Only 31% of Americans want an EV or PHEV. What about you?

BonzaiDuck · Aug 16, 2024

I've had more -- additional -- input from old friends of my own generation, and the recommendation is to just keep running my old car -- which has been almost totally restored except for the anti-theft system.

In this, all my friends, my brother and sister-in-law, are telling me the same thing. So I'll just let the money pile up in my investment accounts and revisit this issue in a few more years.

There are worse things to worry about: like what do I do when I see cognitive decline and need to shoe-horn myself into some new living arrangement. No guarantee that will happen, but I spent the last 8 years or so watching my Moms decline as she gave up renewing her driving license and we gave her 33-year-old Corolla to "Cash-for-Clunkers" in return for $1,000. Maybe I will be a "super-ager". I would hope so, but who can tell?

manly · Aug 20, 2024

(Particularly in the UK) Affordable used EVs may be coming sooner than expected.

EVs Are Losing Up to 50 Percent of Their Value in One Year

Some electric car brands are hemorrhaging value, with the worst losing as much as $600 a day. In this investigation, WIRED outlines which models to watch, why this is happening, and how you can game the market to your advantage.

www.wired.com

IronWing · Aug 20, 2024

Hmm, a four year old Rivian is looking pretty good.

nOOky · Aug 20, 2024

IronWing said:
Hmm, a four year old Rivian is looking pretty good.

My co-irker got a Rivian truck on day one and it's reportedly been trouble free except for software updates that were a pita for him at times.

jlee · Aug 21, 2024

nOOky said:
My co-irker got a Rivian truck on day one and it's reportedly been trouble free except for software updates that were a pita for him at times.

I've had a few issues with mine but nothing deal breaking. I have a buddy who I swear got a factory lemon...nothing but trouble since he got it. There's some luck of the draw element but I expect the later build dates are more dialed in. I love mine, wouldn't trade it for anything else out there (well, except the newest quad motor R1T).

IronWing · Aug 21, 2024

You took your record player camping?

sdifox · Aug 21, 2024

IronWing said:
You took your record player camping?

That is a hot plate. I am assuming induction.

IronWing · Aug 21, 2024

sdifox said:
That is a hot plate. I am assuming induction.

Induction is assuming.

jlee · Aug 21, 2024

sdifox said:
That is a hot plate. I am assuming induction.

Yep, no need for propane stoves when I can run induction off the truck.

JulesMaximus · Aug 22, 2024

I put a fridge and battery in my GX for overlanding. It’s a great setup. The battery is in that case along with the electronics that control it. Whenever the engine is running it is charging the battery. I carry a lot of stuff including a good size tent with cot for comfy sleeping. My only complaint is, with a tent, picking up and moving every day is time consuming. This is a 55l fridge.

JulesMaximus · Aug 23, 2024

I like the idea of a roof top tent but it’s a lot of weight to carry around the rest of the time when you aren’t using it, not to mention the added drag and wind noise. Also, my GX barely fits in the garage with a roof rack on it, add a roof top tent and it won’t fit.

I like the comfort of the GX and it is pretty capable off-road. I’m not doing anything too extreme, just want to avoid getting stuck or damaging something critical underneath while off-roading.

This was in Mojave, CA near the Nevada border. We could see light pollution from Las Vegas at night. Beautiful place though.

JulesMaximus · Aug 23, 2024

I removed the third row seats and made this floor piece to replace them and so I could mount the fridge slider to it. It is bolted to the floor of the truck using the stock bolt holes that the seats mounted to. I never use the seats and they reduce the cargo area by about four inches.

JulesMaximus · Aug 23, 2024

These suckers are heavy! They are powered so this includes motors and wiring.

BonzaiDuck · Aug 23, 2024

JulesMaximus said:
I like the idea of a roof top tent but it’s a lot of weight to carry around the rest of the time when you aren’t using it, not to mention the added drag and wind noise. Also, my GX barely fits in the garage with a roof rack on it, add a roof top tent and it won’t fit.

I like the comfort of the GX and it is pretty capable off-road. I’m not doing anything too extreme, just want to avoid getting stuck or damaging something critical underneath while off-roading.

This was in Mojave, CA near the Nevada border. We could see light pollution from Las Vegas at night. Beautiful place though.

View attachment 106038

Did you ever have occasion to camp at Mahogany Flats, half-way up the Panamints in Death Valley toward Telescope Peak? It gives a great view of Pahrump and the general Vegas light-pollution . . . Also very nice on a night with a full moon and scattered cumulus thunderheads . . .

jlee · Aug 24, 2024

JulesMaximus said:
I put a fridge and battery in my GX for overlanding. It’s a great setup. The battery is in that case along with the electronics that control it. Whenever the engine is running it is charging the battery. I carry a lot of stuff including a good size tent with cot for comfy sleeping. My only complaint is, with a tent, picking up and moving every day is time consuming. This is a 55l fridge.

