You are undoubtedly NOT reading this at 0500 on Monday the 2nd of September (as is sometimes the advertised regular drop of these little balls of wonder) because at 0500 it had not been written.
EV's when you have the ability to charge at home are a slam dunk. You will wonder why you did not do it years ago. As for your EV model, they are a little like buying a computer. There is always something better over the horizon that never quite gets here. If you have looked at a Lucid, then go for it. They will be here in ten years. The PIF is huge and they are not going to disappear. Also the tech is revolutionary instead of just evolutionary. The biggest con right now with Lucid is a mediocre ADAS. But Lucid has been updating it over the air, and the updates are good.
If you just want a car that will work and drive luxuriously and every time a Tesla driver gets it they will say "oy yes, that is what a luxury car feels like", then go with the Mercedes or BMW. They just drive really well. The Germans did not abandon luxury for an iPad tablet.
For all of these, just look at used or the lease that you suggested. The depreciation is stunning because the battery tech just keeps getting better. Your only issue with a lease will be that you are going to love the car and not want to give it up. Also the miles. Pay for extra miles. You are going to want to drive the car. Lucid has some pretty nice leases right now.
Don't worry about any sort of NACS CCS discussion. It is all smoke and mirrors. For the next ten years there will be adapters required to go both ways. So what.
Just do it. You will wonder why you did not earlier. Never going to a gas station again is quite a moment of realization. You just wake up and your car is ready.
A close Navy friend from early Navy days made the same calculation and is leasing a Lucid Air. He. Loves. It. There are some good leasing deals now and they also have an SUV on the way that will be interesting, I think.
EV valuations are pretty unstable right now, other than the overall steep downhill part. You lose a lot through ownership. Calculate the decline on a per diem basis and you'll be unhappy. Why be unhappy? Leasing might be the more conservative approach. Personally, I would steer clear of an EV built by a company that might not be around when you need them. MB will not evaporate. Lucid may very well. As for what someone in the car next to you thinks about what you're driving, that's not your problem. It's theirs.
Simple, question: When the next Hurricane goes thru and 1) you may want to leave and there's flooding, or 2) the power is out for 3 days, Do you want to be dependent on an EV? Save having your own in house power station (Question to The Generac folks: Will it charge an EV fully? and what's left after that?) I wouldn't take that emergency driven risk., for a good while. Net; Hybrids are fine if you want to play the electrical card, else Just Say No to the extra half ton the computer on wheels, is. Final historical and mental image for the Naval inclined... remember the Ark Royal in Nov 1941, she couldn't get power to her Electrical only Pumps, and sank not that far from Gibraltar... Food for thought
If the power is out for three days after a hurricane, guess what else is not working? Gas stations. So the Lucid only got to a 50% charge before the power went out? It will be range limited to 200 miles. That is not a real problem.
Hybrids are the worst of both worlds. Avoid them like the plague unless you have to tow.
The Ark Royal another case of Swiss Cheese accidents. If you think that electric water pumps were the only reason it sank you are ignoring all of the other things that had to occur to finally sink the luckiest ship in the theater.
I would not allow a 1941 Damage Control accident dissuade me from a modern BEV anymore that I would allow electrical problems on an F-4 in 1967 dissuade me from building aircraft carriers.
1. If you replace your prior vehicle with a newer version: yes, you could upgrade that engine, and maybe that driving experience will be more than enough to distract you from the interior?
2. I’m a market-guy, not a mandate-guy. If anyone wants to buy an EV, I’m fine with that. But be aware that the carbon footprint of an EV is HUGE due to the mining/refining/manufacturing of all the rare earth materials EVs require (which mostly come from China) - the carbon-cost of manufacturing a new ICE vehicle is much, much lower. An EV doesn’t recuperate those initial carbon costs until approximately 12 years of ownership based on “normal” driving. (before then your EV battery will need to be replaced)
3. If you plan on trading in your EV in a few years, it won’t give you very much in the way of trade-in value (especially compared to an ICE or hybrid vehicle) . . . this could argue for leasing.
4. The other factor regarding EVs is electricity. Our current grid is both undersized and fragile. The demand for grid capacity will need to double in the near-term to supply the rapidly expanding data centers necessary to support AI (data centers are enormous electricity hogs). Wind and solar have no ability to meet that need (ever) - we’ll continue to utilize fossil and we’ll definitely need to get back to nuclear. Businesses are rapidly adopting AI for both competitive and for talent/labor-shortage reasons, and thus widespread implementation of AI will crowd out any meaningful adoption of EVs due to limited grid capacity. Expansion of the grid will cost a lot of money (money we don’t have due to insane deficits and national debt) . . . so expect the kwh costs to go way up.
5. If it were me, I’d go buy a 1968 Camaro Z/28 with a four speed manual and enjoy the drive every day . . . but that’s just me.
This blog generally has incredibly thoughtful commentary. These arguments read like big oils ten years ago.
Big thumbs up to nuclear. But everything else is fear mongering.
