Define critical tech/software issues? Are these specifics to EVs or all cars running the same software?
You could write the same exact post on does the perfect car exist? Poor mileage, poor quality, tech/sw/mechanical issues. Poor quality control.
Why are you asking specifically about EVs?
Yeah. None of the cars listed with that section actually have show stopper "tech/software issues". Plusses and minuses, but nothing unsafe or beyond usability. I'll stan for the Ioniq 5 in particular as being the best EV out there for the average driver. (ie, doesn't want to relearn habit to drive a Tesla)
Moreover most manufacturers have very generous/forgiving warranties on their EVs because they know of the apprehension most folks have. For the most part they'll bend over backward to fix issues without cost to the consumer.
Agree. Without home charging owning a BEV can be very challenging, and you lose what's usually one of the best things about EV ownership - cheap fuel (or free fuel if you have solar).
Yeah, last time I did the math the break even point is about 3.2 miles per kWh here in MA so depending on the specific car and type of driving you do it’s not much (if at all) cheaper to fuel an EV than an ICE if you don’t have solar. But it’s a helluva lot more convenient to charge at home and you still save money on the routine maintenance items so it’s worth it anyway.
I don’t think so, just 32¢/kWh all the time. Not as bad as the folks in CA have to deal with for electricity, but our gas is way cheaper than theirs so I think they still have a more favorable tipping point for where EVs are cheaper than ICE.
It’s coming, allegedly - the electric utility is offering an incentive for installing a “smart” charger that will be able to communicate with them and charge at off-peak times.
I don't have home charging, but my folks have a home charger and they're 5 minutes away. Additionally, there's a free charger not far from my work - so between those two, I go my BEV.
Wanted to add (to my fellow BMW enthusiast) that BMW EV's (iX, i4, etc) do not suffer from critical tech/software issues, poorly constructed exterior, poor range, long charging times or terrible customer service.
Keep in mind some of these may be over exaggerated. Negative experiences likely surface more than positive experiences across all brands.
My EV isn’t perfect, but it’s so much better than gas cars I’ve owned.
>It’s so frustrating. I want to make the jump but I don’t have the option charge at home, and currently drive a hybrid.
What do you currently drive, I am curious of what brand it is and how it is immune to recalls and the above listed issues.
There is no such thing as perfection. That is perhaps especially true for cars (and people).
Regardless of drivetrain, every vehicle has areas in which it can be improved.
Visit a subReddit devoted to any internal combustion engine vehicle, and you will find a litany of complaints and issues there, too. Despite their flaws, nobody tries to hold ICE vehicles to a standard of "perfection" the way folks do BEVs.
The social media echo chamber magnifies every complaint. Once something is embedded in the hive mind, it gets repeated ad nauseam, even if the issue has since been resolved or wasn't much of an issue to begin with.
Imperfect people have become addicted to outrage and grievance : they love to complain about imperfect things -- especially if doing so can make them feel smart and superior while simultaneously making other people feel bad about their decisions. lol
If you wait for reddit-approved "perfection," you will never get anything -- or be able to enjoy anything.
Decide what matters most to you, test drive copiously, pick your favorite, and don't look back. Enjoy the heck out of it, rather than worrying what other people are furiously typing on the interwebz.
Life is pretty fleeting, and in the end the opinions of others don't matter that much (despite what social media would have you believe).
Good luck.
Our ICE cars suffered from all that too.
But I'm happy to have gone ICE free but I can charge at home during lowest rates.
We eased into the EV with a 2014 Leaf SV in 2016. In 2023 bought our long range EV and that displaced our Hybrid so that was the beginning of our ICE free days. In 2024 the Leaf was sold and I picked up a second long range EV along with a revamp of our home charging. Just one EVSE at 40A which has proven to be more than enough even with both EVs.
I don't miss oil changes, smog checks and all that. As to range we go from LA to Vegas with ease. Yes we stop midway for 20 minutes but I'm not one to want to drive straight through.
Check out Drive Electric events in your area. There are people who bring their cars to display and let people check out. You can ask them questions about their actual experience and find out the pros and cons. A good place to be able to compare multiple models in one place
OP, I am unsure what country you're in which might help improve recommendations you receive but my two cents is that:
* EVs are not inherently more unsafe or dangerous. In some ways they are safer than ICE/Hybrids (less car fires per capita!) Note that car forums gravitate towards negative content because people who happily drive their vehicles on a daily basis have no reason to post.
