Our HRV lease is up in about 9 months. I think it’s time to go electric. We’d lease again, I think.
Seems to me like the cars to check out are the Ioniq 5, EX30, and XC40 for not-astronomical, smaller crossover, 225+ mile range. What am I missing? Are there 25 model changes I should be aware of?
@jsonbecker Yeah. I love Volvo, so if I had to buy one today I'd get the XC40. If money was no object, Rivian. If money was really no object, electrify my Honda Element. I don't get Honda's strategy… Can't believe the Prologue is the only fully electric car they make.
@manton @jsonbecker our short list includes the EX30 (on the waitlist but delayed), the XC40, and the Polestar 4 (out in Q4). It’s so frustrating listening to people say EV demand is down. It’s more that the actually EV models people want aren’t out yet. That and Biden/Congress nuked all the incentives. 😬
@manton I’ve never owned a non-Honda. They just fully missed the boat. The Prologue is a dead end collaboration and a real Honda EV is a long way off. I wish the smaller Rivians were ready and had a hope of being sub 60K (well really more like 40K).
@cheesemaker right! Thanks, Manchin. I’d be ready to buy versus lease— I’ve been leading for years waiting for the EVs I want to be ready— but the change in incentives makes buying a bad choice for us financially.
@jsonbecker I’m over in the UK and have just reserved a used Kia e-Niro (2021 plate) - def worth looking at the used market as the depreciation on them is pretty huge even after just a few years and you can get a great price.
@alpower in the US, depending on income, there’s a pretty substantial ($7500) credit that can be applied to buying or leasing such that leasing is a very good option on monthly costs for now. The tech is changing and options changing fast enough that a 3 year delay feels ok.
@jsonbecker ah that’s great. The UK government scrapped subsidies for private EV owners both on cost of new cars and installing chargers back in 2022 - a real bad move IMO. I considered leasing but like buying used and avoiding a monthly payment. Wish we were as progressive here!!
@jsonbecker 100% with you on the speed of change tech wise - I believe battery tech is going to get a whole lot better soon.
@alpower we’re 3 adults with 1 car that we drive 7K miles or so a year, so for us the predictability of lease costs (never pay anything for maintenance!) especially as so much has been changing has made sense for a while. Eventually I want to just buy, but each time I look to do it, still doesn’t make sense.
@jsonbecker @manton And also the tariffs. I think I read that the reason the EX30 has been delayed is so they can move its manufacturing to the EU where it can avoid the worst of the penalties. These tariffs generally never work, and then on top of it, there's not an equivalent replacement product. So it just freezes the market. So stupid and short sighted.
@jsonbecker @alpower unfortunately, that credit only applies on certain models due to manufacturing restrictions on where it was built/manufactured. It has effectively frozen out a huge chunk of the available models. You can check the list here: fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax20...
@jsonbecker I’ve been driving an EV6 for the last two years—it’s a different body on the same platform as the Ioniq 5. It’s been great!
@jsonbecker makes total sense. Leasing here doesn’t come with maintenance sadly - you have to pay for everything!
@alpower well, it’s not literally no maintenance. It’s more like if you do 21K miles over 3 years the only thing you ever pay for is an occasional oil change. Then you get a new car again.