Nice setup! I love my GX too but have developed a strong dislike for tent setup/takedown time, so it has a RTT too.

The RTT on the Rivian is easier to deal with since it's barely above my roofline, still fits in the garage easily - and I can remove the whole rack/tent/awning assembly with a garage ceiling hoist system in about 10 minutes. The GX's only job is camping/off road/etc, so it's less of a concern there.

Mr.IncrediblyBored · Aug 24, 2024

Lot's changed since this thread started a year ago. I was definitely getting an EV next but most automakers seem to have slowed their product launches. I was waiting for more entries in the small car range. That may be a little farther off then I planned. Maybe the next gen Bolt?

K1052 · Aug 24, 2024

Mr.IncrediblyBored said:
Lot's changed since this thread started a year ago. I was definitely getting an EV next but most automakers seem to have slowed their product launches. I was waiting for more entries in the small car range. That may be a little farther off then I planned. Maybe the next gen Bolt?

I bought an off lease 2021 (last year they made them) i3s last year that should take care of me for a few years at least. After that I'll probably be looking at the VW electric GTI (supposedly coming to the US in 2026) since there is nothing else I really care for in terms of a city car size.

Mr.IncrediblyBored · Aug 24, 2024

K1052 said:
I bought an off lease 2021 (last year they made them) i3s last year that should take care of me for a few years at least. After that I'll probably be looking at the VW electric GTI (supposedly coming to the US in 2026) since there is nothing else I really care for in terms of a city car size.

Nice. GTI is definitely the style I'm looking for. Too bad other automakers are dumping small hatches.

jlee · Aug 24, 2024

Mr.IncrediblyBored said:
Nice. GTI is definitely the style I'm looking for. Too bad other automakers are dumping small hatches.

R3 – Rivian

Ein Blick in die Zukunft voller Abenteuer

rivian.com

Mr.IncrediblyBored · Aug 24, 2024

jlee said:
R3 – Rivian

Ein Blick in die Zukunft voller Abenteuer

rivian.com

Yeah the R3 looks pretty solid. Needs a body color trim option though.

RalphTheCow · Aug 25, 2024

Tough choice! I am one of only 3 people who voted no more cars ever, but I am afraid my 2013 Civic will not last forever, so I may have to buy another Civic at some point. My wife wants me to buy electric to use for short trips while she keeps a gasoline or maybe hybrid for trips. I don;t know what to do.

Ken g6 · Aug 25, 2024

RalphTheCow said:
Tough choice! I am one of only 3 people who voted no more cars ever, but I am afraid my 2013 Civic will not last forever, so I may have to buy another Civic at some point. My wife wants me to buy electric to use for short trips while she keeps a gasoline or maybe hybrid for trips. I don;t know what to do.

You say short trips. How short? Do you have a place to charge an EV at home? What about at a nearby store where you shop a lot?

For short in-town trips, you could get an e-bike for <$2,000. They make cargo e-bikes that can haul a decent amount.

For trips under 50-100 miles, you could get a used Nissan Leaf. They're no good for road trips. Like an gasoline car with a clogged radiator, they overheat, and they also overheat when fast-charging them. But otherwise they're very reliable.

Used Chevy Bolts don't overheat, but are still slow to fast-charge. If I had to get a car now that's what I'd get, but I wouldn't have a gasoline car in reserve the way you plan to.

JulesMaximus · Aug 25, 2024

BonzaiDuck said:
Did you ever have occasion to camp at Mahogany Flats, half-way up the Panamints in Death Valley toward Telescope Peak? It gives a great view of Pahrump and the general Vegas light-pollution . . . Also very nice on a night with a full moon and scattered cumulus thunderheads . . .

We were out near Kelso Dunes. Never made it up to Telescope Peak though, that is quite a bit further north from where we were.

Last summer we did 4 nights of overlanding up near Mammoth Mountain. It is beautiful up there.

WhiteNoise · Sep 4, 2024

I have nothing against EV but call me old school but gas runs in my veins.

RPD · Nov 18, 2024

Wife wants to trade in her I think 2016 Sequia and get a 2024 Lexus TX. Asking price is $63k, trade in is worth $20-24k.. ugh.

Only 31% of Americans want an EV or PHEV. What about you?

Lifer

Lifer

No Lifer

Diamond Member

Lifer

No Lifer

No Lifer

No Lifer

Lifer

No Lifer

No Lifer

No Lifer

No Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Elite Member

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Senior member

Programming Moderator, Elite Member

No Lifer

Golden Member

Diamond Member