What do you think, evergreen or deciduous? Would you pay (after tax incentives) $20 - $25k for a small car that never needs a drop of gas, but has just a 100-mile range and has to be plugged in at night?



Could you live with it as your sole vehicle? Could you hack dealing with "range anxiety"?

In a heart beat. Currently I drive 5 miles round trip to work. The job I' looking at is 50 miles round trip. If I take a road trip I'll rent a car. I cannot remember the last time I drove more than 100 miles in a day.

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Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

I'd buy it.. My daily commute is under 100 miles. But when electric cars get into the 2-300 range I'd seriously consider.

as far as range anxiety I think the manufactures of these cars need to offer some sort of range extending trailer. It could work like the chevy volt does but use a diesel instead and not suck like the volt.

In reality, it's more like a potential third or forth vehicle.

I wouldn't mind this as a second vehicle, but not very apartment-complex friendly, which is where a lot of citygoers live. Also, think about traffic...that 100 mile range might become a problem in 10 miles of stop and go (a typical commute from my place to center city Philly) which can take an hour of slow rolling, sudden stops, harsh acceleration, etc. Great concept for the audience it fits though!

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Battery life is affected by cold - the heater/defroster is electric - throw in a rush hour fender-bender on the Schuylkill...

I think it would be a great 2nd car for my lifestyle. The only concern would be battery replacement.

Also, the rapid charging station they push on you is a total racket. They contracted an aerospace company to do the installs exclusively. They don't sell the equipment separately and they don't let you choose your own licensed electrician. Total out the door is around $2400 for about $700 worth of equipment.

What they don't say is that the car plugs in directly to an outlet and will charge just fine over night on it's own.

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-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

Would you buy it if it's cost was not subsidized?

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

i typically drive over 200 miles a day so it ain't happenin here.

useless toy. if I would/could use an electric car, I'd get one of the hyper golf cart based cars like the ones built in OK & TX. No way I'd depend on one for day to day commuting.
I prefer my '62 Dodge Powerwagon....

Price-wise, it's doubtful. I could get by with one for me alone, there's no way the Mrs. could ever get away with anything smaller than a minivan (probably really needs a full size van or Suburban), so as a 2nd vehicle it would work. I do less than 50 miles/day between my commute, daily errands and dropping some kid(s), somewhere(s), sometime(s) for something(s). I could get away with a 4-seater GEM if it they were street legal here.

Definitely no.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I expect to see a few of them on the side of the road, discharged.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

I wouldn't even consider one until/unless the fuel savings offset the price difference from a conventional car. For about $5000 I can buy a perfectly good used small car that would give reliable service for a short commute. You would need to save a lot of fuel to justify a $30K economy car with a limited range. Some people will buy them and they will eventually get to the point where they are cost competitive for a larger number of people.

I think that they may actually be a good used car value, particularly if upcoming electric vehicles offer significantly improved range. A second-generation Leaf that offers a 200-mile range will knock the stuffing out of the resale of a first-gen Leaf.

Just don't have your name on the title when the battery pack goes fzzzt...

Yup, it might be worth considering when the used price hits the $5-10K range (assuming battery life isn't a major issue).