny range PHEV I saved $2-3k on a 3 year lease over otherwise identical ice version. My purchase price was 4k higher and I probably saved 6-7k on fuel over 3 years with 70% of miles electric.

I didn't account for registration increases but that's only $200/year. Insurance increase seems impossible to nail down, varies a lot. Ditto for service but toward the end of that 5 years the ice service would have to increase a lot I'd imagine, probably more than any increased tire cost on ev.
 

lionnusmb

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2008
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Ankeny, IA
Kind of surprised it's not more.
I would like to see a breakdown by vehicle. Tesla makes up a large portion of electric vehicles. I would imagine because they do not have a large subset of vendors and aftermarket parts developers that this would make a Tesla more expensive to cover. Hence the overall cost differential for insurance coverage.
 

dmclone

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Oct 20, 2006
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I would like to see a breakdown by vehicle. Tesla makes up a large portion of electric vehicles. I would imagine because they do not have a large subset of vendors and aftermarket parts developers that this would make a Tesla more expensive to cover. Hence the overall cost differential for insurance coverage.

"The average non-Tesla EV repair costs $4,474 — $269 more than a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, according to Mitchell, a company that provides software for insurers and repair shops. But the average Tesla repair jumps more than $1,000 to $5,552."

Also

"Teslas, like other luxury cars, have a higher market value — and that directly influences car insurance rates. Insurers assess the cost of replacing or repairing your vehicle if it gets in an accident — and with Tesla’s higher sticker price, the insurance premiums naturally rise to cover these potential costs."

Also

Electric cars have heavier batteries and quicker acceleration than regular cars, which can lead to more severe damage in collisions. It comes down to Einstein’s often-quoted theory of relativity: E = mc2 (energy equals mass times acceleration).


For example, the 2024 Tesla Model X Plaid weighs 5,248 lbs. and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in a staggering 2.5 seconds. That’s a lot of energy, especially compared to the average SUV. That potential energy increases risk and, consequently, insurance costs.


What we don't know is how recent sales will impact this overall cost. Tesla makes twice as many cars as they did 4 years ago and the models they are selling in bulk have a lot lower sticker price.

Model Y sales have went from 440k/year to 1.7m/year in 3 years and the average price is closer to 50k.

Before 2020, Tesla Model S made up a large percentage of sales and sticker prices were closer to $100k.
 
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Zubaile

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Jul 8, 2024
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I'm aiming for within the next year. The shift to electric vehicles seems like the way forward for efficiency and environmental reasons.
 
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VeloClone

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Jan 19, 2010
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Electric cars have heavier batteries and quicker acceleration than regular cars, which can lead to more severe damage in collisions. It comes down to Einstein’s often-quoted theory of relativity: E = mc2 (energy equals mass times acceleration).

I'm no nuclear physicist, but I'm pretty sure that's not what E=mc^2 means. I'm pretty sure there are no nuclear reactions occuring (matter turning into energy) while a Tesla accelerates, regardless of what Elon might be telling you.
 

mramseyISU

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Nov 8, 2006
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Waterloo, IA
I'm no nuclear physicist, but I'm pretty sure that's not what E=mc^2 means. I'm pretty sure there are no nuclear reactions occuring (matter turning into energy) while a Tesla accelerates, regardless of what Elon might be telling you.
I think the equation they were looking for is F=ma not the theory of general relativity.
 

Gunnerclone

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Jul 16, 2010
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Point is you pay a premium for electric that would eat into fuel savings, an iX is $20k more than an x5 for instance. Maybe less with rivian since they’re losing tons of money.


Tangent to my point, people spending $100k on a vehicle and then being like “I save so much on gas!” Just seems funny.

You sound like my wife so I’ll tell you what I always have to tell her: Rich people didn’t get rich by spending all of their money.
 
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CascadeClone

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Oct 24, 2009
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I think the equation they were looking for is F=ma not the theory of general relativity.
1/2 * m * v^2 is what everyone is looking for. That's the kinetic energy of a moving object.

Thanks Physics 221!

The reason the insurance is more expensive is:
a) the car is expensive
b) cars with high acceleration can be (and often are) driven more aggressively, and aggressive driving causes accidents - note that Corvettes and the like are in the same boat

It ain't because the batteries are heavy, ffs.
 
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mramseyISU

Well-Known Member
Nov 8, 2006
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Waterloo, IA
1/2 * m * v^2 is what everyone is looking for. That's the kinetic energy of a moving object.

Thanks Physics 221!

The reason the insurance is more expensive is:
a) the car is expensive
b) cars with high acceleration can be (and often are) driven more aggressively, and aggressive driving causes accidents - note that Corvettes and the like are in the same boat

It ain't because the batteries are heavy, ffs.
Cut me a little slack that was almost 25 years ago.