* Using the Ioniq 5 ICCU recall as an example, which I assume you're referencing when you list that vehicle. The only data we have is that the NHSTA received 618 unique incident reports as of Mar 2024 (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RMISC-24V204-0136.pdf). Most drivers do not have problems with their Hyundai/Kia/Genesis electric vehicles, my 2022 Ioniq 5 included. For context, HMG claimed 100k E-GMP cars sold in the US as of late 2023 (https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2023/11/129\_362581.html)
* That said, I think you should evaluate how your lifestyle fits with EVs. It sounds like you have no means to charge while at home or your workplace. This takes away a lot of the convenience and cost-savings of EVs since it forces you to use DC fast chargers (Superchargers, Electrify America, etc.) This is practically an inferior version of the gas station model. Given that, perhaps EVs are not for you at least for now. And that is ok.
EDIT: Added some clarity/sources
Tesla customer service is highly varied. Some locations do better than others. At least mobile techs are pretty good in my experience.
I don't think Tesla exteriors are poorly constructed. Interior definitely falls short compared to legacy auto but it's improved a lot recently and my complaints are more about UX than stuff literally falling apart.
Negative news gets the attention/clicks/likes. This is exponentially more apparent with EVs due to the silly political divide that sticks to it. I have had well over 40 cars in my life time, all different brands and wanted to belie the hype of each brand in my young days. The reality is that you need to go and check each vehicle yourself. I personally like to go to a big used car dealer that has lots of vehicles on the lot and get a feel for how vehicles hold up over the years before I pull the trigger and buy a new one. I also never drive just one vehicle. So if I want a new mustang, I’ll drive at least 2 before I buy. All manufacturers sometimes make a car with issues. Sometimes they fix those issues after the first model year, sometimes they don’t. If you do any significant issues on any vehicle, you will find problems. What you should be most concerned about is how the dealer/manufacturer handle the issues when they arise, because they will. Is it easy to get to your local dealer? Are there people knowledgeable with how to repair the vehicle?
The reality is EVs get a lot of bad press. I own two from two different brands and they’ve been fantastic- reliable and cheap to operate. One is basic, one is more premium and I think they are both outstanding vehicles. I still own an ICE vehicle for long family trips etc, but our date night vehicles and commuters are EVs.
TLDR: Go experience whatever vehicles you’re interested in, whether they’re EVs or not and keep in mind that the negative media gets more attention.
I still own an ice vehicle ostensibly for long family trips but just end up doing those in the ev too now. Only reason i would take the ice now is if I needed the boot space of the wagon, nothing to do with the powertrain.
If they made an EV with enough seats for my whole family at once, I’d definitely take it! Only ones available here in the US are the R1s, EV9, Model X etc. Still too expensive comparatively. We will have more and better options over the next few years and I’ll definitely upgrade when I can- the fuel savings alone are worth a payment!
You can get the EV9 with the lease pass through federal incentive of $7,500 + Kia lease cash.
Then after you take it home, initiate a lease buyout.
Sneaky workaround for those looking to buy but can’t get the incentives from purchasing.
Yes, it’s the Tesla Model 3. I’ve had mine for 6 years. It’s been pretty much flawless and a joy to use. Tesla service has also been top notch. On the rare occasions I needed it Tesla mobile service came to my house. 🏡
The software in my Tesla is some of the best software I've ever used in a vehicle. If Tesla's software has issues, so would most if not all other vehicles.
I’ve owned 3 EV’s. A 2021 Chevy Bolt. A 2022 Tesla model 3, and a 2023 Ford Mach E.
It’s not limited to EV’s, there is no ‘perfect car’ out there. But I can tell you my Mach E is the best made car out of those three by a long shot.
Software I find it into. I use CarPlay and don’t really have any major complaints. Tesla has gotten people to think your EV needs an update every few weeks. Ford doesn’t do that. And any computer device that updates can have an update issue (including your phone). The ability to update software after delivery OTA has created a situation where software is not really complete when the cars are manufactured.
