Electric Car Ownership - Any Experiences?
- Thread starter Umbran
- Start date
kigmatzomat
Legend
It's a necrothread but since I didn't do it, I'll chime in b/c we just bought an 2024 Equinox EV. Good deal between 0% financing, the ev credit, pre-black Friday event and, oddly, a Costco discount. The minivan was turning into a money pit and we wanted to dodge the inevitable price hikes when tariffs on steel and what-not show up.
I did the math and dollar-to-dollar, at $3/gal gas, we'll get equivalent to 100mpg. From an emissions standpoint, at US grid standard, the CO2 from generation also equates to around 100mpg. The other car is a Kia hybrid that gets 42mpg, which I used to be pretty happy about.
The 48A/11kw charger is good for 30+ mi/hr of charge. I do need a NACS adapter so we can use older Tesla stations that aren't equipped with the CCS plugs, though gen4 stations are slowly rolling out. It only supports 150kw speeds, which less than amazing for charge rates but means the 350kw chargers that share power on two ports won't slow us down.
We'll be using it for a trip this weekend where we can make one leg on a full charge with a solid buffer but will need a major recharge for the trip home.
The Meijers chain has started installing chargers, apparently funded by the federal govt. We have quite a few around here and several chargers have been announced on our longest route which will make the jitters go away.
Not a huge fan of the lack of android auto/carplay but it's got 8yrs of voice/map service and we'll likely sell it in year 7.
I did the math and dollar-to-dollar, at $3/gal gas, we'll get equivalent to 100mpg. From an emissions standpoint, at US grid standard, the CO2 from generation also equates to around 100mpg. The other car is a Kia hybrid that gets 42mpg, which I used to be pretty happy about.
The 48A/11kw charger is good for 30+ mi/hr of charge. I do need a NACS adapter so we can use older Tesla stations that aren't equipped with the CCS plugs, though gen4 stations are slowly rolling out. It only supports 150kw speeds, which less than amazing for charge rates but means the 350kw chargers that share power on two ports won't slow us down.
We'll be using it for a trip this weekend where we can make one leg on a full charge with a solid buffer but will need a major recharge for the trip home.
The Meijers chain has started installing chargers, apparently funded by the federal govt. We have quite a few around here and several chargers have been announced on our longest route which will make the jitters go away.
Not a huge fan of the lack of android auto/carplay but it's got 8yrs of voice/map service and we'll likely sell it in year 7.
Okland
Villager
Nice timing on that purchase. The 100mpg equivalent is pretty sweet, and yeah, getting ahead of potential tariff increases was probably a smart move. I've been curious about the Equinox EV myself, so it's cool to hear real-world thoughts on it. The charging speed isn't crazy fast but honestly 150kw is plenty for most situations, and you're right that you won't get throttled on those shared 350kw stations. Good call on planning that road trip carefully, nothing worse than range anxiety on your first long haul with a new EV. The Meijer charger rollout is actually pretty clutch for Midwest drivers, should help fill in some of those charging desert areas.
Kichwas
Half-breed
I've owned a Tesla Model 3 since 2018. Before we knew Musk was... problematic. It's paid off and worthless for resale now so I keep it.
That said were I to replace it, I would only go for another EV, and despite opinions of the brand, I would only go for one that could use the Supercharger network.
If you're in Europe, Asia, Latin America, or Africa the concerns are different and some of those places have fast charging that isn't owned by Tesla. I can't speak for Canada or Mexico, but the middle of North America is basically Tesla and Electrify America for fast charging. Electrify America was the result of the Diesel scandal VW got in. They were forced to build it, and it's run by who knows, at middling quality. The apps for it often fail to notify how many stalls are open at an arrival spot and whether or not they're even working. I've read prices can also vary unusually.
Superchargers will tell you exactly what's going on at all stations, my car itself also routes me to them in real time.
But the real advantage is home charging as someone with solar. So I more or less went from $200-300/month on diesel in my VW TDI Jetta to $0-10/month with my Tesla.
