Do you see yourself getting an electric vehicle anytime soon, or are you waiting for a more variety of choices?

[.Detective.]

I have a recent(2016 model when I got it brand new) daily driver that I paid off, and was considering looking into getting a fun brand new set of weekend wheels. But after reviewing some of the options that would interest me, I started to realize that I could potentially combine both a daily and weekend car into one if I went the EV route. So obviously that brought me around to Tesla, as the track and performance modes' on their vehicles are nuts.

If I lived in the US, this would be a no brainer, as the Tesla prices are really great. But since I'm in Canada, one of the more unfortunate things is that while quality of life is awesome, the whole auto market has some fucked up pricing schemes. As an example, the Performance version of the Model 3 up north, is basically the same cost as the starting point for the Model S. And with the cost of the Model S up here(the performance version), I might as well spend my money on something else if I was going to shell out that much. I don't really want a 2nd hand vehicle either with a lesser cost, as I have always bought new.

The othing thing is, I've been holding off on EV's for a while because although I do 100% believe in the concept, and would love to not have to think about using petrol/gas anymore(and thus be more eco friendly), it's 2019 and there still isn't much variety on the market. I kind of want to be in a place where I can firmly decide that if I am gonna splash a ton of money on something, I can have an actual assortment of choices to pick from, instead of limiting myself to a few.

Does anyone else currently have an EV, or are in the same position where they are looking into getting one? What are your thoughts on it?

 

[Walter White Walker]

I'm currently in an apartment so no electric vehicle for the foreseeable future.

 

[Kernel]

Does anyone else currently have an EV, or are in the same position where they are looking into getting one? What are your thoughts on it

Click to shrink...

We got the $5K federal rebate now. If you can, now's the time to buy because if/when Scheer wins it's one of the first things he will cancel.

I bought a used EV for my second commuter car and it's been great. Never have to buy gas and I can laugh at the people waiting for an hour lined up at Costco.

Toronto is pretty good for public chargers and a lot of then are free, even the DC quick chargers so I'm never stuck. Other cities and smaller towns would be worse.

But you really need a place to charge at home as that's where the savings and convenience lie.

Once my van is paid off I'm getting another EV, and/or trading in. Buying an ICE car is getting to be a worse decision with every year that goes by.

Only bad stuff is the shorter range in the winter due to the small battery and the heater but newer cars are better.

I save like $250/month not driving my van.

 

[pg2g]

I was due for a new car and decided to lease because I wanted to wait for the market to mature some. I'm not sure 3 years will be enough, but I know some companies are targeting 2021.

Self driving is my other concern. Cars are at an inflection point so I'm trying to hold off as long as I can to see how things shake out.

 

[.Detective.]

We got the $5K federal rebate now. If you can, now's the time to buy because if/when Scheer wins it's one of the first things he will cancel.

I bought a used EV for my second commuter car and it's been great. Never have to buy gas and I can laugh at the people waiting for an hour lined up at Costco.

Toronto is pretty good for public chargers and a lot of then are free, even the DC quick chargers so I'm never stuck. Other cities and smaller towns would be worse.

But you really need a place to charge at home as that's where the savings and convenience lie.

Once my van is paid off I'm getting another EV, and/or trading in. Buying an ICE car is getting to be a worse decision with every year that goes by.

Only bad stuff is the shorter range in the winter due to the small battery and the heater but newer cars are better.

I save like $250/month not driving my van.

Click to shrink...

I am not 100% sure, but that 5k doesn't apply if you spec out the vehicle if it's over 55k, right?

Tesla tried to work around that I think, and made a crazy unattractive 150km version, which also doesn't allow you to pay more later to upgrade to a higher software unlocked spec.

One of my regrets is that I never got to take advantage of the rebate back when it was fucking amazing at like 14.5k off, iirc. I held off back then because there wasn't many places I could drive long distance outside of Toronto, unless I wanted to take trips back and forth to Montreal along the 401 corridor.

And as for the home charging aspect, yeah, I agree with you. If I get an EV, I will just install a charging outlet into my garage for more convenience.

 

[LProtagonist]

I have a Prius right now, but it's not a plug in or anything. I'm hoping it's my last car until the world adapts to a system where you don't need to own your own car anymore, but we'll see.

 

[Pankratous]

I just got a new car, so assuming I stick with that car for the full five years of finance, I seriously hope my next car will be electric or at least hybrid.