Some more contemporary data:
"An average EV produced in the U.S. in 2023 will close the gap in about 2.2 years or 25,000 miles, according to analysis released Monday by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
After that, electric vehicles emit significantly less CO2 than internal combustion vehicles, particularly when considering how long a typical car stays in service. And the advantage likely will increase as electric generation becomes cleaner, the paper said."
The grid is not static any longer. It is modernizing. In the sseventies they claimed it would not survive air conditioning in every home. Modernizing the grid is good. Not bad. Regardless of your thoughts on EV's.
I leased a Model 3 last June. A lot I like, some definite dislikes. The car handles well, simple forward and reverse, comfortable up front. It is not very intuitive. Try turning on the a/c while driving, or even the radio. Do that while on a curve. Not very easy. Good luck in your decision.
Wonder Wife has a Tesla. She loves it. I won't drive it till she puts a ding in it. It is perfect for her as we live at the halfway spot between the Saratoga grand daughter and the cabin at Donner Lake. The 3 places have 220v charging. She hates driving with the crazies in the Bay Area so when possible she flys her 172 to Reed Hillview airport. Flights are limited by weather as he doesn't do IFR.
If battery tech makes another Great Leap Forward, EV's will rule the road.
Loved your story about meeting your wife to be. Take your story to the BBC as they are asking viewers to send in their meetup stories. I sent in mine.
I met my late wife when I was the needed 4th in a group date. I joined because a classmate asked me. I did it as a favor to him and forgot about it till he called and said Linda would like you to call. That is how life happens. If anyone was interested I will tell how I met my wonder wife.
Outside of a wreck, I’ll have my 2018 till almost 2040 and I’m grateful for it. An EV would definitely fit my use case (trips less than 20 miles a couple times a week). The tech is changing rapidly and the maintenance and use cost difference is negligible given how little I drive. In 15 years who knows.
Personally, I need the truck seating position. Driving my wife’s car, a Lexus RX “suv”, even the short trips I make cause my foot to hurt.
IDK -- I had a Camry Hybrid for 12 years before I traded it in on an ICE Camry - not quite a luxe MB, but I had no problems with the hybrid drive - it actually had some good pickup .. when I traded it in - the battery pack was still charging fine at the 10 year mark .. granted I only drove 10-15 miles a day since the day job was all within the local area - Columbia / Laurel .. I don't know what my next one will be - even though our governor thinks he can mandate only sales of EVs ..
EV's when you have the ability to charge at home are a slam dunk. You will wonder why you did not do it years ago. As for your EV model, they are a little like buying a computer. There is always something better over the horizon that never quite gets here. If you have looked at a Lucid, then go for it. They will be here in ten years. The PIF is huge and they are not going to disappear. Also the tech is revolutionary instead of just evolutionary. The biggest con right now with Lucid is a mediocre ADAS. But Lucid has been updating it over the air, and the updates are good.
If you just want a car that will work and drive luxuriously and every time a Tesla driver gets it they will say "oy yes, that is what a luxury car feels like", then go with the Mercedes or BMW. They just drive really well. The Germans did not abandon luxury for an iPad tablet.
For all of these, just look at used or the lease that you suggested. The depreciation is stunning because the battery tech just keeps getting better. Your only issue with a lease will be that you are going to love the car and not want to give it up. Also the miles. Pay for extra miles. You are going to want to drive the car. Lucid has some pretty nice leases right now.
Don't worry about any sort of NACS CCS discussion. It is all smoke and mirrors. For the next ten years there will be adapters required to go both ways. So what.
Just do it. You will wonder why you did not earlier. Never going to a gas station again is quite a moment of realization. You just wake up and your car is ready.
A close Navy friend from early Navy days made the same calculation and is leasing a Lucid Air. He. Loves. It. There are some good leasing deals now and they also have an SUV on the way that will be interesting, I think.
EV valuations are pretty unstable right now, other than the overall steep downhill part. You lose a lot through ownership. Calculate the decline on a per diem basis and you'll be unhappy. Why be unhappy? Leasing might be the more conservative approach. Personally, I would steer clear of an EV built by a company that might not be around when you need them. MB will not evaporate. Lucid may very well. As for what someone in the car next to you thinks about what you're driving, that's not your problem. It's theirs.
Simple, question: When the next Hurricane goes thru and 1) you may want to leave and there's flooding, or 2) the power is out for 3 days, Do you want to be dependent on an EV? Save having your own in house power station (Question to The Generac folks: Will it charge an EV fully? and what's left after that?) I wouldn't take that emergency driven risk., for a good while. Net; Hybrids are fine if you want to play the electrical card, else Just Say No to the extra half ton the computer on wheels, is. Final historical and mental image for the Naval inclined... remember the Ark Royal in Nov 1941, she couldn't get power to her Electrical only Pumps, and sank not that far from Gibraltar... Food for thought
If the power is out for three days after a hurricane, guess what else is not working? Gas stations. So the Lucid only got to a 50% charge before the power went out? It will be range limited to 200 miles. That is not a real problem.