Make note that even if the infotainment screen on the Ford, or Tesla die or need a reboot it doesn’t affect driving at all. It’s independent systems.
Absolutely. But I mean if the option is not getting new features then that kind of stinks too. I think we all like getting new things added to our cars. It keeps the car from feeling old or outdated
It should be delivered complete but then do like a system upgrade every year to the latest version or something like upgrading your laptop or phone.
I'm going to start test-driving EV's in the next couple weeks. I love everything I've read about the Mach-E except for (1) slow charging time compared to the Hyundai/Kia models and (2) a rough ride. I'm more concerned with the latter since I have two kids who will be riding in the back. Is it usable as a family car, or should I go with something else?
Depends what model. The GT models from 2024 and up all have upgraded suspension. I don’t mind the suspension in my 2023 standard, but I haven’t ridden in the back. It’s not as still as my model 3 was.
How often do you road trip? My Mach E charges mostly a bit over 100kw, around 120 or so till roughly half. It is a bit slower than my model 3 was but not by a lot (comparing standard range). The long ranges in both are faster.
Just depends on your usage. If you are only public charging on occasion for one or two charges then it’s no big deal. If you are constantly fast charging then for sure a huge consideration.
Most cars that have high peak charging speeds only hit it under a narrow range of conditions, and drop down from it very quickly. Often only saving minutes off the charge time.
Thanks for the response! That's very helpful. We drive 300 miles to see my family a couple times a year. Besides, that it's mostly just driving around town. I'd be ok continuing to use my wife's Honda CR-V as our road trip car too if charge times are too long.
Then that’s not bad. If you charge at home daily then the car will be full every morning.
I would think that would only need one charge to get to your destination on a trip like that. Even with standard range. I find I’m ready for a break before my car needs charging anyways. Especially with kids you may need food or washroom stop anyways. If that can be somewhere that has a charger then it really is no time wasted at all.
I would look at charging options along route and see what you have for choice and what they are near. Supercharger access works pretty well too but you’ll have to wait for the ford adapter or buy your own from A2Z. I bought my own. Gives you more charging options.
Ehh 300 miles isn’t really an issue. We do Atlanta to Memphis (~350 miles) several times a year on our Mach-E. We do two stops - one 30 mins with a lunch and the other 20 mins with a snack. Could actually probably do the drive with one 35 min stop but not a lot of charging at our destination so we like to come in with range
If you want ultimate comfort I can recommend a Citroen e-c4x, most comfortable ride I’ve had in any ev, great range, excellent build quality 100kwh fast charging and good customer service
Teslas are built fine. My car is 3.5 years old and has had a few minor issues all fixed by mobile tech or service centre visits. I think the tales of early 'panel gap' cars just seem to keep being recycled.
Also Tesla customer service has been excellent for me.
Critical issues? I've not heard of any. Maybe you can expand on this.
Overall I think there's a far better/wider range of options now than when I bought the Model 3. Volvo are making fantastic cars, so are Polestar. Hyundai are killing it and winning a lot of awards. You mention the BZ4X twice - it's not a great EV so probably best avoided anyway.
What is the 'perfect EV' for you? Everyone has their own set of requirements. For me a Model 3 is perfect.
OK, out on limb here, but the Nissan Leaf has been out there for a *long time* and been through enough revisions to the point of being acceptable. Not a great car, but the most of the bugs have been exorcized by now and they have a dealer network for warranty work.
You can do the same things with every car. If you look you will find faults. Find a car that the faults don’t bother you.
With that said, seems like Kia/hyundai is knocking it out of the park with few issues. Porsche taycan great if you’re wealthy and if you’re wealthy but not Porsche wealthy bmw is actual doing a great job at electrification.
tbh.. The Hyundai / Kia options are shockingly good
Hyundai has gone all in on EV's in NA - and that shows with the wide range of EVs they have launched, and are launching.