 

[jb1234]

I'd like one but I'd never be able to afford one (I always drive clunkers) and I live in an apartment complex.

 

[Freakzilla]

I won't get one until that's all there is. I love gas engines.

 

[Deleted member 1635]

Used Nissan Leafs can be really cheap and also inexpensive to maintain. They certainly aren't exciting (although they accelerate quickly) and their range isn't great, but they might be a good option if you're just using it for commuting.

 

[Middleman]

I've been driving a Prius for a decade. My next car will be fully electric.

 

[turbobrick]

Not at all. Ignoring the fact I don't have money for a new car, I wouldn't be interested in one as all the electric cars on the market I find boring.

If anything, I'd buy an old gas car and convert it to electric.

 

[Mollymauk]

I drive a leaf, and I'm never going back. Electric is such a smooth, silent ride. And it costs next to nothing to maintain.

 

[bionic77]

When I get rid of my current car I can definitely see myself getting an electric. Assuming they keep getting better and cheaper.

 

[GeCcO]

We currently own a VW eGolf and Passat GTE hybrid (both 2018 models), but in a few months we'll be replacing the hybrid with an Audi etron instead. After a year of owning the eGolf the "EV anxiety" is completely gone and we really can't see any downsides to going fully electric, at least for our needs and for the area we live in which has plenty of charging options both on the go, at home and at work. I'd say that today there are plenty of options, of course not as many as non-EV cars, but there are options to choose from based on your needs. For us the eGolf is a perfect small car for just getting around the city and doing smaller stuff. The Audi etron will on the other hand be the more comfortable choice for longer drives, when you need more space and of course in the winter time when slippery and snow filled roads might be more of a challenge to the front-wheel drive VW eGolf.

 

[Kernel]

am not 100% sure, but that 5k doesn't apply if you spec out the vehicle if it's over 55k, right?

Click to shrink...

Basically yes.

Everything on this list:

https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/ro...ist-eligible-vehicles-under-izev-program.html

And as for the home charging aspect, yeah, I agree with you. If I get an EV, I will just install a charging outlet into my garage for more convenience.

Click to shrink...

I'd say that's mandatory.

If you have a 120V outlet you can use that it will just take a really long time.

Check if you can install a 240V outlet. It might cost a lot if you have to do a long run to your panel or worse, you need to upgrade the panel.

Good to know this before you buy any car.

 

[Deleted member 8561]

My current car is paid off and only has 70K miles, so I don't think I'll be getting a new car till mid 2020's, and by then I'll prob be able to get an EV for ~25K that can go 350+ miles per charge

 

[Mattakuevan]

My next car in 10 years or so will probably be electric, assuming self driving stuff hasnt changed everything.

At the moment it's infeasible due to price and living in an apartment.

 

[Jie Li]

No need. My ebike is already 15 times greener than your ecar.

 

[Paz]

Prices are still way too high here in Australia unfortunately, but it's obviously the goal and my desire.

 

[gutter_trash]

I wish but plug stations are too scarce for apparment dwellers

Some improved urban planning needs to get done in the future

 

[mnk]

I don't know about electric, but I know we really want to get a self-driving car when it's affordable. We take sooo many 3-5 hour trips across California and it would be so amazing to have that happen by itself.

 

[thesoapster]

I barely drive and I have a fuel efficient, paid off car. We'll see in a few years...

 

[Lunchbox-]

when the market matures

currently the only electic car that isnt butt ugly and has comparable features of a luxury sedan is the model S and its 80k+

The model 3 is an ugly civic with bare minimum features selling at bmw 5 series/audi A5 prices while being 1/3rd of the car, the leaf is not practical, honda clarity doesnt have the range, the BMW i3 is a joke, and Audi etrons are in first gen with outrages prices.

Once you can get a matured Model S in the Camry/Accord price range, 100% i will jump in....but i'll be dead by then

 

[Carbon]

Not until charging stations are even a quarter as convenient and plentiful as gas stations. I live in a Condo with my own carport, but can't install a charger there.

I'm still probably a good 5-10 years away from jumping on the electric car bandwagon.

 

[Lunchbox-]

Not until charging stations are even a quarter as convenient and plentiful as gas stations. I live in a Condo with my own carport, but can't install a charger there.

