"Mileage cost" of a 100% EV?

"ncasolowork2" (ncasolowork2)
06/25/2014 at 10:14 • Filed to: None

So I've got a 5 mile commute right now. I had my 3rd interview with a company 31 miles away yesterday and I think it went really well. Standard mileage says $0.56/mile fuel/depreciation/overhead. What do you think that is for an EV?

On the subject of EVs since Tesla doesn't have their economic option available yet is there even a reasonably decent cost effective option available that won't get stuck in a West Michigan snowbank?

DISCUSSION (34)

yamahog > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 10:18

Do they ask what car you're driving? If not, accept the standard rate and rejoice!

Diesel > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 10:19

Tesla cancelled their economic option. They will be making only two types. They will fulfill orders already placed for the cheapest Model S, but they will range limit the vehicle as if it had the smaller battery pack.

TheBaron2112 > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 10:19

For one, $0.56/mile is just that—the mileage you drive. Not fuel or depreciation. It's solely the federal rate for how many miles you drive on business.

And if they're reimbursing you for this interview at that rate, then it's your trip there and back. So 32 miles x 0.56. Congrats. You just got $17.92 to do a job interview. :P

ncasolowork2 > TheBaron2112
06/25/2014 at 10:20

Actually the interview was 80 miles away and I'm not asking to be reimbursed. I'm trying to estimate the operating cost of the additional commute for purposes of negotiating salary and then trying to determine the cost of operating an EV for purposes of deciding my next vehicle purchase.

ncasolowork2 > Diesel
06/25/2014 at 10:21

That really sucks. That really really sucks.

Anon > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 10:23

The fusion Energi is supposedly pretty good and costs under 40k.

mr_gofast > TheBaron2112
06/25/2014 at 10:24

all while working from his computer at home at i.am.a.scam.com.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 10:26

Hard to know exactly how much depreciation, etc. cost on electrics, but you can roughly figure out the cost of "fuel," as long as you know what you pay per KWh.

Of note: electric car promoters really oversell the "cheap to operate" aspect based on an average electric cost of $.11/KWh. Where I live, it's more like $.35/KWh.

On your other point, a colleague who lives in Michigan DDs a Focus Electric and is very happy with it. You might be on the hairy edge of its range though, especially in cold weather.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 10:26

The Volt has a range of 35 miles on electric. But I have to wonder, does that severely decrease in a harsh Michigan winter?

Perhaps a Ford Focus/Fusion electric? With ranges of 76 and <20 respectively.

Are you due for a new vehicle? It may be more cost effective to finish out the life of your current car. But on the other hand 62 miles every day is a sizable commute that could warrant a car purchase.

Let's say you halve your mileage cost, let's say you work 250 days in a year.
250*62*.56=$8,680
250*62*.27=$4,340

So even if you cut that by even more, you can still buy a shitload of fuel for the next several years for the cost of an EV.

Also, just of curiosity, what area of West Michigan will you be working in?

SantaRita > Diesel
06/25/2014 at 10:28

that's not true, they still have a smaller 35K option planned for the future.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 10:29

That may be the case for the Model S, but they're still planning a lower-cost option. It just won't be available for a couple of years, last I heard.

ncasolowork2 > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
06/25/2014 at 10:30

Applied with Kellogs for a job in GR

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Diesel
06/25/2014 at 10:32

Got a source on that?

Diesel > SantaRita
06/25/2014 at 10:35

http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-cancels-…

This is what I was referring too. I don't have a product map for future Tesla products. Until it's here, it's all vapor.

Diesel > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/25/2014 at 10:35

This is what I was referring to:

http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-cancels-…

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
06/25/2014 at 10:37

As someone who is interested in a Volt, and who lives in a similar climate (Alberta), I've looked into it.

When the car is plugged in, it uses outside power to maintain battery temperature. Below a certain temperature, the gas engine will need to kick in to keep the battery temperature up. In the 2012 or newer Volts, there's an option for setting this. (For some reason, I want to say that there's only two possible temperature settings - 0 and 13 degrees F). Anything below that, and the gas engine will have to kick in. So, in winter there will be somewhat of a drop in electric range, and you'll be using the gas engine more often.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
06/25/2014 at 10:38

$0.35/KWh? Dang. Where the heck do you live - Hawaii/Alaska?

BaconSandwich is tasty. > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 10:38

Prices on used Volts have been coming down. It's possible to get one in California for $22 - $24K.

ncasolowork2 > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
06/25/2014 at 10:40

35 miles does me no good as I'm needing 62 miles a day.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 10:42

Perhaps they'll have a charging port at your place of work, or the Focus Electric would be able to handle the range, you may have a case of range anxiety on the way back home though, lol.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/25/2014 at 10:44

California. In our case the rate is tiered, and getting an EV put us into the highest tier, where every additional KWh costs us $0.35. They have a special rate plan for EVs, but it really only makes sense if you charge after midnight and don't use much power during the day, otherwise the peak rate is up to $0.51/KWh!

SantaRita > Diesel
06/25/2014 at 10:47

That article is from April fools day of 2013...it's a joke article!

here's one from forbes a couple months ago....

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaymcgre…

Jayhawk Jake > Diesel
06/25/2014 at 10:47

You mean the cheapest Model S, not the Model E, right?

Diesel > Jayhawk Jake
06/25/2014 at 10:50

Yes. Also, I don't think there will be a Model E. Ford has an issue with E and A sounding similar.

http://jalopnik.com/ford-killed-se…

Diesel > SantaRita
06/25/2014 at 10:53

I was referring to the 40 Kwh Model S. They will only make 60 Kwh Model S's and hobble them electronically.

http://insideevs.com/entry-level-40…

jariten1781 > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 10:56

They'll give you mileage for your daily commute? Everywhere I've worked you only get mileage when on travel or offsite.

TheBaron2112 > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 11:14

Ooooh, okay. I thought it was a something that the interview told you. This is perfectly fair then. I like the assumption of the federal mileage rate.

ncasolowork2 > jariten1781
06/25/2014 at 11:24

Not likely but I'm going to try to negotiate it in to my base salary. Hey I've got a 5 mile commute and I'm going to be driving 30 miles. That costs me an additional $7,000 a year. I'd like to come work for you, but you've got to increase your offer for this to make cents.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
06/25/2014 at 11:36

Wow. That's positively insane. Time to invest in some solar panels, methinks.

jariten1781 > ncasolowork2
06/25/2014 at 11:38

Gotcha, makes sense. In that case I'd just use the federal mileage, rather than trying to calculate it for a specific vehicle, since the folks in HR/payroll will already be familiar with it.

Jayhawk Jake > Diesel
06/25/2014 at 11:57

Right, I said Model E for lack of another term

Diesel > Jayhawk Jake
06/25/2014 at 11:59

I am hoping we will eventually get an electric version of this:

Kinja'd!!!

http://www.eliomotors.com/

Although, I honestly would buy one right now and use it as my commuter.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/25/2014 at 13:39

Solar actually starts to make financial sense at this point, even though the breakeven is still about eight years.

EchtoGammut > ncasolowork2
06/26/2014 at 15:26

Assuming a national average of 12c per kWh, and something like the Leaf states that it does 29kWh per 100 miles, it would cost .0348c per mile. A quick Google shows the Leaf has residuals around 15%, but I have seen leasing rates under $200, so I am not sure what wizardry is going on there. Considering an EV will have significantly lower maintenance costs and failure issues, a used EV might be the way to go.