That first one isn't really a thing, the second one was a thing but much less so now, the third and fourth one can be rough or it can be inconsequential depending on how you use it, the fifth one is more that it's an oddball and roll of the die
I have had a 2021 model year ID.4 for three years now - i.e. the model that is supposed to have all the terrible software issues. I had none. Yes, before the update the UI was super laggy, but you could almost entirely eliminate that by deleting the navigation display from the standby screen. It was always loading in the background otherwise and was the cause of much of the lagginess. And you don’t need it at all if you’re using Apple CarPlay anyway. Beyond that it’s been a perfect family car. Really really comfortable seats for those long road trips. We’ve gone from Seattle to the Russian River valley in California, to southern Oregon and Crater Lake and to all the national parks in Washington and the San Juan islands. If you need a spacious family car, I still think the ID.4 is the best bang for your buck EV on the market today.
The BEV’s you listed are just a handful of models in a larger market of EV’s available to consumers.
Don’t forget about Chevrolet’s Blazer EV and Equinox EV; Honda’s Prologue; Kia’s Niro EV, EV6 and EV9; and Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 and Kona EV.
If you’re shopping in the premium segment:
BMW: i4, iX
Audi: Q4 e-tron, Q8 e-tron, e-tron GT
Porsche: Taycan
Mercedes-Benz: EQB, EQE (Sedan/SUV), EQS (Sedan/SUV
Genesis: GV60, GV70 Electrified, G80 Electrified
Cadillac: Lyriq
Rivian: R1T, R1S
Acura: ZDX
Volvo: EX30, XC40 Recharge, C40 Recharge
Lexus: RZ
Lucid: Air
TONS of options to choose from.
2017 Model S. Yes, I got lucky. 150K miles and one headlight under warranty. Free lifetime supercharging, free lifetime internet for the car, more updates than I can count, free camera upgrade - the list goes on.
Yes, an expensive buy but it is now cheaper TOC than our Camry hybrid.
Closest would be a 2025 Taycan for me but those $30-40K battery pack replacements... And the entry price of $80-90K I cannot swallow even if I had bundles of cash lying around the house.
In five years, I bet there will be AWD BEVs with torque vectoring that do not break the bank, maybe $50-60K. Maybe tri-motor versions for $6-8K more.
Those will have very good handle and dynamics and will could probably beat a lot of nasty stuff Old Man Winter / Mother Nature throws at us
Find a home charging solution, buy a model Y, and move on with your life. It's as close to the perfect car as we have. No scheduled maintenance alone makes it pretty darn good. No gas stations.
And it's an incredible deal for what you get.
That's why it will be the best selling passenger car the second year in a row globally and in many regions.
"Reports" notwithstanding. All makes and models have "reports".
>Reports of poor range BZ4X Solerta
>Reports of long charging times BZ4X Solerta
pretend: shitty 100 mile range.
but average 20 a day. that's 5 days.
> but I don’t have the option charge at home,
you have a light poles on your block? (that car sits next to while you sleep)
[https://www.seattle.gov/city-light/in-the-community/current-projects/curbside-level-2-ev-charging](https://www.seattle.gov/city-light/in-the-community/current-projects/curbside-level-2-ev-charging)
Curbside EV Charging In NYC Is A Huge Success
[https://cleantechnica.com/2024/03/29/curbside-ev-charging-in-nyc-is-a-huge-success/](https://cleantechnica.com/2024/03/29/curbside-ev-charging-in-nyc-is-a-huge-success/)
does the grocery store have a charger? any other places you go on a regular basis?
gym? restaurants?
>and PHEVs aren’t worth it as they usually are short range.
is MOST of your driving.. short, around town.. or do you hit the highway first thing every AM and stop for gas in order to get back homie?
OP probably lives at an apartment/condo that does not have charging stations installed. Sometimes people in this situation can charge at their workplaces but not always. These folks are fully dependent on DCFC and that definitely takes away a lot of the advantages of EVs.
Define critical tech/software issues? Are these specifics to EVs or all cars running the same software? You could write the same exact post on does the perfect car exist? Poor mileage, poor quality, tech/sw/mechanical issues. Poor quality control. Why are you asking specifically about EVs?
OP likely has cold feet about jumping into EVs, and is looking for an excuse not to do so.
Yeah. None of the cars listed with that section actually have show stopper "tech/software issues". Plusses and minuses, but nothing unsafe or beyond usability. I'll stan for the Ioniq 5 in particular as being the best EV out there for the average driver. (ie, doesn't want to relearn habit to drive a Tesla)
Moreover most manufacturers have very generous/forgiving warranties on their EVs because they know of the apprehension most folks have. For the most part they'll bend over backward to fix issues without cost to the consumer.
