Hyundai Kona Electric

[iPlug]

I don't think you'll go wrong with any of the Korean jobs, or the Bolt FTM. I'd be leery of the LEAF in your climate, but I take it you've found the likely degradation of a 40kWh LEAF acceptable, given your wife's range needs and the fact you're leasing?

Thanks, good suggestions. Yes, between our two current vehicles, she has limited range needs and indeed the current Leaf lease/warranty gives us a guaranteed minimum EV range that surpasses her minimum required range.

She already looked at the Bolt and didn’t like the fit and finish. Wouldn't completely rule it out if a stellar lease deal presented itself.

We had our battery replaced 2 years into the 2016 Leaf SV lease, but its limited range wasn’t really an issue for us and it was too hard to pass up how affordably we got the lease. We only needed 50 miles minimum guaranteed range and never saw less than that during our winters with heating and freeway driving.

The replaced battery appeared to be doing the same degradation thing with loss of range over the same time period, but when the software update was applied the actual range returned to very close to new. Of course it has only been a year and we won’t have the lease further to find out what happens in 1+ years.

Any battery range beyond 30kWh is just icing on the cake until we can get an affordable long range EV vehicle to replace my Plug-in Prius. Will be looking for some decent cargo space when that time comes as all of our long trips involve all four family members. Maybe Model Y?

[cwerdna]

I don't think you'll go wrong with any of the Korean jobs, or the Bolt FTM. I'd be leery of the LEAF in your climate, but I take it you've found the likely degradation of a 40kWh LEAF acceptable, given your wife's range needs and the fact you're leasing?

Thanks, good suggestions. Yes, between our two current vehicles, she has limited range needs and indeed the current Leaf lease/warranty gives us a guaranteed minimum EV range that surpasses her minimum required range.

She already looked at the Bolt and didn’t like the fit and finish. Wouldn't completely rule it out if a stellar lease deal presented itself.

Heh. Bolt itself is practically a Korean job. https://www.greencarreports.com/news/11 ... production lists what LG supplied. On my Monroney sticker, 64% of the parts are listed as being from South Korea. When you pop the hood, one of the largest units you see in the center says Made in Korea on it.

Yeah, I hear you about the Bolt, at least when it comes to interior quality. '18/'19 Leaf is better on that front. Exterior fit and finish on my Bolts and most of the ones I saw on the lot at the dealer I bought from was fine.

I didn't find any lease deals on Bolts that I deemed attractive given that I planned for it to my be only car (planned to sell my Prius (done) and plan to sell my Leaf). I ended up buying due to heavy discounting (e.g. https://www.chevroletoffremont.com/Vehi ... =Bolt%20EV) and tax credit being $7500 until end of March 2019.

[iPlug]

Nice deals on purchase and lease!

[cwerdna]

BTW, re: lease deals, one place I looked was http://ev-vin.blogspot.com/. I believe at the time, the Bolt lease deals were on base LT and 10K miles/year is way too few miles for an only car.

I wanted a Premier trim (in order to get the Surround Vision camera system) and DC FC inlet, at minimum. I'd also need 15K miles/year as 12K might not be enough... so, I figured at that point, since GM wasn't passing along the full tax credit on leases, I may as well buy.

[iPlug]

Bolt might be best deal on a $/kWh basis right now with those nice thousands off MRSP - fed credit - state rebate - utility rebate.

[cwerdna]

Bolt might be best deal on a $/kWh basis right now with those nice thousands off MRSP - fed credit - state rebate - utility rebate.

Indeed. https://www.chevybolt.org/forum/9-2017- ... post483817 claims Hyundai dealers doing a $5K markup (aka second sticker) above MSRP!

Given the supposed demand situation, I doubt one can get a Kona EV for any significant discount. Will be interesting to hear field reports about actual pricing and deals on the Kona EV.

I unfortunately can't qualify for CA CVRP as my income's too high.

[SageBrush]

^^ If there are 100 people in CA who want to buy the Kona then demand is definitely higher than supply.

[GRA]

I don't think you'll go wrong with any of the Korean jobs, or the Bolt FTM. I'd be leery of the LEAF in your climate, but I take it you've found the likely degradation of a 40kWh LEAF acceptable, given your wife's range needs and the fact you're leasing?

Thanks, good suggestions. Yes, between our two current vehicles, she has limited range needs and indeed the current Leaf lease/warranty gives us a guaranteed minimum EV range that surpasses her minimum required range.

She already looked at the Bolt and didn’t like the fit and finish. Wouldn't completely rule it out if a stellar lease deal presented itself.

We had our battery replaced 2 years into the 2016 Leaf SV lease, but its limited range wasn’t really an issue for us and it was too hard to pass up how affordably we got the lease. We only needed 50 miles minimum guaranteed range and never saw less than that during our winters with heating and freeway driving.

The replaced battery appeared to be doing the same degradation thing with loss of range over the same time period, but when the software update was applied the actual range returned to very close to new. Of course it has only been a year and we won’t have the lease further to find out what happens in 1+ years.

Any battery range beyond 30kWh is just icing on the cake until we can get an affordable long range EV vehicle to replace my Plug-in Prius. Will be looking for some decent cargo space when that time comes as all of our long trips involve all four family members. Maybe Model Y?

I've always felt that any BEV that needs to be depended on for routine driving should have at least two days autonomy. That way, if you normally charge up every day, the power goes out while you're asleep and the car doesn't get charged, you can still get to work etc. and back, and have time to work out alternative charging/transportation options for the 3rd day. Maybe I'm just overly conservative when it comes to such matters.

[cwerdna]

Bolt might be best deal on a $/kWh basis right now with those nice thousands off MRSP - fed credit - state rebate - utility rebate.

Indeed. https://www.chevybolt.org/forum/9-2017- ... post483817 claims Hyundai dealers doing a $5K markup (aka second sticker) above MSRP!

Given the supposed demand situation, I doubt one can get a Kona EV for any significant discount. Will be interesting to hear field reports about actual pricing and deals on the Kona EV.

https://insideevs.com/hyundai-dealers-p ... -electric/ alleges reports of markups of $5K to $8K above MSRP! Ugh!

[GRA]

Bolt might be best deal on a $/kWh basis right now with those nice thousands off MRSP - fed credit - state rebate - utility rebate.

Indeed. https://www.chevybolt.org/forum/9-2017- ... post483817 claims Hyundai dealers doing a $5K markup (aka second sticker) above MSRP!

Given the supposed demand situation, I doubt one can get a Kona EV for any significant discount. Will be interesting to hear field reports about actual pricing and deals on the Kona EV.

https://insideevs.com/hyundai-dealers-p ... -electric/ alleges reports of markups of $5K to $8K above MSRP! Ugh!

They'll do that for a bit, and then once the people panting to buy one have paid those rip-off prices, competition will set in. Such markups just aren't sustainable for a step above entry-level car, which is what these BEVs are aside from their powertrains. I remember when Hollywood celebs (wasn't DiCaprio at the head of the list?) were paying way over MSRP to get New Beetles early.