Blue View – Choosing an EV - Part 1

A few weeks ago, I devoted a couple of blogs related to the pros and cons of buying an electric vehicle. We got lots of feedback. Some friends felt that it would be better to wait a couple more years until the charging infrastructure becomes better and more ubiquitous, that the vehicle offerings would only get better and more reliable over the next few years, and with all the new safety and charging technology, there were bound to be all sorts of bugs and problems to work out. (That was certainly the case with our previous van, a diesel Ford Transit. The diesel engine was a new design, and we had many, many problems with it… it was in the shop for repairs or recalls more than a dozen times, and Ford has since discontinued the diesel option for the Transit.) On the other hand, friends who have already purchased EVs seemed universally happy with their decisions. The only negative feedback from current owners was related to problems with recharging on road trips – the most common problems being broken public chargers or only finding slower chargers that took a couple of hours to recharge. Given all the pros and cons of a BEV as well as all the great feedback we received, we’re still committed to buying one, however.

That, of course, begs the next question – which one? I thought I’d be choosing between half a dozen candidates, but as it turns out, there are, by my count, 45 battery electric vehicles currently on the market. Here’s how I narrowed the field:

Cost.

Some, I eliminated as being more money than we want to spend. By setting the upper limit for cost at $50,000 (far more than we’ve ever spent on a car, BTW), more than half the original candidates were eliminated.

Range.

While we’ll be using it mostly around town, we would still probably want to take an occasional road trip with our new BEV, so the range is a consideration. It should be able travel at least 200 miles between charges at a very minimum, so to give a little buffer, I eliminated any that have an expected range less than 225 miles.

Dealer Support.

Some vehicles were eliminated because there was no local dealer, like the Polestar 2, for example. While it may have a great warranty, driving to Phoenix or Los Angeles to get the work done is a deal breaker.

Availability.

Finally, I dropped any that weren’t taking any more orders this year. The VW ID.4 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E (low-end model) fell into this category.

Results.

That still left nine candidates. I’ve listed them below, arranged by price, with a brief description and the relative pros and cons of each. Following that is a table comparing the most important features and specs.

Chevrolet Bolt.

Chevy makes two models, the EV and the EUV. The latter is slightly more expensive, but is also slightly roomier, more stylish and packs a few more features. The EUV is the only EV of the remaining candidates under $30,000, and has a lot to offer for the money. We test drove one, and it was surprisingly comfortable and roomy. Chevy also offers a free installation of a 240 VAC home charging outlet.

Base Price: $27,800 Well Equipped Cost: $34,000 Cost After Tax Rebate: $26,500

Range: 247 miles; EPA fuel economy, combined/city/highway: 115/125/104 MPGe

Charge Time to 80% (Fast Charger): 60 mins; Full Charge Time @ 240 volts: 7.5 hrs

Pros: Roomy, reasonable cargo space, well-priced, all the latest technology

Cons: Fast charge isn’t that fast, only available in front wheel drive

Overall. Definitely the most bang for the buck.

Hyundai Kona.

The Hyundai Kona EV is stylish, peppy and roomy. It has a few more creature comforts than the Bolt – the standard equipment includes a sunroof, a wireless smartphone-charging pad, and heated front seats with an eight-way power function and lumbar support for the driver seat. Hyundai and Kia offer the best warranty of any company – 5 year/60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper and 10 year/100,000 mile drive train and battery. Hyundai also covers all routine maintenance for the first 3 years/36,000 miles.

Base Price: $33,500 Well Equipped Cost: $37,300 Cost After Tax Rebate: $37,300

Range: 258 miles; EPA fuel economy, combined/city/highway: 120/134/106 MPGe

Charge Time to 80% (Fast Charger): 47 mins; Full Charge Time @ 240 volts: 9.3 hrs

Pros: Great warranty, complimentary 36,000 mile maintenance.

Cons: Front wheel drive only. Not eligible for tax credit

Overall: Easy on the eyes, comfortable, and a great warranty.

Tesla Model 3.

Tesla reduced the price on its Model 3, and coupled with the tax rebate, it’s now quite competitive. The standard model has a reasonable range and the fast charge time is better than any other in this price range. The Model 3 can be charged at most any charging station as well as Tesla’s extensive system of proprietary charging stations. Various reviewers state that the performance is great, but the fit and finish isn’t always as good as it should be. The Performance trim extends the range to 315 miles and comes with all-wheel-drive for an additional $11,000.

Base Price: $42,990 Well Equipped Cost: $45,990 Cost After Tax Rebate: $38,490

Range: 272 miles; EPA fuel economy, combined/city/highway: 113/118//107 MPGe

Charge Time to 80% (Fast Charger): 25 mins; Full Charge Time @ 240 volts: 10 hrs

Pros: Fast, responsive. Quick charge time. Tesla has more experience with EVs

Cons: Fit and finish not great. Some reviewers dislike that Tesla eliminated almost all buttons and knobs, and buried all controls in the various display menus. Since it is a sedan, cargo space is smaller than the SUVs.

Overall: The Model 3 is competitively priced, and has the performance, range and comfort to make it quite likeable.

I’ll continue next week with the remaining finalists. But first, here is a table comparing the specifications that seemed most important to me in evaluating EVs. I believe it’s accurate, but if you notice an error, please let me know.

To be continued…