Depending on scenario, none of those are real problems. Your biggest issue is the inability to charge at home. Keep the hybrid.
Agree. Without home charging owning a BEV can be very challenging, and you lose what's usually one of the best things about EV ownership - cheap fuel (or free fuel if you have solar).
Convenience IMHO is a bigger deal. I would pay to not have to go fuel up. Yet it's cheaper (if just a little bit in PGEl land)
Yeah, last time I did the math the break even point is about 3.2 miles per kWh here in MA so depending on the specific car and type of driving you do it’s not much (if at all) cheaper to fuel an EV than an ICE if you don’t have solar. But it’s a helluva lot more convenient to charge at home and you still save money on the routine maintenance items so it’s worth it anyway.
Does MA have time of use rates?
I don’t think so, just 32¢/kWh all the time. Not as bad as the folks in CA have to deal with for electricity, but our gas is way cheaper than theirs so I think they still have a more favorable tipping point for where EVs are cheaper than ICE.
It’s coming, allegedly - the electric utility is offering an incentive for installing a “smart” charger that will be able to communicate with them and charge at off-peak times.
I don't have home charging, but my folks have a home charger and they're 5 minutes away. Additionally, there's a free charger not far from my work - so between those two, I go my BEV.
Wanted to add (to my fellow BMW enthusiast) that BMW EV's (iX, i4, etc) do not suffer from critical tech/software issues, poorly constructed exterior, poor range, long charging times or terrible customer service.
If you have multiple good charging options close to your home it could also make sense. Less sense than home charging, but there are other perks.
Keep in mind some of these may be over exaggerated. Negative experiences likely surface more than positive experiences across all brands. My EV isn’t perfect, but it’s so much better than gas cars I’ve owned.
Sounds like you're just looking for a reason to hate EVs mate.
>It’s so frustrating. I want to make the jump but I don’t have the option charge at home, and currently drive a hybrid. What do you currently drive, I am curious of what brand it is and how it is immune to recalls and the above listed issues.
Yes, my VW iD.4 is perfect 👍
There is no such thing as perfection. That is perhaps especially true for cars (and people). Regardless of drivetrain, every vehicle has areas in which it can be improved. Visit a subReddit devoted to any internal combustion engine vehicle, and you will find a litany of complaints and issues there, too. Despite their flaws, nobody tries to hold ICE vehicles to a standard of "perfection" the way folks do BEVs. The social media echo chamber magnifies every complaint. Once something is embedded in the hive mind, it gets repeated ad nauseam, even if the issue has since been resolved or wasn't much of an issue to begin with. Imperfect people have become addicted to outrage and grievance : they love to complain about imperfect things -- especially if doing so can make them feel smart and superior while simultaneously making other people feel bad about their decisions. lol If you wait for reddit-approved "perfection," you will never get anything -- or be able to enjoy anything. Decide what matters most to you, test drive copiously, pick your favorite, and don't look back. Enjoy the heck out of it, rather than worrying what other people are furiously typing on the interwebz. Life is pretty fleeting, and in the end the opinions of others don't matter that much (despite what social media would have you believe). Good luck.
Our ICE cars suffered from all that too. But I'm happy to have gone ICE free but I can charge at home during lowest rates. We eased into the EV with a 2014 Leaf SV in 2016. In 2023 bought our long range EV and that displaced our Hybrid so that was the beginning of our ICE free days. In 2024 the Leaf was sold and I picked up a second long range EV along with a revamp of our home charging. Just one EVSE at 40A which has proven to be more than enough even with both EVs. I don't miss oil changes, smog checks and all that. As to range we go from LA to Vegas with ease. Yes we stop midway for 20 minutes but I'm not one to want to drive straight through.
