Buying advice

Yes, your CA vehicle registration fees will be based on the value of your car.

Despite a massive tax advantage, I would wait until you get to LA before purchasing. What if the commute is short enough that HOV access is unnecessary? What if public transportation is good enough? What if you absolutely hate your Prius because LA drivers tailgate Prius drivers whether they are speeding or going slowly? What if you don't end up moving to CA? What if your move gets delayed? What if no one buys the Prime so it gets heavily discounted 5 months later? What if you cannot charge at home or at work? What if your wife hates the Prius? I could go on and on. What if your wife is pregnant and you need an SUV?

I'm a firm believer in getting the car that fits your current situation, not the car that fits your future family plans that seldom go as planned.

 

+1.

Add to the excellent advice above that G1 Pips are very cheap off-lease, and the Prime is an unknown quantity.
When they're finally available, they're going to go for top dollar, and the same thing that happened to Samsung (and to a lesser extent, Tesla) can also happen to Toyota.
You can also consider a Volt, or another compliance vehicle that's less efficient and more SUV'ie if you need to haul something more substantial than just your butt to work.

I don't live in LA, probably to the benefit for us both, but I've been there enough to know that the HOV lane saves enough time to be worth buying a PHEV for.
Just make sure that it's the RIGHT PVEV.

Good Luck!
Grab an IN-N-OUT Burger for me!!!
Not having them on the right side of the continent allllllllllmost makes me wish I lived on the left coast.

 

The Volt has much more overall range than the bolt due to the gas engine.

 

Since you will end up paying California tax no matter you buy the car, I agree with waiting until you after you move. It also appears that Oregon has no plug in incentives, while the Prime will get, IIRC, a $1500 rebate in California. Then there is a few more plug ins to choose from in that state, and all qualify for the HOV stickers. I say look at them all, and wait for the Prime, Bolt, and even the Ioniq to arrive if it fits your schedule.

The Volt is past its first year of production, will be less than the Bolt, and may mean less gas used than the Prime on a longer commute. The Fusion Energi got a slight improvement in efficiency and EV range, will likely be more comfortable than the Prius/Prime, and it appears they can be had for less than a Prius Two with the federal, state, and manufacturer incentives.

 

I have a 35 mile round trip commute. The Volt or the Bolt will cover my commute in EV without issue. The difference is I can drive to Oregon in my Volt without any planning whatsoever. With the Bolt, some pre planning and additional charge time will be involved as we don't have a robust electric charging network. My preference is for the extra spontaneity.

 

But if you already have a newer Prius for the second car...

As I said, look at them all, and do it in person. A car might be perfect on paper, but there might be something about it that isn't in the specs or photos that could make driving it everyday a chore.

 

I live in SF bay area and been to LA multiple times. First of all, electricity price is pretty high in CA. It defeats my purpose of buying a bolt. I will stick to gas. Second, the carpool lane may not be as conveniently accessible as you might think. You want to try that planned route first. Lots of variables.

 

I'm not sure I quite understand the tax implications. can someone help me in layman's terms?

there a 4500 federal credit but it's only applied if you have to pay taxes? What if I over pay on my w-2 and getting a refund? I tend to have higher withholding so I don't over spend at the end of the year. does that mean that tax goes away?

 

No, it means it can only reduce your total tax bill. If your total bill is $10,000 and you overpaid to $11,000, your total tax bill will still be reduced by $4,500. The overpayment is irrelevant, only the total bill.

 

are there any other limits such as income level etc etc that i need to be aware of?

 

Yeah...you can only claim the amount of your tax liability. Thus, if it's less than $4,500, you won't get all of the deduction.

 

Don't take tax advice from people on an auto enthusiasts forum on the web.

Overpaying on a w2 does not change your tax liability. Your tax liability is decreased by the $4500 tax credit. In general, if you're intentionally overpaying on a W2, that means you have tax liabilities. In general, if you can afford a Prius Prime, you tax liability will exceed $4500. Again, use as a guideline only. There are always outliers. No one knows your tax situation except yourself and your accountant.

Oh, there's a $1500 CVRP rebate from California if you live and buy in California. How's that for more complicated? You most likely qualify for the full amount but again, I'm just some guy on the Internet.
Clean Vehicle Rebate Project | Center for Sustainable Energy

 

i'm pretty sure my tax liability is more than 4500. I'm not in cali so can't take that 1500. DC however has a hybrid tax exemption for >= 40MPG city so I want to take advantage of that

 

No sales tax on vehicle purchase in Oregon, so buy NOW.

OP willl be the current registered owner, and willl remain the registered owner. This is not a vehicle sales, so no tax.

Vehicle registration is based on vehicles value.

OP needs to check on DMV site.

 

You really need to read DMV. How To Register A Vehicle from Out-of-State (Nonresident Vehicle)

A late model car w/ few miles may have a registration issue? Again, read DMV above.

Registration is proportional to vehicles value. Here's a calculator to estimate the likely fees you will have to pay to register the Oregon car into California. https://www.dmv.ca.gov/wasapp/FeeCalculatorWeb/newResidentForm.do