Featured I'm A Gas Car Fan. Here's Why I Love My First EV

For us, it's all down to this one.

If I exclude depreciation, each of our cars are costing us around $2,200 per year. That's energy, insurance (full coverage plus extras), maintenance, tires, batteries, air fresheners, blinker fluid, everything.

I hear some EV owners are spending $2,200 a year on insurance alone.

 

Very possible, idk.
Our new bolt and hycam have similar msrp and are about $1,200. Each for annual insurance

 

I was quoted around $2,200 per year for insurance on a new RWD Tesla Model Y, from three different insurance companies. I was quoted even more for a 12-year-old Tesla Model S.

If there is nothing that stands out as "Buy me!" to my liking then the only things that count are does it get me from A to B?, safety and modern emissions for as little money as possible, which naturally includes being reliable.

Yes there are little things that I like about my car and things I would like that other cars have. But if it's $500 more to get the car with the satellite radio, Bluetooth, GPS, cruise control, A/C and heated seats, compared to one with no such things and no radio, as long as it has a heater, I'd go for the latter.

But come out with something weird, like an EV station wagon with fold out roof solar panels and a two speed manual transmission, I'd pay $30,000 for a new one. I know, I have weird tastes. That's just me.

 

Our MB diesel motorhome is nearly 10 years old & our comprehensive insurance on it is only around $200. When we travel 1000s of miles across the country, we aren't paying for hotels. We simply spend the night at rest stops along the highways.
Final RV destinations may be anywhere from $15 to $70 a night turning on how many luxurious are stay is (dry camp vs fancy full service).
If we tow a plug-in behind us, we can switch the 30 amp RV park electric service over to re-charge the plugin.
All that to say ... we all find our own way to travel economically.
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we do it in a 50mpg hycam, but pay for hotels

 

We do 40mpg in the Avalon and sleep in it or in a tent in free camping areas.

We used to get camping spots that cost a fee but had electricity to charge the Nissan Leaf. That was one good thing about having that early Leaf, you could nearly fill the battery with just 120V 15A charging over night.

 

Saturday morning, I'm headed to Boca Chico to witness Starship #6 test:

• Full Self Driving v12.5.4.2 (installed last night)
• 2019 Tesla Model 3 Std Rng Plus with 140,000 mi
• 1,141 mi and 21 hours with 8 charging breaks
  • short cuts to save miles over shortest time

Bob Wilson

 

It appears the 2025 HyCam rated mileage is lower? I thought they both have the same 2.5L engine & the new Gen 5 motors are supposed to be more efficient?

 

Have a safe trip!
That's a lot of stops in an 1100 mile trip, but one imagines that a retired leisure traveler rolls a little differently.

I'm not a gas car 'fan.'
I'm not an EVangelist either.

I use the right tool for the right job.
FOR ME.
FOR NOW???

It's a 'paid-for for 15 years' 2006 GMC with lunar mileage (how I got to work this AM) with a 2023 GMC Base Sierra for trips/towing/hauling.

MY mileage.
YOURS will vary.

 

Charging runs from 20-40 minutes concurrent with biology breaks with combinations of: (1) bathroom; (2) snacks; (3) dog walks, and; (4) cat naps. Each driving segment will be 1.5-2.5 hours duration. This EV driving protocol was developed years ago.

Two years ago, my longest EV drive took 30 hours from Huntsville to Albuquerque, 1,300 miles. Since then, the density of SuperCharger stations and Tesla access to CCS-1 stations has doubled the density. Many are colocated with 24 hr, businesses or close enough. So stop first for a biology break and then to charger for dog walks and cat naps. This is different from previous ICE and hybrid driving.

ICE and hybrid driving emphasized time-on-road. So a 600 mi Prius Prime range became 3-4 hour driving segments broken up only by mandatory biology breaks, including shoulder stops. Upon arrival, fatigue required half a day of recovery time.

With AutoPilot and Full Self Driving, a lot of the driving and navigation tedium is gone. So driving segments are less fatiguing and safer.

Bob Wilson

 

Watching the "chopsticks" should be awesome!

 

Wish I was riding shotgun!
~55yrs ago - since getting to be up close & personal to the space program. North American Aviation built many of the capsules that went to the Moon & when the module would come back, it would be on display where mom worked & we could walk right up to it checking out how blackened the heat shield was.
.

 

I wish I was able to drive over myself.
Especially since the right-hand seat of Bob's car is already spoken for.
(I've SEEN the back seats of a T3)

Saw that last time....
Now I'm interested to see the ship itself soft-land - or at least spit out some cargo.

It will be interesting to see if the permitting process gets more streamlined now.
I'm actually a fan of the FAA, and Elon is playing with 'big stuff' but when it takes longer to build a rocket than it does to get permission to light the candle........

 

Slightly in combined rating; unrounded, the numbers could be very close. Its city is better, while highway dropped

 

Camry LE is 53/50 My coming XLE is 48/47

 

no kidding, I think that would drive me batty.

When I'm going >400 miles I try to do it in an A321.

 

That is where a PHEV makes sense. When my son drove his RAV4 Prime home from Maryland, he only stopped to get fuel.

 

The 2024 versions were 51/53 and 44/47.

 

Since my wife passed, my right seat is open. When solo, the dog(s) ride in the back seat.

If anyone wants to co-pilot or hitch a ride from Huntsville (area) to witness a Starship test launch, send me a PM at least two days before the launch (i.e., Friday).

• One or two riders with one sharing the driving.
  • Dog gets bumped leaving back seat, couch.
• Departure is two days before the announced launch date around noon, CST.
  • Residential driveway parking.
  • Typically 21 hour drive with charging and biology breaks every 1.5-2.5 hours.
    • Driver's choice: Full Self Driving, AutoPilot, or manual.
• Arrive Port Isabell, Southwind Motel, just before check-in, 2 PM, the day before.
  • Kitchenette with fridge, stove, microwave, and Super Walmart short drive away.
  • Shuttle service to upscale $outh Padre Island and the Gulf beaches.
• Sleep over the night before launch.
• Witness the launch.
  • Weather delay, typically 1-2 extra days, so watch the weather.
• Sleep over
  • Kitchenette cooked sea food dinner and later road snack(s).
  • Full charge.
• Leave early the next morning, pack, and breakfast.

Bob Wilson

 

For me, going from my Prius at 54/50 with highway miles and a lifetime average of 55.4 to 44/47 seems like quite a drop.