WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Starting to think about an electric vehicle.....

I've often wondered how much more monthly electricity people use at home to keep their cars charged & how that compares to gasoline expense.

It's just like an ICE car; it depends on how often you're driving it. I figure I pay $80 a month extra for my Tesla when I drive it quite a bit. It all depends on your driving habits and your electric plan.

The more gas goes up, the more it makes sense for an electric commuter car. And now that used Tesla's are so cheap it makes total sense to me.
 
I've often wondered how much more monthly electricity people use at home to keep their cars charged & how that compares to gasoline expense.
Did this comparison a couple of years ago on my 2018 Volt. Monthly average of $92 charging at home and $126 for gas @ $4.19gl
Your results may vary...
 
So I did some math.. With my "Time of Use" plan, I pay .26 kWh for charging my long-range dual-motor with the 82 kWh battery. So, .26 times 82 is $21.32

So, $21.32 to fully charge from dead a new Tesla Model 3 or Y with my plan in CA.. And the realistic range would be anywhere from 250 to 280 miles on a good day. So driving my car 1000 miles a month would cost around $85, which is the equivalent of about 14 gallons of gas at $6 a gallon. lol

Last time I looked (years ago) at AZ's cost for electricity, it was pretty dang cheap in comparison to CA. And Arizona has high gas prices. Might be even more worth it for AZ residents.


$80-$85 rough estimate a month in electricity and almost no maintenance. Cheaper than my cell phone bill.. lol
 
My wife just traded in her car for a BMW i4 and absolutely loves it. Also drove the iX suv and liked it too. The BMW has much better fit and finish and rides better than the teslas but the tech is not as good.
 
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With our next wife car purchase, we are going with a plug in Hybrid, either Honda, Ord or Toyota. These brands due to the dealerships location close to our house. Also want plug in hybrid vs all Electric due to longer drives at times. I don't want to take my Raptor to AZ or Vegas if we drive. Stopping for 20 minutes to super charge really takes away the advantage of having a electric car. Some fast-charging stations are getting more expensive.

To answer your real question, I have driven most throughout the years, the most impressive was the Rivian.
 
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So I did some math.. With my "Time of Use" plan, I pay .26 kWh for charging my long-range dual-motor with the 82 kWh battery. So, .26 times 82 is $21.32

So, $21.32 to fully charge from dead a new Tesla Model 3 or Y with my plan in CA.. And the realistic range would be anywhere from 250 to 280 miles on a good day. So driving my car 1000 miles a month would cost around $85, which is the equivalent of about 14 gallons of gas at $6 a gallon. lol

Last time I looked (years ago) at AZ's cost for electricity, it was pretty dang cheap in comparison to CA. And Arizona has high gas prices. Might be even more worth it for AZ residents.


$80-$85 rough estimate a month in electricity and almost no maintenance. Cheaper than my cell phone bill.. lol
And this is a huge summary of why I'm looking at this option......
Something nice to drive, cheap to run, reliable, and fuel at home.
 
I had been leaning on my wife for a EV for awhile(especially since we have a oversized solar system)she didn’t like the idea of dealing with charging stations while traveling for our son’s Lacrosse games..we settled on a 2023 Lexus NX450h+ plug in hybrid..it’s gets 50 miles of pure electric or you can leave it in hybrid mode and it will offset elec with the gas motor(ICE). I’d say 80-85% of the miles has been with the pure electric. Every time I do an oil change it drains out looking exactly like the way I poured it in. It’s been a great vehicle and rarely uses fuel.
 
My Son in Law traded in his Diesel Ram for a SilvErado a month ago. He bought the base model with the longest range he said it was 500+ miles. He said it was the best decision he ever made. He is driving it from Sacramento to BHC in two weeks for a boating weekend. We will see if he still likes it then. He is a GC and uses it as a work truck.
 
One of my customers has a Rivian pickup. The tailgate sticks out further than the bumper and it has been dented multiple times. It rides OK, but isn't too impressive. The funny headlights are odd too. He will get something else next time.

Neighbors have a Tesla and a Lexus Hybrid SUV They love both. How about HUMMER EV?
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100 mile review:

ITS AWESOME!

Super Cruise is the shit, hands down.
Rides smooth as butter (full air ride), floor it and feels like it's going to do a wheelie.
570 HP, 7400 TQ, 319 mile range. (the 3 motor version is even more ridiculous)
0-60 in 4.5 sec
Put in park and it automatically drops down for easy in/out, can raise/lower ride height while driving with one button.
One pedal driving is bad ass, you never have to touch the brakes and it uses the regenerated power to charge the battery at every stop sign/red light/downhill stretch.
4-wheel steering, crab walk into a parallel space, super good off-road capability, etc...

