An all-electric vehicle that isn't a lame duck.

[Safeway]

No Leaf, no Volt. What would you get?

Factor in the price, performance, utility, and likelihood of reaching production (i.e. the Fisker Karma).

Tesla Roadster?
Tesla Model S?
Fisker Karma?
Similar performance all-electrics?

Since Tesla has successfully produced the Roadster is respectable quantities and has acquired additional funding and manufacturing facilities for the Model S --

I would go for the Tesla Model S.

+ Sedan,
+ Quick,
+ Styling,
+ Suggested pricing.
- Not yet in production,
- Price point is questionable.

(Or a similar, professional all-electric conversion of a sporty sedan.)

 

[MotF Bane]

Not holding my breath for it.

 

[Safeway]

Not holding my breath for it.

For any all-electric? Period?

 

[MotF Bane]

For any all-electric? Period?

I believe it will be a long time before an all-electric sports car exists that is reliable, practical, and a decent match in performance/price to a traditional ICE sports car.

 

[Malak]

I'd go with Tesla. The price tag isn't unreasonable if you look at what you are getting. The only maintenance you need to worry about for years is the tires.

 

[LTC8K6]

If you are rich, then you don't care about the practicality, or saving money vs an ice vehicle. So, several cars out now are good for you.

If you just want to look cool and trendy, same deal.

For the average Joe, watching his pennies, none of the electrics or hybrids make economic sense yet, imo.

So, factoring in price, I would say all are probably lame ducks.

 

[sdifox]

Ford's new electric Focus? 100mi range and 4 hr charge should be good enough for a lot of people that just drive to work.

http://www.plugincars.com/ford-focus-electric/review

Shit I would be interested in one.


you are including Karma and Volt in the all-electric category although they have ICE?

If I had the money I would order a Karma in a heartbeat.

 

[skyking]

I'd roll my own Miata, if I could make it comfortable for me.
http://www.evmiata.com/

 

[thedarkwolf]

I'd roll my own Miata, if I could make it comfortable for me.
http://www.evmiata.com/

Probably not as good for autox though

 

[JulesMaximus]

I saw a Tesla on the freeway just a few days ago. This was the one based on the Lotus Elise.

 

[skyking]

Probably not as good for autox though

From that site, it claims faster than a stock car for acceleration. Using a LiPo battery system the weight gain is negligible.

 

[LTC8K6]

Ford's new electric Focus? 100mi range and 4 hr charge should be good enough for a lot of people that just drive to work.

http://www.plugincars.com/ford-focus-electric/review

Shit I would be interested in one.


you are including Karma and Volt in the all-electric category although they have ICE?

If I had the money I would order a Karma in a heartbeat.

Electric Focus costs way too much, unless you just don't care and want an electric car. Plus, to get the quick charge at home, you need the expensive charging station.

 

[sdifox]

Electric Focus costs way too much, unless you just don't care and want an electric car. Plus, to get the quick charge at home, you need the expensive charging station.

the charger is on board, you are just paying for a 220v connection.

and I am pretty sure the Focus will cost less than Tesla and Karma.

 

[mmntech]

Ford's new electric Focus? 100mi range and 4 hr charge should be good enough for a lot of people that just drive to work.

http://www.plugincars.com/ford-focus-electric/review

Shit I would be interested in one.


you are including Karma and Volt in the all-electric category although they have ICE?

If I had the money I would order a Karma in a heartbeat.

I think North America's highway culture really kills electrics. 160km sounds like a lot until you divide it by two for a round trip. It would be enough for me if I worked in downtown Toronto but I couldn't use it to visit my aunt in Kingston, or go on any sort of road trip. An EV Mini takes longer to cross the UK than a stage coach for gawd's sake.

You can't market them to commuters or travellers. The city folk will be the first to jump on board. That's who to target. The Tesla Model S is somewhat more practical. I expect cost would be around the same price as an Audi A6, with the 300mi pack.

The holy grail for an EV would be a 300km (186mi) range, that's with the AC or heat on at normal highway speed, that costs under $30,000. Lots of breathing space. Where I work, that's what we provide per day and few exceed it.

 

[sdifox]

I think North America's highway culture really kills electrics. 160km sounds like a lot until you divide it by two for a round trip. It would be enough for me if I worked in downtown Toronto but I couldn't use it to visit my aunt in Kingston, or go on any sort of road trip. An EV Mini takes longer to cross the UK than a stage coach for gawd's sake.

You can't market them to commuters or travellers. The city folk will be the first to jump on board. That's who to target. The Tesla Model S is somewhat more practical. I expect cost would be around the same price as an Audi A6, with the 300mi pack.

The holy grail for an EV would be a 300km (186mi) range, that's with the AC or heat on at normal highway speed, that costs under $30,000. Lots of breathing space. Where I work, that's what we provide per day and few exceed it.

oh this will definitely be the second vehicle for me. Karma is my car of choice :awe:

 

[LTC8K6]

the charger is on board, you are just paying for a 220v connection.

and I am pretty sure the Focus will cost less than Tesla and Karma.

