LeftieBiker said:
cwerdna said:
^^^
From those temps. if you want the longest battery longevity, you are FAR better off with a model year '15 w/the "lizard" battery.
Yes! And even then, if the nights are, as I suspect, often hot as well (above 72F or so) then even a '15 battery will degrade more quickly than you'd like. Can you get a Chevy Volt (with a "V" - it's a plug-in hybrid with battery cooling)? That would give you about 40 miles of electric range, and a battery with thermal management.
Thermal management doesn't help much with steady heat with high humidity. Either it rarely turns on, or it cools below the dew point and gets condensation on the battery.
I don't think the Chevy Volt is built for the humidity in the Dominican Republic. Dew point in August averages well over 24C... And the US built Chevy Volt will be cooling the battery to as low as 22C while charging. Steady condensation on cooling lines, electronics and such sounds like such a bad idea. Maybe if you could get the version GM made in China, the Buick Velite 5, with higher temperature Chinese made battery? Seems unlikely at best.
As for expected rate of capacity loss, the Battery Loss wiki gives San Juan, Puerto Rico as 1.87 and San Juan would be very similar in climate. Or if a specific battery would last 12 years in Los Angeles California to a specific capacity loss, it would last 12/1.87 years, or a bit over 6 years in your climate to the same capacity loss. If the price is right on the 2015, and you can live with reduced range, then maybe. Because of your climate, your battery will not last as long. The less range you really need, the longer the car will likely do that.
Note that this Wiki article is about the 2011 and 2012 batteries, which had poor life. The "Aging Factors" however should apply to any passively cooled battery.
http://www.electricvehiclewiki.com/wiki/battery-capacity-loss/#Factors_Affecting_Battery_Capacity_Loss
The 2015 S is a far better bet than the 2013 SL. Better battery, less capacity lost already.