Super Cruise is a game changer. If you haven't been in an EV or a vehicle with self-driving or SC, I highly recommend you go try it out.

This review made possible by the good people at Dutton GMC. @DuttonDave
 
My wife has had a Volkswagen ID 4 for almost 4 years and it has been trouble-free.

The travel assist cruise control is worth the price of admission alone on the VW.

My turn. 2024 Polestar 2 dual motor 400+ H.P. and 500+ Torque. It's a Chinese EV from Volvo's new parent company. Tons of these are coming off lease right now and they are going for about 1/3 of their original window sticker price.

Or roughly $10,000 cheaper than a used model 3 Tesla. Parts and service are the gamble here but for this price point I'll risk it.

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My wife has had a Volkswagen ID 4 for almost 4 years and it has been trouble-free.

The travel assist cruise control is worth the price of admission alone on the VW.

My turn. 2024 Polestar 2 dual motor 400+ H.P. and 500+ Torque. It's a Chinese EV from Volvo's new parent company. Tons of these are coming off lease right now and they are going for about 1/3 of their original window sticker price.

Or roughly $10,000 cheaper than a used model 3 Tesla. Parts and service are the gamble here but for this price point I'll risk it.

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That explains why I thought Volvo was making EVs. I though Polestar was just their EV “brand” in case there were issues it wouldn't tarnish the Volvo name. Guess it's the Chinese like you said.
 
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We're having 11KW more solar Powerwall installed next week in anticipation of future EVs in the family.
No reason to go ICE with all this free sunlight.
 
That explains why I thought Volvo was making EVs. I though Polestar was just their EV “brand” in case there were issues it wouldn't tarnish the Volvo name. Guess it's the Chinese like you said.
Chinese EV cars & trucks now in Canada and Mexico,, just a matter of time when they arrive here.
That'll be it for the UAW in one way or the other.

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Mega Chargers are starting to appear, it'll be as fast or faster charging than fueling a vehicle.

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We're heading out Monday with the EV truck and travel trailer.
It's fun, it's a blast. Insane towing power.
 
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EV boating thread:
Brilliant....apparently water AND electricity doooo mix well.......until they don't.......think his insurance will cover the damage? Maybe he's planning to recoup his $$$ in a lawsuit against Tesla?
 
I’ve been considering buying a used EV for a new upcoming commute to Newport Beach starting early next year. The way diesel prices are I think it would pay for itself. Still have never driven one but considering the Hyundai ionic 5 due to reviews and fast charging.
 
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I’ve been considering buying a used EV for a new upcoming commute to Newport Beach starting early next year. The way diesel prices are I think it would pay for itself. Still have never driven one but considering the Hyundai ionic 5 due to reviews and fast charging.
I know a few people with the Ionic 5 and they love it.
 
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I’ve been considering buying a used EV for a new upcoming commute to Newport Beach starting early next year. The way diesel prices are I think it would pay for itself. Still have never driven one but considering the Hyundai ionic 5 due to reviews and fast charging.
Tesla offers a one year warranty on their used approved.
Nice thing about new is the warranty and when it expires it can be extended indefinitely for $100 a month, a BFD
. This last we checked. Things change.

When the wifes Mazda 6 pukes we’ll order a Model Y premium if she wants one.
They are just about sold out for 2027.

Tesla is now plug n charge at Ionna chargers.
Cheap and powerful.
 
See my post earlier about the Cadillac LYRIQ that I own it’s been a great vehicle. It’s insanely comfortable and very roomy inside when the back seats are folded down unlike most of crossovers it has 6 feet of space.
Mine is a more expensive V model with carbon fiber, but you can get these for under 60,000
I think they currently have .9% financing.
They have three EV below 80k. All are really nice cars, you have to sit on them and drive them
 
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A friend who is not an electric car guy owns the only Tesla certified body shop in Santa Clarita and likes the way they are designed and put together compared to other brands of cars he works on. He recently became Rivian certified and says the early versions were overly complex but the new versions are heading in the right direction. I’m told that Tesla replacement parts are surprisingly inexpensive and readily available.
 
A friend who is not an electric car guy owns the only Tesla certified body shop in Santa Clarita and likes the way they are designed and put together compared to other brands of cars he works on. He recently became Rivian certified and says the early versions were overly complex but the new versions are heading in the right direction. I’m told that Tesla replacement parts are surprisingly inexpensive and readily available.
I live in Santa Clarita and thinking about getting a Tesla Y. What’s the name of your friends shop? PM me if you’d like.
 
