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mtvhike

EV selection problem

3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago

I wish to get a new EV, but am having a problem to find one which meets or approaches my needs:

1. It has to be actually available.

2. I live in the mountains and need to have good ground clearance.

3. It needs to be 4WD or, at least AWD (what's the practical difference?).

4. It needs to have a spare tire, or, at least, space to put one.

5. It needs to be serviceable locally. That leaves out Tesla. In my town there are the Big3 dealers, but no others. The Korean and Japanese dealers are about 45 minutes away, and that's OK. The European ones are a ferry ride away.

The Ford F150 Lightning would be ok, but neither SHWMBO nor I want a pickup. Maybe if Ford came out with the Explorer on this platform, but then there is condition #1.


Also, I need to get a charger, at least Level2, but can't find any under $600 and that's an Internet sale.

Comments (12)

  • 3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Since it sounds like you are only willing to buy from one of the Big Three manufacturers, that limits your choices. I will point out that electric vehicles don't really require "servicing" in the conventional sense unless there is something wrong with them. I know someone who has put over 100K miles on his Tesla in the last 5 years and has yet to have anything major happen that required "servicing." His servicing has been limited to new tires and new air filters. Here is what the Tesla manual recommends for servicing:

    Your vehicle should generally be serviced on an as-needed basis. However, Tesla recommends the following maintenance items and intervals, as applicable to your vehicle, to ensure continued reliability and efficiency of your Model 3.

    For more do-it-yourself maintenance procedures and information, see https://www.tesla.com/support/do-it-yourself-guides.

    For more information on vehicle alerts, see Troubleshooting Alerts.

    • Brake fluid health check every 2 years (replace if necessary).
    • A/C desiccant bag replacement every 6 years.
    • Cabin air filter replacement every 2 years.
    • Clean and lubricate brake calipers every year or 12,500 miles (20,000 km) if in an area where roads are salted during winter
    • Rotate tires every 6,250 miles (10,000 km) or if tread depth difference is 2/32 in (1.5 mm) or greater, whichever comes first

    Recalls typically are done using software updates via wifi. Tesla also has mobile servicing, so you may want to check that out before writing them off. But you or your local mechanic should be able to handle anything routine in the list above.

    As for level 2 charging, there is no reason to pay that kind of money as there is no need for a fancy wall connector for a number of vehicles. If you have a dryer circuit or other 240V outlet (like for a shop) close to where you park, you can plug in to that. If you need to have a dedicated circuit, you buy a 240V receptacle and breaker and the wire to run between the two. In my case I had a circuit I no longer needed that was wired to a Jacuzzi I removed in a remodel. I ran the wire to a convenient location in my garage and hooked it up to an industrial grade 240V receptacle. Total cost for my level 2 charging: $20 for parts plus my time. Of course, if you need an electrician to do the work, the same install might be $1000 where I live. I will also point out that a few manufacturers include a level two charging device with the car at no extra cost.

  • 3 years ago

    In the mountains? Toyota RAV4 Prime ($43K+) - Plug-in hybrid - In CR's testing, would run 40 miles on battery only. You won't be stuck because it you ran out of charge. You'll have to decide whether it's really worth $11K+ over the RAV4 Hybrid ($32K+).

    (cars.com displays 75 new and used RAV4 Primes available within 100 miles of zip code 20009).

  • 3 years ago

    Thank you both for your comments.


    Kudzu, I'm not limited to American vehicles, it's just that others have a higher bar. I appreciate your comment about servicing, and it calms me a little. Regarding your comment about charging, as I understand it, Level2 charging requires a "charger" (EVSE?) AFTER the requisite 240V high current line is installed. Many of the ads assume I have a dryer receptacle nearby, which I don't. However, I have put in a 240V line on a 50A breaker in my garage. I just need to find the EVSE, which are all $550 or more, and the advertisements and companies' links give no installation instructions. If you can recommend one, please let me know.


    Wdcruise, I've tried to find the RAV4 prime and all the dealers near me (within 200 miles) have a 12-month waiting list.


    Right now, I'm considering the Hyundai Ioniq5, the new Subaru Solterra, and the Chevy Bolt EUV, but they all have negatives including no spare tire (Item 4).