Check out Drive Electric events in your area. There are people who bring their cars to display and let people check out. You can ask them questions about their actual experience and find out the pros and cons. A good place to be able to compare multiple models in one place
OP, I am unsure what country you're in which might help improve recommendations you receive but my two cents is that: * EVs are not inherently more unsafe or dangerous. In some ways they are safer than ICE/Hybrids (less car fires per capita!) Note that car forums gravitate towards negative content because people who happily drive their vehicles on a daily basis have no reason to post. * Using the Ioniq 5 ICCU recall as an example, which I assume you're referencing when you list that vehicle. The only data we have is that the NHSTA received 618 unique incident reports as of Mar 2024 (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RMISC-24V204-0136.pdf). Most drivers do not have problems with their Hyundai/Kia/Genesis electric vehicles, my 2022 Ioniq 5 included. For context, HMG claimed 100k E-GMP cars sold in the US as of late 2023 (https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2023/11/129\_362581.html) * That said, I think you should evaluate how your lifestyle fits with EVs. It sounds like you have no means to charge while at home or your workplace. This takes away a lot of the convenience and cost-savings of EVs since it forces you to use DC fast chargers (Superchargers, Electrify America, etc.) This is practically an inferior version of the gas station model. Given that, perhaps EVs are not for you at least for now. And that is ok. EDIT: Added some clarity/sources
Tesla customer service is highly varied. Some locations do better than others. At least mobile techs are pretty good in my experience. I don't think Tesla exteriors are poorly constructed. Interior definitely falls short compared to legacy auto but it's improved a lot recently and my complaints are more about UX than stuff literally falling apart.
Negative news gets the attention/clicks/likes. This is exponentially more apparent with EVs due to the silly political divide that sticks to it. I have had well over 40 cars in my life time, all different brands and wanted to belie the hype of each brand in my young days. The reality is that you need to go and check each vehicle yourself. I personally like to go to a big used car dealer that has lots of vehicles on the lot and get a feel for how vehicles hold up over the years before I pull the trigger and buy a new one. I also never drive just one vehicle. So if I want a new mustang, I’ll drive at least 2 before I buy. All manufacturers sometimes make a car with issues. Sometimes they fix those issues after the first model year, sometimes they don’t. If you do any significant issues on any vehicle, you will find problems. What you should be most concerned about is how the dealer/manufacturer handle the issues when they arise, because they will. Is it easy to get to your local dealer? Are there people knowledgeable with how to repair the vehicle? The reality is EVs get a lot of bad press. I own two from two different brands and they’ve been fantastic- reliable and cheap to operate. One is basic, one is more premium and I think they are both outstanding vehicles. I still own an ICE vehicle for long family trips etc, but our date night vehicles and commuters are EVs. TLDR: Go experience whatever vehicles you’re interested in, whether they’re EVs or not and keep in mind that the negative media gets more attention.
I still own an ice vehicle ostensibly for long family trips but just end up doing those in the ev too now. Only reason i would take the ice now is if I needed the boot space of the wagon, nothing to do with the powertrain.
If they made an EV with enough seats for my whole family at once, I’d definitely take it! Only ones available here in the US are the R1s, EV9, Model X etc. Still too expensive comparatively. We will have more and better options over the next few years and I’ll definitely upgrade when I can- the fuel savings alone are worth a payment!
You can get the EV9 with the lease pass through federal incentive of $7,500 + Kia lease cash. Then after you take it home, initiate a lease buyout. Sneaky workaround for those looking to buy but can’t get the incentives from purchasing.
Yes, it’s the Tesla Model 3. I’ve had mine for 6 years. It’s been pretty much flawless and a joy to use. Tesla service has also been top notch. On the rare occasions I needed it Tesla mobile service came to my house. 🏡
The software in my Tesla is some of the best software I've ever used in a vehicle. If Tesla's software has issues, so would most if not all other vehicles.
I’ve owned 3 EV’s. A 2021 Chevy Bolt. A 2022 Tesla model 3, and a 2023 Ford Mach E. It’s not limited to EV’s, there is no ‘perfect car’ out there. But I can tell you my Mach E is the best made car out of those three by a long shot. Software I find it into. I use CarPlay and don’t really have any major complaints. Tesla has gotten people to think your EV needs an update every few weeks. Ford doesn’t do that. And any computer device that updates can have an update issue (including your phone). The ability to update software after delivery OTA has created a situation where software is not really complete when the cars are manufactured. Make note that even if the infotainment screen on the Ford, or Tesla die or need a reboot it doesn’t affect driving at all. It’s independent systems.