I charge overnight so every morning it's just like my iPhone and Apple Watch - fully charged and ready for a day. Rarely do I drive more than 300 miles in a single day so it's great. When I do... there are superchargers everywhere that can get me from 0 to about 80% in 10-20 minutes. And they're always near places with snacks, restrooms, and so on.
If I were to drive from San Francisco to LA there is a supercharger at the halfway point. That's about 3 hours into the drive. I've never passed that spot and not wanted to get out, grab lunch and use the restroom, and just whatever. Even in a gas car. And by the time I do those things in my Tesla I'm back to full with no gasoline smell on my hands.
My day to day commute is about 40-70 minutes. In my Tesla I don't need to brake as just letting up on the pedal more or less stops the car 90% of the way. So my legs are a lot less stressed and that means my body is less tired. This is a feature of all EVs due to 'regenerative braking' which basically means the motor flips the other way and recharges as it slows down. That also means slowing down actually charges my car - but in normal traffic the amount if tiny. If going down a mountain you can start at the top at near 0 charge and be fully charged by just coasting down hill - but that's an experience most people won't get to play around with unless you regularly drive up and down mountains.
I have no oil to change, no engine coollant to change, the brakes need to be changed roughly once every 90,000-100,000 miles because they mostly go unused in EVs, and there's no engine checkups. Electric motors can last a few million miles and be in good as new condition at that point. Batteries will either die in the first year from being defective or be good for upwards of 300,000+ miles.
I do have to change windshield wiper fluid. I think I've done it once. I could have used water but I bought the fancy stuff for $20.
When I had autopilot as a demo for a month I could more or less let the car drive me to work and back on the freeway part as it was very good at that. But Musk keeps F'ing with autopilot and it's worse today than it was in 2018 so yeah... look to another brand if that's what you're seeking.
If you have the ability to home charge getting an EV is worth it. If not, you need to really map out your charging options. You will have to have 2-3 stations near your home or work that have coffee shops or something similar near them. If you've got a Tesla 3 or Y you can always watch Netflix and play video games while charging, but I prefer going into a coffee shop even though the screen in the car is actually very good for Netflix and the speakers are probably better than what I have in the house.
That said were I to replace it, I would only go for another EV, and despite opinions of the brand, I would only go for one that could use the Supercharger network.
If you're in Europe, Asia, Latin America, or Africa the concerns are different and some of those places have fast charging that isn't owned by Tesla. I can't speak for Canada or Mexico, but the middle of North America is basically Tesla and Electrify America for fast charging. Electrify America was the result of the Diesel scandal VW got in. They were forced to build it, and it's run by who knows, at middling quality. The apps for it often fail to notify how many stalls are open at an arrival spot and whether or not they're even working. I've read prices can also vary unusually.
Superchargers will tell you exactly what's going on at all stations, my car itself also routes me to them in real time.
But the real advantage is home charging as someone with solar. So I more or less went from $200-300/month on diesel in my VW TDI Jetta to $0-10/month with my Tesla.
I charge overnight so every morning it's just like my iPhone and Apple Watch - fully charged and ready for a day. Rarely do I drive more than 300 miles in a single day so it's great. When I do... there are superchargers everywhere that can get me from 0 to about 80% in 10-20 minutes. And they're always near places with snacks, restrooms, and so on.
If I were to drive from San Francisco to LA there is a supercharger at the halfway point. That's about 3 hours into the drive. I've never passed that spot and not wanted to get out, grab lunch and use the restroom, and just whatever. Even in a gas car. And by the time I do those things in my Tesla I'm back to full with no gasoline smell on my hands.
My day to day commute is about 40-70 minutes. In my Tesla I don't need to brake as just letting up on the pedal more or less stops the car 90% of the way. So my legs are a lot less stressed and that means my body is less tired. This is a feature of all EVs due to 'regenerative braking' which basically means the motor flips the other way and recharges as it slows down. That also means slowing down actually charges my car - but in normal traffic the amount if tiny. If going down a mountain you can start at the top at near 0 charge and be fully charged by just coasting down hill - but that's an experience most people won't get to play around with unless you regularly drive up and down mountains.