  • 3 years ago

    It would be a rare EV to come with a spare because of the weight penalty, most folks who need one just put an aftermarket one in the back. Every car I know of comes with an adapter that plugs into a NEMA 14-50 outlet, no wall box needed. However, the outlet now requres a GFCI breaker and many of us have found that by the time you pay for the outlet and breaker the hard wired wall charger (which has built-in GFCI) is about the same price to install. The Tesla one, the only one I'm familiar with, is $425 and is very convenient to use.

    For longer trips the charging speed and supercharger network makes the Tesla almost a no-brainer, but for local use and given your other requirements I think I'd be looking at a plug-in hybrid.

  • 3 years ago

    I'm picky about the spare (or, at least, a "donut") because last year I hit a piece of lumber on the interstate and destroyed the tire so the inclluded pump wouldn't work. I tried calling AAA but no cell service. A state trooper pulled up and called a local, non-AAA garage, who came and rescued me.

    I recently test-drove the Hyundai Ionic 5 and asked about a charger and all they supply is a 110V Level 1 one. A friend who has the older Bolt says that Chevrolet supplied a level 2 one, but that was two years ago.

    I'm thinking about getting the Tesla one - I already have the wiring in.

  • 3 years ago

    "Wdcruise, I've tried to find the RAV4 prime and all the dealers near me (within 200 miles) have a 12-month waiting list."

    Yeah, they're not evenly distributed around the country. You'd have to take a flight, pick it up and drive it home...once.


    "All Bolt EUVs come with a 65.0-kWh battery pack that the EPA estimates will provide 247 miles of range. During our 75-mph highway test, the 2022 Bolt EUV managed 190 miles of range... The SUV is also capable of DC fast charging, which Chevy says can provide up to 95 miles of range in just 30 minutes." -- https://www.caranddriver.com/chevrolet/bolt-euv

    You'd have to stand around for 1-1/4 hours to fully charge this thing to go <200 miles! Does it get cold where you live?

  • 3 years ago

    mtvhike- Regarding needing and paying for a special device for Level 2 charging, I could have been clearer. There are a number of approaches that are manufacturer dependent. For example, my Tesla charging cable plugs into a $40 adapter that plugs into the receptacle; no charging device needed. My friend's Chevy Bolt EUV came with a combined Level 1 and 2 charging device, and Chevy also pays for the Level 2 receptacle install at your home. Other manufacturers do require some type of extra cost charging station. And some may offer options like Chevy or Tesla that don't involve significant extra expenses. There are so many options out there, I can't keep track.

    But if you end up getting a vehicle that needs a charging station, I've heard that Lectron is well-regarded, and they have Level 2 charging stations that you can get for as little as $320 on Amazon.

  • 3 years ago

    We have a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq plug-in hybrid. Before we purchased I asked if the 110V cord could be used regularly for charging. They said yes, but after purchase I discovered that the manual says No. Our cord overheated during charging once (had auto shutoff thankfully) so we had a charger installed. Then the service department told us that overheating of the plug of the cord was why it shouldn’t be used routinely.

    Our Ioniq needed a new battery (the 12V, not the big ones used for driving the car) and it was not something the dealer had in stock. It was a special battery so not easily available at a car parts store. It took a few days to get it. The dealer admitted they sometimes had trouble getting Hyundai parts from Korea, so depending on where in the country you are that could be an issue.

  • 3 years ago

    wdcruise - does it get cold where I live? Yesterday it was below zero all day! Fahrenheit. But, I digress. I plan to charge at home, probably not use this car for long trips in the winter. I also have a Volvo XC70 for long trips. Also looking at the Volvo EX90, even though the dealer is 2 hours away.

  • 3 years ago

    "Also looking at the Volvo EX90..."

    $80K. Sheesh.

  • 3 years ago

    @Mtvhike My local utility company has a generous rebate program for level 2 chargers and for the electrical work that may be needed. Have you checked with yours? Awaiting my Ariya…

  • 3 years ago

    I believe my local utility company does, as well as NY State. It seems, however, that it only applies if I have it "professionally installed" and it's too late for that, as I have already run the circuits to a 4" box to which I plan to hard wire the EVSE, once I choose one.

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