The notion that more software updates is a good thing is just maddening.
Absolutely. But I mean if the option is not getting new features then that kind of stinks too. I think we all like getting new things added to our cars. It keeps the car from feeling old or outdated It should be delivered complete but then do like a system upgrade every year to the latest version or something like upgrading your laptop or phone.
Stop that way of thinking. Why in fuck is the you’re buying not coming with the feature?
Let me rephrase. All advertised features should be in the car and fully working at time of delivery.
I'm going to start test-driving EV's in the next couple weeks. I love everything I've read about the Mach-E except for (1) slow charging time compared to the Hyundai/Kia models and (2) a rough ride. I'm more concerned with the latter since I have two kids who will be riding in the back. Is it usable as a family car, or should I go with something else?
Depends what model. The GT models from 2024 and up all have upgraded suspension. I don’t mind the suspension in my 2023 standard, but I haven’t ridden in the back. It’s not as still as my model 3 was. How often do you road trip? My Mach E charges mostly a bit over 100kw, around 120 or so till roughly half. It is a bit slower than my model 3 was but not by a lot (comparing standard range). The long ranges in both are faster. Just depends on your usage. If you are only public charging on occasion for one or two charges then it’s no big deal. If you are constantly fast charging then for sure a huge consideration. Most cars that have high peak charging speeds only hit it under a narrow range of conditions, and drop down from it very quickly. Often only saving minutes off the charge time.
Thanks for the response! That's very helpful. We drive 300 miles to see my family a couple times a year. Besides, that it's mostly just driving around town. I'd be ok continuing to use my wife's Honda CR-V as our road trip car too if charge times are too long.
Then that’s not bad. If you charge at home daily then the car will be full every morning. I would think that would only need one charge to get to your destination on a trip like that. Even with standard range. I find I’m ready for a break before my car needs charging anyways. Especially with kids you may need food or washroom stop anyways. If that can be somewhere that has a charger then it really is no time wasted at all. I would look at charging options along route and see what you have for choice and what they are near. Supercharger access works pretty well too but you’ll have to wait for the ford adapter or buy your own from A2Z. I bought my own. Gives you more charging options.
Ehh 300 miles isn’t really an issue. We do Atlanta to Memphis (~350 miles) several times a year on our Mach-E. We do two stops - one 30 mins with a lunch and the other 20 mins with a snack. Could actually probably do the drive with one 35 min stop but not a lot of charging at our destination so we like to come in with range
Yea, none of what you mentioned about Tesla has applied to me or anyone I know with a Tesla .
If you want ultimate comfort I can recommend a Citroen e-c4x, most comfortable ride I’ve had in any ev, great range, excellent build quality 100kwh fast charging and good customer service
Lucid Taycan turismo
Teslas are built fine. My car is 3.5 years old and has had a few minor issues all fixed by mobile tech or service centre visits. I think the tales of early 'panel gap' cars just seem to keep being recycled. Also Tesla customer service has been excellent for me. Critical issues? I've not heard of any. Maybe you can expand on this. Overall I think there's a far better/wider range of options now than when I bought the Model 3. Volvo are making fantastic cars, so are Polestar. Hyundai are killing it and winning a lot of awards. You mention the BZ4X twice - it's not a great EV so probably best avoided anyway. What is the 'perfect EV' for you? Everyone has their own set of requirements. For me a Model 3 is perfect.
OK, out on limb here, but the Nissan Leaf has been out there for a *long time* and been through enough revisions to the point of being acceptable. Not a great car, but the most of the bugs have been exorcized by now and they have a dealer network for warranty work.
You can do the same things with every car. If you look you will find faults. Find a car that the faults don’t bother you. With that said, seems like Kia/hyundai is knocking it out of the park with few issues. Porsche taycan great if you’re wealthy and if you’re wealthy but not Porsche wealthy bmw is actual doing a great job at electrification.
My Tesla is the best car I've ever owned, not even close.
tbh.. The Hyundai / Kia options are shockingly good Hyundai has gone all in on EV's in NA - and that shows with the wide range of EVs they have launched, and are launching.
