Prius vs tesla..looking for input

So Tesla has the champ compared to the most efficient Toyota. Now apples to apples since you brought it up, how dose the Tesla fleet average compare to Toyota?

 

Fleet average? Probably not even a close race. They still sell a lot of gas hogs. I did not find a good source for the Toyota 2020 CAFE numbers.

But since we are talking about Toyota Fleet average... I'm not even sure how you convert "gallons per hour" for the Toyota Ponam-31 to something that can compare with a Tesla Performance S.

The Ponam-31. Made by Toyota.

 

About 15 years ago, I needed a new TV. I went to Walmart and got a good deal on a 25" CRT TV. 5 years later, when flat screen TVs dropped in price; I bought one and had to pay to dispose of the old CRT TV.

I think we're at that point with BEVs.

I'm not ready to pull the trigger on a new BEV, but I wouldn't spend $40,000 on an ICE either.

 

How many vehicles in your household?

 

My son has a Model 3 and I'm very impressed with it. That said, one can get two Prius Primes for the cost of one Model Y. I'm glad we have choices.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Easy access to free charging stations is an equalizer. Saw a Chrysler Pacifica plug-in on the other side of the parking-lot.

 

Why would free charging stations be an equalizer? I can see it offsetting the cost of a BEV, but ...

 

Of course it would be an equalizer. Could you imagine buying a Cadillac and getting a credit card for free gas whenever you needed it? Unfortunately, there are no Tesla charger stations in my county. I would have to drive 60 miles to the closest one. And I believe the only way to get free charging is to buy a Model S or X.

 

For folks like me who live two blocks from a supercharger, free charging for a year would actually be a godsend over an equivalent luxury vehicle that may get 30mpg on average since I do 45k a year worth of driving. There is a payback there. But if you are comparing a prius prime, you are really in the wrong ballpark as the prius prime is so much cheaper. A tesla would cost me 835 a month to own vs a prime is half that even accounting for the fuel difference. A tesla is not cheaper to own yet.

 

That's not a good comparison. If the availability and speed of the charging stations were comparable to gas stations then you can say that. I really don't think most Tesla would go out of their way to get free charging when they can conveniently charge at home. The ones that do might pay a lot for electricity, charging location is very convenient, or they drive a lot. I still have free charging with my LEAF but I would rather charge at home.

 

For me, that's a very good comparison. While free gas would be nice, I'd still be stuck with a design I don't care for, serviced by a dealer I don't like and with reliability problems. The free gas would not offset those points, so it's not an equalizer. It IS an incentive to buy something I don't really want.

That's an interesting point, and I have an anecdote that illustrates how FREE incentives promote certain behaviors.

Anecdote: Skip if already bored.
I've been interested in BEVs since I was a kid. Every few years for the last 50 years I'd run into someone with a BEV and I'd chat with them about their life with an EV. There was always one final thing, one obstacle that needed to be conquered. There were times when speed controllers were a problem. Or battery life. Or damage free charging. Or cogging. Or battery size... The list was constantly changing but there was always a list.

Fast forward to the current. A couple years back I was chatting with a Leaf "owner" who was charging his car at the local neighborhood grocery store at 5:30 PM on a Friday afternoon. He did not really have any complaints. The car worked well for him and it was free.
"A Company car?" I asked.
"No, I lease it for $275 a month." he replied.
Oh, so it's cheap. I thought,
But then he went on. "The state has a rebate for EVs, and that covers the lease payment. Then I come here every day after my commute and recharge it. The Feds and City subsidize the electricity. It's free. At the end of the lease I turn the car in and lease a new one. All I pay is depreciation and get a free 70 mile a day commute. I chat with my family in India or play video games on the phone while it charges."

He went on to say that most of the guys in his work group had a similar arrangement. Around that time my next door neighbor leased a Leaf for the same reasons. He only drove it to work. Never charged it at home. It was essentially free. As soon as the subsidy went away he turned the car in.

TLDR: Any single incentive might have created more BEV owners. The combination of incentives attracted a large number of people who could not have afforded to buy a BEV.

Dan

 

Wow, people with a BEV 50 years ago?

 

Yup. There were clubs in the 60s and 70s dedicated to rebuilding wrecks and junkers into perfectly usable EVs. Jet engine starter motors were often used. There were a lot of small cars that were converted. VW Rabbits, MG's, Ford Falcons, etc. I recall reading an excellent article on how to use a coffee can to construct a Pulse Width Modulation speed control.

Those were not the "good old days". A battery pack made up of golf cart batteries seldom lasted more than a couple years. Carbon brushes and high amp/low voltage wiring were common.

I still wanted one.

Dan

 

50 years ago I was still a motor head!

 

I have both Prius Prime and Model 3. As for your needs:

1) Prius Prime trunk space and vehicle is significantly smaller than M-Y or M-3. The hatch closes with an angle that significantly decreases capacity. Prime will not fit the necessities when you bring dog and baby. I have 3 wheel stroller that barely fits in the trunk. Once that stroller is there, it's basically no other space for other stuff. I also have a more mobile stroller but they tend to be longer. Again, this stroller barely fits horizontally in the Prime. So for space needs, the Prime will not be optimal if it's only 1 car family. The battery for the Prime sits way too high and takes way too much of the cargo space.

2) I have no reliability issues with my M-3. I think I brought it in for USB hub and a child hook sharp edge under warranty. Dec 2018 build. Mostly I see is fit and finish for Tesla. Again, it's the luck of the draw. Tesla will fix any blatant and obvious workmanship aspects of the car. You can always reject a delivery if you spotted something that doesn't sit well with you.

3) Driving is no comparison. Tesla gives you much more pleasure and excitement than Prime. Instant 350+ ft-lb torque. vs the Prime crawl. Of course, you also know that Tesla continually updates its vehicles through software updates bringing you potential new features and entertainment. I had countless new features added since ownership 2 years ago. Prime just sit at the end of the line for the features of that year. No further improvements.

If you're looking for plug-in hybrid then also consider Rav4 Prime. Cost less than M-Y and provides you the storage needs. But I read USA only getting like 600 or 800 Rav4 Prime or so, very limited quantities.

 

You sound very much like a younger me
Enjoy your Model Y!

 

I wanted to purchase a Tesla BEFORE I got my PP. I made the right choice. I read Consumer Reports faithfully and this month is the issue that details all the good/bad with car models. I was shocked to see so many "bad" issues with Teslas.

 

I don't think I'd buy a car without a proper dealership network.

 

I prefer to choose which politicians I support