Quote:
Originally Posted by cblandin
I agree with Tom's comments above, and I think this is why electric will take off...it is simply a better DRIVING experience. EVs get caught up in all the political, environmental, and cost savings rhetoric, but, at the end of the day people buy CARS for how well they work as CARS. The tech is currently a bit pricey and has limitations, but that's temporary. The tech will improve, prices will come down, and adoption will become the norm simply because it makes for a nicer "car". One key to my assumption is where the early adopters are coming from. Sure some want to save the world, make a political statement, etc. BUT many are the "car guys" (like me, and most of us on these forums), and believe me, we are often as surprised as anyone that we are here in the EV space! I went from my M5 to a Volt. A buddy of mine traded his M5 for Caddy CTS-V...and is now getting a Focus Electric. Several owners on the Volt forums came from BMWs and while their initial interest was often peaked by the idea of saving money or HOV lane access, it is the driving that has surprised them. Heck, one guy traded his Jag in for one...and a Year or so later he traded in his CTS-V for a second one. The times they are a changin'...
|
If you look for my other posts in this i Forum, you'll see I've made good arguments for the Volt. If I had a commute that met the intended performance envelope of the Volt, I'd get one in a heartbeat. I test drove one in late 2012 after all the Fox News bashing of it in an effort to make it look like a greencar from the Obama administration; us car guys know GM started development on the Volt over 15 years ago when Obama wasn't yet even in the Senate. As a single vehicle that one can own that is both an EV and a car without range limitations, to me, right now it's the best vehicle of choice for a Suburbanite.
But I slightly disagree with Tom's statements because I think most people buy a car that meets their needs, and one they enjoy to drive and can afford. Driving an EV is an eye opening experience as mine was when I drove the Volt; but with my commute, it's not the most economical choice. I've done extensive calculations on both the Volt and the Tesla S to fit my commute, which is unique to say the least, but not terribly uncommon, the numbers just don't work out. A reasonably priced, fuel efficient, sedan still beats both the Volt and Tesla when total ownership costs are considered. The high purchase price has been one of the negatives put against the Volt, but on a BMW i3 Forum, this point is rarely made. To be honest regarding the environment, EV owners also need to accept that battery manufacture and disposal has its own impact on the environment and world political stage (lithium production) and that most electricity (in the US at least) is not produced without some carbon emissions. From what I've researched, the payback on EVs is quite high and dependent upon battery longevity. EV battery systems are warranted anywhere between 80,000 - 120,000 miles, which in most instances is below the payback period for the vehicle price differential at current fuel prices.
With statements such as "Welcome to the future" and "Electronaut" and "spaceship", it got a bit thick for me; it's good to deal in reality once and awhile. I am happy for the OP and his ownership of the i3; it has obviously made him very happy, which is most of the point of a car purchase in the beginning.