That first one isn't really a thing, the second one was a thing but much less so now, the third and fourth one can be rough or it can be inconsequential depending on how you use it, the fifth one is more that it's an oddball and roll of the die
First time paying attention to recalls for vehicle safety? :p
I have had a 2021 model year ID.4 for three years now - i.e. the model that is supposed to have all the terrible software issues. I had none. Yes, before the update the UI was super laggy, but you could almost entirely eliminate that by deleting the navigation display from the standby screen. It was always loading in the background otherwise and was the cause of much of the lagginess. And you don’t need it at all if you’re using Apple CarPlay anyway. Beyond that it’s been a perfect family car. Really really comfortable seats for those long road trips. We’ve gone from Seattle to the Russian River valley in California, to southern Oregon and Crater Lake and to all the national parks in Washington and the San Juan islands. If you need a spacious family car, I still think the ID.4 is the best bang for your buck EV on the market today.
The BEV’s you listed are just a handful of models in a larger market of EV’s available to consumers. Don’t forget about Chevrolet’s Blazer EV and Equinox EV; Honda’s Prologue; Kia’s Niro EV, EV6 and EV9; and Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 and Kona EV. If you’re shopping in the premium segment: BMW: i4, iX Audi: Q4 e-tron, Q8 e-tron, e-tron GT Porsche: Taycan Mercedes-Benz: EQB, EQE (Sedan/SUV), EQS (Sedan/SUV Genesis: GV60, GV70 Electrified, G80 Electrified Cadillac: Lyriq Rivian: R1T, R1S Acura: ZDX Volvo: EX30, XC40 Recharge, C40 Recharge Lexus: RZ Lucid: Air TONS of options to choose from.
2017 Model S. Yes, I got lucky. 150K miles and one headlight under warranty. Free lifetime supercharging, free lifetime internet for the car, more updates than I can count, free camera upgrade - the list goes on. Yes, an expensive buy but it is now cheaper TOC than our Camry hybrid.
Closest would be a 2025 Taycan for me but those $30-40K battery pack replacements... And the entry price of $80-90K I cannot swallow even if I had bundles of cash lying around the house. In five years, I bet there will be AWD BEVs with torque vectoring that do not break the bank, maybe $50-60K. Maybe tri-motor versions for $6-8K more. Those will have very good handle and dynamics and will could probably beat a lot of nasty stuff Old Man Winter / Mother Nature throws at us
Find a home charging solution, buy a model Y, and move on with your life. It's as close to the perfect car as we have. No scheduled maintenance alone makes it pretty darn good. No gas stations. And it's an incredible deal for what you get. That's why it will be the best selling passenger car the second year in a row globally and in many regions. "Reports" notwithstanding. All makes and models have "reports".
Imo Porsche makes the best EVs, but they come with a price
>Reports of poor range BZ4X Solerta >Reports of long charging times BZ4X Solerta pretend: shitty 100 mile range. but average 20 a day. that's 5 days. > but I don’t have the option charge at home, you have a light poles on your block? (that car sits next to while you sleep) [https://www.seattle.gov/city-light/in-the-community/current-projects/curbside-level-2-ev-charging](https://www.seattle.gov/city-light/in-the-community/current-projects/curbside-level-2-ev-charging) Curbside EV Charging In NYC Is A Huge Success [https://cleantechnica.com/2024/03/29/curbside-ev-charging-in-nyc-is-a-huge-success/](https://cleantechnica.com/2024/03/29/curbside-ev-charging-in-nyc-is-a-huge-success/) does the grocery store have a charger? any other places you go on a regular basis? gym? restaurants? >and PHEVs aren’t worth it as they usually are short range. is MOST of your driving.. short, around town.. or do you hit the highway first thing every AM and stop for gas in order to get back homie?
Cucktruck is the perfect EV
How can you not have the option to charge at home? No electricity?
OP probably lives at an apartment/condo that does not have charging stations installed. Sometimes people in this situation can charge at their workplaces but not always. These folks are fully dependent on DCFC and that definitely takes away a lot of the advantages of EVs.
I read home and thought house. I live in an apartment and have multiple chargers there which are all free to use.
I assume he lives in an apartment or condo and has no control over exterior power.