A transportation planner told me he doesn’t emphasize electric vehicles because they are primarily for the rich.
And I must be Donald Trump.
The rich?
Electric cars are in the high $20,000s to mid $30,000 range. For example, the MSRP on a Chevrolet Spark EV is $27,645. The popular Nissan Leaf MSRP is $29,860.
What he and others don’t know is that buyers get an immediate $7,500 from the federal government for an electric car or a plug-in electric. My 2013 Chevrolet Volt, for example, gets about 40 miles per charge but has a small, 9.5-gallon gasoline engine to increase the range to about 380 miles on a charge+tank. That’s why I’m able to drive to San Diego next weekend without a bout of range anxiety.
See, the transportation planner was barking up the wrong tree. With the federal rebate, plus a state rebate of $1,500 to $2,500 or more, the price of an EV or a plug-in extended range electric/gasoline car is reasonable, at times, less than a gasoline-powered car.
That guy must’ve been thinking about Elon Musk’s first Tesla car, the Model S, which can’t go out the showroom door for less than $80,000, yet its range is 253 miles per charge.
In comparison, the MSRP for a Ford F-150 Truck, one of the most popular selling cars in America, is close, at $25,720. A 2015 Toyota Tundra starts at $28,510. How many does that thing seat?
The price of an EV or plug-in also doesn’t count how much the owner saves by not going to the gas station or going for fill-ups a lot less. And by not going for servicing. There is virtually nothing to service except for the tires.
And I have a 100,000-mile warranty on the battery system.
In two years of owning a Volt, I’ve spent $80 on repair and maintenance. No, correction, $91. I forgot the $11 I spent to have a guy on Irwindale Avenue plug a hole in the front driver’s side tire because I ran over a nail.
That’s why I am flummoxed by the folks at Kia Motors, who just released its new Kia Soul EV. I’ve not seen a single press release on the new Soul EV. And I certainly haven’t seen any cute hamsters crawling around the cabin, nor dancing on the plug.
So after reading some glowing reviews in Car and Driver and Consumer Reports, I made an appointment to test drive the Kia Soul EV.
I found a dealer in Glendale that had three on the lot. I made an appointment with Andy for 5:30 p.m. on a recent weekday. I get there and Andy’s busy selling a car to a middle-aged couple. I wander in and out of his cubicle, and after 20 minutes, he notices me.
“Here’s the keys. Go ahead and check it out.”
Has an informative dash. The reviews said it gets 93 miles per charge. Dash reading says 92 miles. I play the radio, turn on the air. The back seats three. Wow, the car seats five. One more than my Volt, I noted.
I snapped a bunch of photos and messaged them to my wife, Karen. She wants a car with a green or white sticker so she can ride the carpool lane. That is another reason for promoting EVs. The sticker! I know several people who buy these cars just to ride the carpool lanes solo.
Finally, Andy sends Sam out to give me my test drive. The car felt peppy. Tight handling. The 210-pound per foot of instant torque really moves. I convinced Sam: Let me air her out on the freeway. I pass several cars on the 2 Freeway, reaching 77 mph easily.
I asked if I could charge it up back at the dealer. He showed me where to plug in the Level 2 charger. Wrong. That was the fast-charge port.
Once again, I know more about EVs than the salesmen. If only there was an All-EV dealer with all EVs on one lot. Maybe then they’d get the promotion they deserve. Or at least a salesperson who knows this emerging market.
But, hey, that’s just me. BTW, the Kia Soul EV now has an online ad showing the price, $33,700 MSRP = $7,500 federal tax credit = starting as low as $26,200.
They’re learning.
