Electric vehicle calculation

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Has anyone done the calculation when it's worth buying an electric vehicle? What made you do it? And which model and make did you buy? Did you buy new or used? Do you think that you've saved money doing it or has it been more of an environmental thing or just liking a new car thing? Do you see yourself keeping the electric vehicle forever?

I ask because no matter how I cut it I can't justify a tesla. I can however justify a used nissan leaf or chevy bolt. We aren't driving much so now it's pretty much a moot point. I don't even know why we have two cars but the minivan is still awesome for all the home stuff we are doing. But just looking more long term. I'm trying to figure out how the financial calculations for buying an electric vehicle work.

[bjl584]

Not lately, but I did do a paper on buying a Prius back in Grad School. 12ish years ago.

I don't remember all the details, but I think that it worked out to something like I'd have to keep the car for 10 years and put 120K miles on it for it to break even with a gasoline equivalent after factoring in the premium you pay for it versus a normal 4 cylinder sedan.

All electric vehicles didn't really exist then, so IDK.
Tesla's are pretty pricey.
Seems more like a luxury purchase than something that would ever make financial sense.

[kork13]

Seems more like a luxury purchase than something that would ever make financial sense.

Agreed. You don't buy a Tesla because it's gonna save you money. You buy it because it's a nicely designed car (depending on your tastes), or because you believe it's gonna help the environment (arguable logic vis-a-vis the batteries), or because it's simply a fun car to drive (which it is).

[Singuy]

Depends on your use case but currently with cheap gas, the cost difference between a leaf vs a regular car is not all that great ROI. However, you may not find a car as cheap used on a leaf vs a combustion engine car with the same features/miles so the equation is already in your favor when you signed over your money. Add that to lower maintenance cost and the absolute joy of never wasting time at a gas station, I say it's definitely worth a look. The depreciation on those cars are savage so it probably already make financial sense day one.

[Singuy]

Agreed. You don't buy a Tesla because it's gonna save you money. You buy it because it's a nicely designed car (depending on your tastes), or because you believe it's gonna help the environment (arguable logic vis-a-vis the batteries), or because it's simply a fun car to drive (which it is).

All though true that you are not going to save money with a Tesla, it is however the least bad choice in the premium/luxury brand market. Tesla model 3 depreciates less than a Lexus which is incredible, making the best financial sense...out of a bunch of bad financial decisions..lol.

[scfr]

I got the news today that DH is a Tesla fan. And here I thought he was thinking about a Prius Prime for his next vehicle. I decided to visit the Tesla web site. First thing I noticed? The models: S3XY ... subtle (NOT).

[disneysteve]

I got the news today that DH is a Tesla fan. And here I thought he was thinking about a Prius Prime for his next vehicle. I decided to visit the Tesla web site. First thing I noticed? The models: S3XY ... subtle (NOT).

That's a lot better than the car advertised in Robocop: the 6000 SUX.

[scfr]

That's a lot better than the car advertised in Robocop: the 6000 SUX.

And the name of the corporation was some set of letters that spelled COP unscrambled, right?

[scfr]

And the name of the corporation was some set of letters that spelled COP unscrambled, right?

Yea ... Googled it. Omni Consumer Products (referred to as OCP in the movie if I remember correctly).

[Singuy]

I got the news today that DH is a Tesla fan. And here I thought he was thinking about a Prius Prime for his next vehicle. I decided to visit the Tesla web site. First thing I noticed? The models: S3XY ... subtle (NOT).

LoL

S
3
X
Y
CyberTruck
ATV
Roadster
Semi

Elon is a massive troll and it's embedded into the DNA of Tesla. Where else can you buy short shorts(a dig on short sellers) for $69.420 (not only are we talking about childish sexual orientations and smoking weed, but his birthday is literally 69 days from April 20th) or have farts named "the falcon heavy" as an Easter egg in your car? One of the reason for his cult following and pure hatred toward him. He is like the Joker, "why so serious?".