I'm still probably a good 5-10 years away from jumping on the electric car bandwagon.

Click to shrink...

thats another thing, the battery tech in the teslas now only charge at 6 miles per hour at regular household outlets. 10 hours of overnight charging will barely get you 60 miles or 2 gallons of gas worth of distance. So they pretty much have to have superchargers everywhere to make it practical for normal people. and just forget about the midwest and desert states

The all electric utopia most likely wont happen in our lifetime

 

[Deleted member 33887]

I'll probably get a hybrid Prius next go round, but I have no garage and my miles driven per year are probably in the bottom 5-10% or so already (less than 3k even when I take a trip that's 1k miles).

 

[Kernel]

thats another thing, the battery tech in the teslas now only charge at 6 miles per hour at regular household outlets. 10 hours of overnight charging will barely get you 60 miles or 2 gallons of gas worth of distance. So they pretty much have to have superchargers everywhere to make it practical for normal people. and just forget about the midwest and desert states

The all electric utopia most likely wont happen in our lifetime

Click to shrink...

That's nothing to do with battery tech, just how low power a standard outlet is.

Every EV will charge around 6 miles/hour on a 120V outlet.

You need more power than that for a giant battery.

 

[Xe4]

I'll probably buy an electric, hybrid, or very gas efficient car as my next purchase. But that's likely in 3 - 5 years so the market should be better then.

 

[Lunchbox-]

That's nothing to do with battery tech, just how low power a standard outlet is.

Every EV will charge around 6 miles/hour on a 120V outlet.

You need more power than that for a giant battery.

Click to shrink...

so not only do we need an infrastructural change on gas stations to superchargers, you also need a change on the electricity grid where we have to go to 240 like certain Asian countries

basically, a double no on that happening anytime soon

 

[DrEvil]

I've had my model 3 for a year now and I will NEVER go back to an ICE vehicle. Honestly it's been life changing and if you have the means to do so, go for it. Do it. Don't even hesitate.

If you're looking at getting a Tesla one of these days, hit me up with a DM and I'll give you my referral code, it gives us each 1500km of free supercharging.

 

[Kernel]

so not only do we need an infrastructural change on gas stations to superchargers, you also need a change on the electricity grid where we have to go to 240 like certain Asian countries

basically, a double no on that happening anytime soon

Click to shrink...

You're going to need an infrastructure change from gas stations to something at some point. And you don't need that many chargers since most people charge at home. You can't fill up your car at home hence the need for gas stations everywhere.

And you don't need any change to the electrical grid. Most current EV owners install a 240V outlet in their garage or outside. Any electrician can do it for you. Same outlet your dryer runs on.

 

[NineConsonants]

I have a fully paid off 2016 Honda Civic that has only 32k miles on it. So I plan to get my usage out of this vehicle for a good number of years. It will definitely be my last gas vehicle though. My hope is that by the time I am looking for a new vehicle, electric vehicles will have a pretty large number of options available. Also, I'm hoping our electric vehicle infrastructure catches up more.

 

[Skiptastic]

I have a 2011 Camry with 90K+ miles on it. I'm hoping it'll be close to 2030 before I need to replace it, so I'd probably be open to an EV by then. Most of my mileage is back and forth to work during the weekdays and around town on weekends. My wife's SUV is typically our "long drive" vehicle.

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

I have nothing personal against them, but they just don't excite me at all. For others? Go have a blast! But I imagine I'll be sticking with an ICE vehicle for a long, long while.

Could maybe see myself buying a 3 for my mom or wife, though, some day.

 

[sfedai0]

I have nothing personal against them, but they just don't excite me at all. For others? Go have a blast! But I imagine I'll be sticking with an ICE vehicle for a long, long while.

Could maybe see myself buying a 3 for my mom or wife, though, some day.

Click to shrink...

Have you even driven one yet? Ive owned a couple sportscars and was in the modding scene when I was younger, and the acceleration and handling of a M3 or S is the very definition of exciting. Dont knock it till youve tried it. ICE cars have no place in our world anymore.

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

Have you even driven one yet? Ive owned a couple sportscars and was in the modding scene when I was younger, and the acceleration and handling of a M3 or S is the very definition of exciting. Dont knock it till youve tried it. ICE cars have no place in our world anymore.

Click to shrink...