I have no oil to change, no engine coollant to change, the brakes need to be changed roughly once every 90,000-100,000 miles because they mostly go unused in EVs, and there's no engine checkups. Electric motors can last a few million miles and be in good as new condition at that point. Batteries will either die in the first year from being defective or be good for upwards of 300,000+ miles.
I do have to change windshield wiper fluid. I think I've done it once. I could have used water but I bought the fancy stuff for $20.
When I had autopilot as a demo for a month I could more or less let the car drive me to work and back on the freeway part as it was very good at that. But Musk keeps F'ing with autopilot and it's worse today than it was in 2018 so yeah... look to another brand if that's what you're seeking.
If you have the ability to home charge getting an EV is worth it. If not, you need to really map out your charging options. You will have to have 2-3 stations near your home or work that have coffee shops or something similar near them. If you've got a Tesla 3 or Y you can always watch Netflix and play video games while charging, but I prefer going into a coffee shop even though the screen in the car is actually very good for Netflix and the speakers are probably better than what I have in the house.
Gecko85
Explorer
We have a Hyundai Kona EV (and an Ioniq 6 EV, but the Kona sounds like what you're looking for. It's a small hatchback with very respectable range. We love it.
Our local power company paid for our home charger (but not the installation - we had a 50 amp circuit run to the garage), and gives us a discounted rate from midnight to 6am. We set the charger to start at midnight.
We've gone on road trips without issue. Every now and then, while traveling, we'll find a bank of chargers that are all in use and/or some not working, but there's always another close by. And now that Hyundai can use Tesla chargers, that opens up a whole lot more. (Newer Hyundai models are shipping with the Tesla charging port, but I'm not sure the Kona is one of them...but they sent us a free adapter.)
10/10 would buy again. We've had the Kona since 2020, and my wife used to commute an hour each way 5 days a week. It still gets the same range as it did when new. We got the Ioniq last year, and are now an all-EV household.
Our local power company paid for our home charger (but not the installation - we had a 50 amp circuit run to the garage), and gives us a discounted rate from midnight to 6am. We set the charger to start at midnight.
We've gone on road trips without issue. Every now and then, while traveling, we'll find a bank of chargers that are all in use and/or some not working, but there's always another close by. And now that Hyundai can use Tesla chargers, that opens up a whole lot more. (Newer Hyundai models are shipping with the Tesla charging port, but I'm not sure the Kona is one of them...but they sent us a free adapter.)
10/10 would buy again. We've had the Kona since 2020, and my wife used to commute an hour each way 5 days a week. It still gets the same range as it did when new. We got the Ioniq last year, and are now an all-EV household.
Gecko85
Explorer
Also, we looked at the Bolt before buying the Kona. IMO, there's no comparison. The Kona feels like a real car (and has a fully functional infotainment system), while the Bolt felt like a toy, and requires you use Android Auto or Apple Car Play for everything. (At least it did in 2020...)
As for home charger, we've been very happy with the ChargePoint Home Flex.
Gecko85
Explorer
Lol, got sucked in by a necrothread. Oh, well, hopefully it'll help someone else.
kigmatzomat
Legend
Its a nice car. I think they did a good job balancing power and cost. It won't snap your neck back like a Tesla can but 200+ hp gives it a confidence-inspiring amount of power. The size is good and it has a decent amount of cargo. Downsides are visibility isn't awesome (you need the cameras) and the turn radius on the 2024 is disappointingly van-like.
I will say mine has some weird software glitch that I seem to be the unique victim, where the forward looking sensors spazz out and I lose cruise control. GM corporate has had to get involved. Fingers crossed I get a software patch next week.
It is a nuisance on days I drive longer than 4 hours. The relatives are 250m miles away, so charging is a necessity, especially as interstate speeds in hill country eats power. I am hoping the Loves travel center in farm country gets a couple of chargers so I can charge at around 35% reserve instead of either 20% or 55%. 20% makes me nervous and 55% is just irritating as I won't arrive with enough reserve to drive back without charging.
We'll see if I replace the 42mpg kia hybrid with an EV in 5ish years. I've had enough times where I unepxectedly needed̀̀ to get to the relatives during holidays that I can't assume I could get an ICE rental car. Probably wind up with a PHEV/range-extender EV if I have the choice.
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