Re: [EVDL] "Payback time" (was:Reaction to US News article)
Re: [EVDL] "Payback time" (was:Reaction to US News article)
Of course there is the looming pack replacement to consider as well. After 9 plus years and 170K miles on my Honda Insight I needed to replace the pack. I was able to do it for $500 by buying a pack off ebay and doing all the work myself. Having it replaced at a dealership likely would have cost $2000 - $3000. That's a lot to spend on maintenance for a car that is only worth $5000 - $6000. This is a 120v 6.5ahr NIMH pack The pack in a Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt is potentially much more expensive and an unknown percentage of them will need to be replaced at the owners expense at some time in their life. I can see where these type of concerns might turn many off.
However, having been an early adopter of hybrid technology I can say in my instance taking a chance definitely payed off in the long run. Here is the way it breaks down for me.
I bought my Honda Insight brand new in March of 2001 and paid $18,999. 2001 was the second year Insights were sold and the initial demand had disappeared so I was able to pick mine up for a couple thousand less then the first wave of buyers
To make the math simple I will use very round numbers which aren't 100% accurate but close enough for a good payback summary.
Insight lifetime mpg = 60Henry family fleet mpg excluding the Insight = 20Average price of gas $3 gallon.
Total miles driven 180000Total fuel consumed in Insight 3000 gallonsTotal spent on fuel for Insight $9000Amount which would have been spent on fuel for same mileage using other fleet vehicles 18000/20*3 = $27000Total savings in fuel from Insight $18000
So did I get a good payback out of the deal. To me it seems like I got the car for free
I expect over the long term owners of the new generation of EV's will will feel like they got excellent payback, but it is hard for people to see this up front, and there is some real risk involved, which I think falls in line with what the author of the article was stating. I did not see any anti-EV sentiments, only reasons why the new EVs may be a tough sale to the masses.
damon
> Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2010 21:28:02 -0700
> To: [email protected]
> From: [email protected]
> Subject: [EVDL] "Payback time" (was:Reaction to US News article)
>
> Folks select a car for emotional, not practical reasons. However....
>
> OEM EVs really are cost effective. It is not just the difference in
> fuel cost, but that is a significant factor, especially since these
> costs go up every year. The real difference is drive system
> maintenance. There is none for the EV.
>
> No oil changes. No oil filter. No fuel filter. No tune ups. No air
> filter. No clutch. No catalytic converter. No exhaust system. No fuel
> injectors. No alternator. No starter. No EGR valve. No fan belt.
>
> Brakes on the Prius typically last the life of the car, and will
> likely do the same on an EV.
>
> By the time the dust settles, the total cost of ownership on an OEM
> EV will be the same and likely significantly less than an ICE car.
>
> Bill D.
>
> _______________________________________________
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Of course there is the looming pack replacement to consider as well. After 9 plus years and 170K miles on my Honda Insight I needed to replace the pack. I was able to do it for $500 by buying a pack off ebay and doing all the work myself. Having it replaced at a dealership likely would have cost $2000 - $3000. That's a lot to spend on maintenance for a car that is only worth $5000 - $6000. This is a 120v 6.5ahr NIMH pack The pack in a Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt is potentially much more expensive and an unknown percentage of them will need to be replaced at the owners expense at some time in their life. I can see where these type of concerns might turn many off.
However, having been an early adopter of hybrid technology I can say in my instance taking a chance definitely payed off in the long run. Here is the way it breaks down for me.
I bought my Honda Insight brand new in March of 2001 and paid $18,999. 2001 was the second year Insights were sold and the initial demand had disappeared so I was able to pick mine up for a couple thousand less then the first wave of buyers
To make the math simple I will use very round numbers which aren't 100% accurate but close enough for a good payback summary.
Insight lifetime mpg = 60Henry family fleet mpg excluding the Insight = 20Average price of gas $3 gallon.
Total miles driven 180000Total fuel consumed in Insight 3000 gallonsTotal spent on fuel for Insight $9000Amount which would have been spent on fuel for same mileage using other fleet vehicles 18000/20*3 = $27000Total savings in fuel from Insight $18000
So did I get a good payback out of the deal. To me it seems like I got the car for free
I expect over the long term owners of the new generation of EV's will will feel like they got excellent payback, but it is hard for people to see this up front, and there is some real risk involved, which I think falls in line with what the author of the article was stating. I did not see any anti-EV sentiments, only reasons why the new EVs may be a tough sale to the masses.
damon
> Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2010 21:28:02 -0700
> To: [email protected]
> From: [email protected]
> Subject: [EVDL] "Payback time" (was:Reaction to US News article)
>
> Folks select a car for emotional, not practical reasons. However....
>
> OEM EVs really are cost effective. It is not just the difference in
> fuel cost, but that is a significant factor, especially since these
> costs go up every year. The real difference is drive system
> maintenance. There is none for the EV.
>
> No oil changes. No oil filter. No fuel filter. No tune ups. No air
> filter. No clutch. No catalytic converter. No exhaust system. No fuel
> injectors. No alternator. No starter. No EGR valve. No fan belt.
>
> Brakes on the Prius typically last the life of the car, and will
> likely do the same on an EV.
>
> By the time the dust settles, the total cost of ownership on an OEM
> EV will be the same and likely significantly less than an ICE car.
>
> Bill D.
>
> _______________________________________________
> | REPLYING: address your message to [email protected] only.
> | Multiple-address or CCed messages may be rejected.
> | UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub
> | OTHER HELP: http://evdl.org/help/
> | OPTIONS: http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
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