Yes, I put about 300 miles on a co-worker's 90D - though it didn't have Ludicrous mode (though I've sat in the passenger's of a friend's who'a did) - and while yes, the acceleration was impressive it felt so... linear. So... routine or repetitive. Plus, you can't toss the back end, you can't do a burnout, and for the same reason some might buy a bigger sub for their home theater or shoes that cost more for the logo, I like the rumble of a good exhaust and the intensity of burning through gears.

Just a big meh for me - I don't equate them with "exciting" at all.

Not "knocking them..." ... they're great cars for people who want them. The tech is impressive and is only gonna get better; and Tesla is putting great pressure on everyone. But I disagree that "ICE cars have no place in this world."

 

[Admiral Woofington]

it's not viable with my lifestyle until charging options become more spread throughout the country and faster.

 

[James3D]

I want one, but am waiting for the new VW Bus because I need a third row for my kids.

 

[TKM]

My next car should be my last ICE powered one. After that, something around Model 3 specs from a manufacturer I trust like Toyota or Mazda. By that time, public charging should be common and I'll install a charger in my condo garage.

 

[Mcfrank]

Have two Tesla Model 3s. Can never see myself buying a gas car. Electric is soooooooooooo much better.

 

[brochiller]

I'll be getting a Tesla as my next car. Either a 3 or the Y.

The benefits of electric cars far outweigh any negatives for me, and Tesla is the only car that can replace an ICE car with the Supercharger network.

Traditional reliability of other brands means nothing to me for their electric cars until I see some battery longevity data.

 

[Wubby]

I'm interested in the Honda E depending on price. Wish the range was better than 200km though. But only maybe twice a year I drive farther than that. Will have to see the price when it launches in Japan. My 2010 Fit is still solid though so maybe better to wait for a second version of the E.

 

[turbobrick]

I wish but plug stations are too scarce for apparment dwellers

Click to shrink...

Why do butt plug stations have to be scarce for apartment dwellers?

Have you even driven one yet? Ive owned a couple sportscars and was in the modding scene when I was younger, and the acceleration and handling of a M3 or S is the very definition of exciting. Dont knock it till youve tried it. ICE cars have no place in our world anymore.

Click to shrink...

In my opinion they aren't really comparable to sports cars. Sure they have the acceleration, but when I think of sports car, I tend to gravitate more towards the small lightweight type, rather than the larger 4 door sedan. I'd rather have something like a Miata or 86/BRZ, something along those lines. Until battery technology changes and we can vastly reduce battery weight, I don't see electric cars entering that market.

Also, I just want to comment that abbreviating the Model 3 to M3 is mildly annoying since BMW makes a car called the M3.

 

[Wafflinson]

Not even an option for me until:

1. They are affordable
2. They have a 300+ mile range on affordable models
3. There is enough of em around for Apt's to get chargers

Until then I can drive my hybrid that cost me 21k new and gets 50 mpg.

 

[Indeed™]

My daily driver is a 2009 Peterbilt. So no, not likely.

 

[sfedai0]

In my opinion they aren't really comparable to sports cars. Sure they have the acceleration, but when I think of sports car, I tend to gravitate more towards the small lightweight type, rather than the larger 4 door sedan. I'd rather have something like a Miata or 86/BRZ, something along those lines. Until battery technology changes and we can vastly reduce battery weight, I don't see electric cars entering that market.

Also, I just want to comment that abbreviating the Model 3 to M3 is mildly annoying since BMW makes a car called the M3.

Click to shrink...

Just giving some context when I mentioned sports cars. I didnt mean to make a direct comparison. Ive owned both the S2k and a BRZ. I would happily own a S2k again, alongside a electric car. But if I can only have one car, its gonna be electric. Just the fact that the majority of maintenance issues will be gone is a motivating factor.

 

[Baphomet]

Most likely never get one.

 

[TaySan]

If there is one that is reasonably affordable than yes i would in a heartbeat.

 

[Swig]

I have a truck right now that I bought new about a year ago. I'm planning on keeping it for a long, long time.. But I don't drive very much (I just hit 7K miles today and I'm two weeks shy of a year). When it is paid off, depending on the options, I may look into getting an EV to drive to work (I work from home 3+ days a week) and around town and I'll keep the truck for hobbies and as a general utility vehicle.

Or if they ever come out with an electric truck that I like as much as mine, I may consider picking one of those up instead... but that's years away.