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My concern on the chinese ones coming soon is support in 5 years and such. Tesla is basically the only really established dedicated EV producer in this boat. if you buy from GM, Ford or another you get this but the tech is nowhere near where it is with the more dedicated electrics.

Still figuring it out..... Just rolled 170 on the 17 explorer. For me the end is near, that said, I need to wrap up this remodel before dealing with a car payment. That and I most likely will buy used.
 
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Tesla offers a one year warranty on their used approved.
Nice thing about new is the warranty and when it expires it can be extended indefinitely for $100 a month, a BFD
. This last we checked. Things change.

When the wifes Mazda 6 pukes we’ll order a Model Y premium if she wants one.
They are just about sold out for 2027.

Tesla is now plug n charge at Ionna chargers.
Cheap and powerful.
Best car I have ever had…hands down. I’ve had BMW’s an Escalade etc…

Leasing is the way on these though….

IMG_2052.webp
 
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I recently rented a 2026 Rav 4 HEV. Its not a plug in, but has a battery.

Drove it from Reno to Vegas and back. Aberaged 41mpg.

My wifes car is a 2019 or 2020 Lexus Rx 350. I really like her car, but that Rav 4 had more cabin room, 2x better fuel economy and my only thing i noticed was slightly louder road noise, compatto the Lexus.

Rav 4 is a great car in my opinion.

Owe, it accelerates alot faster than the Lexus. Turbo 4 cylinder with electric motors gets that job done quite well.

In addition I owned a Model S for 2 years, alot of things to like about it, but for long trips, that car is about worthless in power outages. Got caught twice in 2 years, after the second time, I sold it.

Electrics for local commutes have alot less risk, than longer commutes. Because the power companies shut down power during high wind events, and you can get stuck in Baker Ca and other places for many many hours. Dont ask me how I know.
 
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I recently rented a 2026 Rav 4 HEV. Its not a plug in, but has a battery.

Drove it from Reno to Vegas and back. Aberaged 41mpg.

My wifes car is a 2019 or 2020 Lexus Rx 350. I really like her car, but that Rav 4 had more cabin room, 2x better fuel economy and my only thing i noticed was slightly louder road noise, compatto the Lexus.

Rav 4 is a great car in my opinion.

Owe, it accelerates alot faster than the Lexus. Turbo 4 cylinder with electric motors gets that job done quite well.

In addition I owned a Model S for 2 years, alot of things to like about it, but for long trips, that car is about worthless in power outages. Got caught twice in 2 years, after the second time, I sold it.

Electrics for local commutes have alot less risk, than longer commutes. Because the power companies shut down power during high wind events, and you can get stuck in Baker Ca and other places for many many hours. Dont ask me how I know.
For me it would strictly be an "around town" vehicle. I have a F150 that gets about 20mpg so that would become the road trip vehicle.
 
I have 4 Chevy Bolts for my employees to use during the day. One or two are 6 years old. ONLY maintenance or repairs we do is tires, that's it. GM recalled the batteries so they've all been replaced with new batteries and just keep going. I'll never replace them until the battery dies, they just work!
 
I have 4 Chevy Bolts for my employees to use during the day. One or two are 6 years old. ONLY maintenance or repairs we do is tires, that's it. GM recalled the batteries so they've all been replaced with new batteries and just keep going. I'll never replace them until the battery dies, they just work!
This! Appliance like reliability with today's vehicle challenges is worth a fair amount.
 
The biggest benefit to owning a Tesla is the zero maintenance. Zero..

I rotate my tires every 2500 miles for even tire wear.

I have 130k on mine and have never taken it in for service once since new.
 
That explains why I thought Volvo was making EVs. I though Polestar was just their EV “brand” in case there were issues it wouldn't tarnish the Volvo name. Guess it's the Chinese like you said.

Volvo is making EVs, but not just EVs.

Polestar was spun off to become an EV brand with no dealers. Like Tesla.

They are sister companies, headquartered in Gothenburg.

Both are majority owned by Geely of China.
 
I remember when rdp was about all ice. Not so much anymore. RDBP. River Dave’s Blue Place.
EVs are great. No reason not to enjoy them just because Biden was pushing them.

There are really good bargains out there.

If I did more short drives, I would get a good used EV so that I would not have to feed a supercharged V8 with gasoline. The EV would be just as strong.
 
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