Hybrids are the worst of both worlds. Avoid them like the plague unless you have to tow.
The Ark Royal another case of Swiss Cheese accidents. If you think that electric water pumps were the only reason it sank you are ignoring all of the other things that had to occur to finally sink the luckiest ship in the theater.
I would not allow a 1941 Damage Control accident dissuade me from a modern BEV anymore that I would allow electrical problems on an F-4 in 1967 dissuade me from building aircraft carriers.
Some thoughts:
1. If you replace your prior vehicle with a newer version: yes, you could upgrade that engine, and maybe that driving experience will be more than enough to distract you from the interior?
2. I’m a market-guy, not a mandate-guy. If anyone wants to buy an EV, I’m fine with that. But be aware that the carbon footprint of an EV is HUGE due to the mining/refining/manufacturing of all the rare earth materials EVs require (which mostly come from China) - the carbon-cost of manufacturing a new ICE vehicle is much, much lower. An EV doesn’t recuperate those initial carbon costs until approximately 12 years of ownership based on “normal” driving. (before then your EV battery will need to be replaced)
3. If you plan on trading in your EV in a few years, it won’t give you very much in the way of trade-in value (especially compared to an ICE or hybrid vehicle) . . . this could argue for leasing.
4. The other factor regarding EVs is electricity. Our current grid is both undersized and fragile. The demand for grid capacity will need to double in the near-term to supply the rapidly expanding data centers necessary to support AI (data centers are enormous electricity hogs). Wind and solar have no ability to meet that need (ever) - we’ll continue to utilize fossil and we’ll definitely need to get back to nuclear. Businesses are rapidly adopting AI for both competitive and for talent/labor-shortage reasons, and thus widespread implementation of AI will crowd out any meaningful adoption of EVs due to limited grid capacity. Expansion of the grid will cost a lot of money (money we don’t have due to insane deficits and national debt) . . . so expect the kwh costs to go way up.
5. If it were me, I’d go buy a 1968 Camaro Z/28 with a four speed manual and enjoy the drive every day . . . but that’s just me.
This blog generally has incredibly thoughtful commentary. These arguments read like big oils ten years ago.
Big thumbs up to nuclear. But everything else is fear mongering.
Some more contemporary data:
"An average EV produced in the U.S. in 2023 will close the gap in about 2.2 years or 25,000 miles, according to analysis released Monday by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
After that, electric vehicles emit significantly less CO2 than internal combustion vehicles, particularly when considering how long a typical car stays in service. And the advantage likely will increase as electric generation becomes cleaner, the paper said."
The grid is not static any longer. It is modernizing. In the sseventies they claimed it would not survive air conditioning in every home. Modernizing the grid is good. Not bad. Regardless of your thoughts on EV's.
I leased a Model 3 last June. A lot I like, some definite dislikes. The car handles well, simple forward and reverse, comfortable up front. It is not very intuitive. Try turning on the a/c while driving, or even the radio. Do that while on a curve. Not very easy. Good luck in your decision.
Wonder Wife has a Tesla. She loves it. I won't drive it till she puts a ding in it. It is perfect for her as we live at the halfway spot between the Saratoga grand daughter and the cabin at Donner Lake. The 3 places have 220v charging. She hates driving with the crazies in the Bay Area so when possible she flys her 172 to Reed Hillview airport. Flights are limited by weather as he doesn't do IFR.
If battery tech makes another Great Leap Forward, EV's will rule the road.
Loved your story about meeting your wife to be. Take your story to the BBC as they are asking viewers to send in their meetup stories. I sent in mine.
I met my late wife when I was the needed 4th in a group date. I joined because a classmate asked me. I did it as a favor to him and forgot about it till he called and said Linda would like you to call. That is how life happens. If anyone was interested I will tell how I met my wonder wife.
Outside of a wreck, I’ll have my 2018 till almost 2040 and I’m grateful for it. An EV would definitely fit my use case (trips less than 20 miles a couple times a week). The tech is changing rapidly and the maintenance and use cost difference is negligible given how little I drive. In 15 years who knows.
Personally, I need the truck seating position. Driving my wife’s car, a Lexus RX “suv”, even the short trips I make cause my foot to hurt.
Buy a hybrid, duh. Run mostly electric, but have a gas engine for those really long trips.
And have a car that does two things poorly rather than one thing superbly? Duh.
The hybrids are fine - it’s basically an EV that carries its own generator around. My old Prius (since passed to my son) is a workhorse.
You might appreciate the Cadillac Lyriq - it’s a luxury sedan EV.
IDK -- I had a Camry Hybrid for 12 years before I traded it in on an ICE Camry - not quite a luxe MB, but I had no problems with the hybrid drive - it actually had some good pickup .. when I traded it in - the battery pack was still charging fine at the 10 year mark .. granted I only drove 10-15 miles a day since the day job was all within the local area - Columbia / Laurel .. I don't know what my next one will be - even though our governor thinks he can mandate only sales of EVs ..
Lucid is a terrific machine; super fun to drive, you’ll enjoy