Here's How Much the Tesla Model 3 Performance Saves In Fuel Costs Versus a Regular Car

[ykX]

Interesting article on Jalopnik and video from Engineering Explained.  Jason Fenske compared his Model 3 with comparable ICE car Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Jalopnik

"According to Jason’s rough, conservative calculations, not taking into account various possible driving conditions and driving styles, you would save about $1,400 per year driving the Model 3 Performance. The EPA estimates that annual fuel costs would be $550 for the Model 3 Performance and $2,250 for the Giulia Quadrifoglio, which would be a difference of about $1,600 annually."

Edited February 28, 2019 by ykX

[balthazar]

As an isolated, disjointed factoid, that's cool.

But a Model 3 Perf starts at $62,000.

[ykX]

3 minutes ago, balthazar said:

As an isolated, disjointed factoid, that's cool.

But a Model 3 Perf starts at $62,000.

He compared it with comparably priced car with comparable performance.

Not matter what you compare (Bolt vs Cruze for example) EV will be more efficient and much cheaper to run.  Electricity is just more efficient, period.

The only problem with EVs are batteries, their capacity and how long it takes to charge them.

Edited February 28, 2019 by ykX

[balthazar]

Much cheaper at the bottom line?
Bolt: $36K, Sonic: $15K. $21,000 surplus to buy fuel for the Sonic. If a Sonic gets 30 MPG composite, drives 10,000 miles/year, that's 333 gals of fuel. At $3 per, it would take 21 years to erase the $21,000 savings. I'll be willing to strike out the Bolt's charging costs vs. the Sonic's oil changes. That's a LONG time to make it financially cheaper.

If that's an EV buyers end game; more power to them, I like long term planning. We'd have to see what the battery replacement cost when it happens in those 21 years, tho.

[ykX]

20 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Much cheaper at the bottom line?
Bolt: $36K, Sonic: $15K. $21,000 surplus to buy fuel for the Sonic. If a Sonic gets 30 MPG composite, drives 10,000 miles/year, that's 333 gals of fuel. At $3 per, it would take 21 years to erase the $21,000 savings. I'll be willing to strike out the Bolt's charging costs vs. the Sonic's oil changes. That's a LONG time to make it financially cheaper.

If that's an EV buyers end game; more power to them, I like long term planning. We'd have to see what the battery replacement cost when it happens in those 21 years, tho.

Way to cherry pick facts.  

1.  Sonic is not the same size as Bolt.  How about Cruze Hatch or something bigger?  It similar in size but can't come close in acceleration to Bolt.  

2.  The Bolt's fuel economy will be at least 3 times better than  Cruze.

3.  Yes, Bolt still $18k more expensive than Cruze.  

I agree at the moment EVs do not make a better financial buy.  On the other hand the comparison was for the higher end performance cars were the prices are more in line.   However, as soon as prices come down (and slowly started to come down, Leaf starts at $30k) they will smoke ICEs financially.

In regards to battery.  Couple of guys at my work bought old Priuses cheap and got their batteries replaced.  It was couple grand, not the end of the world.

Again, everything comes down to battery technology and pricing.  If there will be a significant advance in battery technology, it is game over.  

At the moment, I agree, EVs are not better financially at the bottom line, or I probably would be driving one.

[balthazar]

• Granted on Sonic vs. Cruze size.
• Acceleration is immaterial in these classes- no one is buying based on 0-60 and no one is racing these.
• "Couple grand" is nothing I think people would be happy at hearing. Regardless, such would need to be line-itemed into any discussion of being 'financially cheaper'.
• Leaf is the ONLY EV I'm aware of that has come down in price, even tho it's a mere 8% over 8 years ($33720 > 29990). It's priced competitively with ICE cars, Bolt is probably on the fence there, but everything upcoming is insanely priced. OEMs know via Tesla's example : #1 volume EV seller by far, RAISING pricing, can't make any money.

At the moment, I agree, EVs are not better financially at the bottom line

That's all I was really saying. People should be able to buy whatever they want if they can afford it. But it's far too early to claim owning an EV, on average, is cheaper than owning a comparable IC vehicle. You pass the pump by, and electricity is an intangible cost in your household bill, but -for me at least- I want to see the bottom line.

[G. David Felt]

On 2/28/2019 at 12:27 PM, balthazar said:

• Granted on Sonic vs. Cruze size.
• Acceleration is immaterial in these classes- no one is buying based on 0-60 and no one is racing these.
• "Couple grand" is nothing I think people would be happy at hearing. Regardless, such would need to be line-itemed into any discussion of being 'financially cheaper'.
• Leaf is the ONLY EV I'm aware of that has come down in price, even tho it's a mere 8% over 8 years ($33720 > 29990). It's priced competitively with ICE cars, Bolt is probably on the fence there, but everything upcoming is insanely priced. OEMs know via Tesla's example : #1 volume EV seller by far, RAISING pricing, can't make any money.

That's all I was really saying. People should be able to buy whatever they want if they can afford it. But it's far too early to claim owning an EV, on average, is cheaper than owning a comparable IC vehicle. You pass the pump by, and electricity is an intangible cost in your household bill, but -for me at least- I want to see the bottom line.

LOL, SMK would want to race them.

Couple Grand is what your 100,000 mile service / tune up costs now on pretty much all ice auto's. How is that at 100,000 miles versus if you had to replace that battery at 100,000. Much less maintenance costs and since batteries have gotten better and better, I doubt you will have the 100,000 service cost ice auto's get hit with.

I totally agree that people should be able to buy whatever they can afford and like. Yet when you break down the miles driven of what gas costs versus electricity, EV's are cheaper to drive. 1200 miles a month is between $400 to $450 for gas here in Washington state and yet $28 dollars for the electricity.

That means do I spend @ $400 * 12 months $4,800 dollars in gas or $28 * 12 months $336?

You still have oil changes, service on the ICE and if your hard on breaks that could come sooner than every 2-3 years.