$1499 for the home charging station with the capacity to do the quick charge. The charger will be a slow charger unless you have the station, which must be installed to code by an electrician.

Electric Focus will be less than Tesla, but more than an ICE Focus. The question is, how long does it take to get back the extra cost?

An electric car would actually fit my daily work commute very well. 10 mile round trip. If it made economic sense, and I liked the car, I see no reason not to buy one.

 

[sdifox]

$1499 for the home charging station with the capacity to do the quick charge. The charger will be a slow charger unless you have the station, which must be installed to code by an electrician.

Electric Focus will be less than Tesla, but more than an ICE Focus. The question is, how long does it take to get back the extra cost?

An electric car would actually fit my daily work commute very well. 10 mile round trip. If it made economic sense, and I liked the car, I see no reason not to buy one.

OP wanted an all-electric that is not a lame duck.

I am not arguing its economic sense. I would not mention Karma if economic sense was present :awe:


http://www.examiner.com/auto-indust...table-recharger-ev-recharger-through-best-buy

"The unit plugs into a 240-volt outlet instead of being hard-wired into the electrical breaker box."

So if you got another 240v outlet at work, plug the charge unit into that


This also means a lot of stolen charge consoles :biggrin:


It's 1500 because they can get away with charging you 1500, not because it costs close to that to make.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeH1dX4peLY&feature=player_embedded#at=71

 

[LTC8K6]

OP wanted an all-electric that is not a lame duck.

I am not arguing its economic sense. I would not mention Karma if economic sense was present :awe:


http://www.examiner.com/auto-indust...table-recharger-ev-recharger-through-best-buy

"The unit plugs into a 240-volt outlet instead of being hard-wired into the electrical breaker box."

So if you got another 240v outlet at work, plug the charge unit into that


This also means a lot of stolen charge consoles :biggrin:


It's 1500 because they can get away with charging you 1500, not because it costs close to that to make.

It's probably subsidised and actually costs a lot more. I think the 1500 is after the tax credit for the station.

IIRC these stations talk to the car, so the car knows the station can support the high charge rate. If you just did a plain hook up to an outlet, you'd only get the slow rate.

 

[sdifox]

It's probably subsidised and actually costs a lot more. I think the 1500 is after the tax credit for the station.

IIRC these stations talk to the car, so the car knows the station can support the high charge rate. If you just did a plain hook up to an outlet, you'd only get the slow rate.

lulz battery charge system do not cost 1500 to make... It's 1500 because they can get away with it. There is more electronic magic happening inside your 300 dollar receiver than in a charge system.

1500 is like 3 month of gas for me.

 

[Malak]

I saw a Tesla on the freeway just a few days ago. This was the one based on the Lotus Elise.

None of them are based on the lotus elise. Lotus builds the bodies for Tesla roadsters.

 

[LTC8K6]

This charge station is actually just a box that plugs into a 240V outlet in your garage.

It only charges at 32 amps max.

So, I'm not sure what the deal is. Shouldn't need an installer.

There's definitely a fed subsidy of 30% of the cost. It could be that the subsidy money has been shifted in the contract deal to do the installs.

 

[Malak]

Electric Focus will be less than Tesla, but more than an ICE Focus. The question is, how long does it take to get back the extra cost?

When you look at hybrids, the cost difference is silly and makes the hybrids pointless, because all you save on is a minimal amount of gas. But with an all-electric vehicle, there is a lot more you are saving on. No engine maintenance means a lot. No moving parts means nothing breaks. Throw in a solar panel and power storage and you could have a vehicle with only one expense; changing tires.

 

[sdifox]

This charge station is actually just a box that plugs into a 240V outlet in your garage.

It only charges at 32 amps max.

So, I'm not sure what the deal is. Shouldn't need an installer.

There's definitely a fed subsidy of 30% of the cost. It could be that the subsidy money has been shifted in the contract deal to do the installs.

That is what I have been saying, the box cost 1500 because they can get away with it. I think they send an electrician to run you a 240 line. If that is included then it is not excessive.

 

[JCH13]

I'd get a White Zombie or similar.

 

[LTC8K6]

When you look at hybrids, the cost difference is silly and makes the hybrids pointless, because all you save on is a minimal amount of gas. But with an all-electric vehicle, there is a lot more you are saving on. No engine maintenance means a lot. No moving parts means nothing breaks. Throw in a solar panel and power storage and you could have a vehicle with only one expense; changing tires.

But a car such as the Focus or Leaf is limited to short trips, which means a longer time to get the return on your investment. You probably can't put the miles on it in a week that you can on a regular car in much of the country.

If I just used it for work, that's under 10 miles a day.

A common weekend destination for me is a 60 mile round trip. Borderline for whether I'd try that with a car advertised to have 100 miles of range.

100 miles is probably 50-75 in the real world.

If I knew I could recharge it at my destination, which may be true, it's no big deal then, unless it takes longer to charge than is convenient.