foxwiz5262

I purchased a new 2023 Acura RDX A-Spec Advanced in January while we were living in Colorado. Gas was cheaper than our new home in Southern California. We moved in May. Our house has solar panels, and I was talking to my neighbor across the street who also has solar panels. He has a Tesla that he purchased last year. We were talking about it and he says that since he has solar, it costs him nothing to charge his vehicle. I am not that happy with the mileage my RDX gets, about 15-18 in the city and maybe 25-27 on the highway if I am lucky.

So I came home and started an Excel spreadsheet with all the number of gas and mileage that I drive in a year and with the cost of Premium gas in Southern California around $5.10+, I thought it might be worth it to take the loss of trading my RDX with only 5,300 miles on it and getting an EV. The savings in gas would be about $3,500 a year and it would take about 3-4 years to break even (maybe) by switching and losing about $10k on the deal.

I did test drive the Tesla Model Y and prices have come down over the last few months. I hear about $15k or so. Insurance is high on the Tesla with my current insurance company so I am looking around to see if I can get it cheaper. Still not sure I want to do the swap because the RDX is fun to drive. What are your thoughts on driving and charging an EV for free?

RDX10

I live in Alberta Canada, but anytime I visit Vancouver, BC, I am always surprised at the sheer number of Teslas. Like every third vehicle is a Tesla. In Alberta (which is a lot closer to Colorado in terms of way of life, gas prices...etc) pickup trucks and ICE cars are by far the mose popular.

The cost of gas in Vancouver is almost double that of where I live in Alberta so it makes a lot of sense to me as to why electric vehicles are so popular there. So this is a long way of saying EV makes a lot more sense in places like Southern California and Vancouver than it would have in Colorado and Alberta. So I say go for it personally. If I had to pay gas prices in Vancouver I 1000% would be driving or trying to get into an EV.

HotRodW

IF you genuinely like the Tesla and can put up with its quirks, then it's worth considering. Just don't let the spreadsheet be the only consideration. There are so many factors to choosing a car, and some of them can't really be quantified. (You did say you enjoy driving the RDX. Do you enjoy the Model Y as much?) Also, Tesla isn't the only automaker pushing EV's in volume right now, so there are other deals out there. Plus the market is about to get an influx of new hybrids and dedicated EV's. Whether you put the energy into a Tesla or not, you're still benefitting from the solar panels. Using the free solar energy to charge the Tesla means there's less to power your home, correct?

I love the idea of cheap/free fuel, but I personally haven't found an EV I like enough to live with the compromises. Plus my wife is terrified of EV fires after seeing her coworker's electric Volvo burn their home to the ground. Less volatile solid state batteries can't arrive soon enough. Maybe I'll be enticed into an EV before they arrive, but the vehicle will need to blow me away. I'm not in a hurry. For now we just try to buy relatively efficient vehicles that acceptably suit our wants/needs.

foxwiz5262

Thanks for the reply. I did enjoy driving the Tesla, but not as much as the RDX. The day after I drove the Tesla, I drove the BMW I4, and the Nissan Ariya. The BMW was a bit small for me, I would rather have an SUV. I did like the Ariya, but it's not as crazy fast as the Tesla. Not a big deal because how many time are you going to floor it? I don't want any accidents or tickets.

Our home generates enough electricity to power what we need to live, and also to fully charge a vehicle twice a week if needed (from 10% to full). I am also not in a hurry, but it is fun to check out what is available.

JustMe...

I thought you decided to keep the RDX. At least that's what you inferred on the Tesla forum. Have you changed your mind?

foxwiz5262

For the most part we are keeping the RDX, but it keeps pulling my strings and the wife and I keep talking about it. The more research I do about the Tesla and see some of the issues that people have with fit-and-finish, ordering problems, the more I want to keep my RDX.

motif88

I was told there would be no math,,,
How much do the solar panels cost? Last I checked the ROI sucks unless your are under 40 years old with a 20+ year return. Where does the power come from when solar only works 42% of the time?
Figure it out.

foxwiz5262

Don't know how much the solar panels cost but I lease them. Where I live, it is sunny most of the year so they produce very well. The panels generate more electricity than I can use in a year.

sonyfever

You are right on the money. Forget about the fuel cost "saving" of going EV, it is too long an investment even in California, unless your yearly mileage is way above average. By the time you turn positive, there will likely be something new (solid state battery for example) that entices you for a new ride.

Personally, I like the smoothness/response of EV. Low maintenance and charging at home save a lot of time. Battery longevity is always a concern, but unless you are a road warrior, even a 30% decrease over 10 years on a 300-mile car should serve you well enough.

Having said that, If you have the money and like Tesla, why not? It has the best battery and motor technology south of 70k, and since spring the suspension of 3/Y has been returned and now rides much better (mostly for rear-seat passengers). Or maybe you can wait for Highland (MMC 3/Y... think Y has a different codename but you know what I mean), interior should be much improved.

sonyfever

And if you have the money and don't like Tesla enough, be sure to try BMW iX. It was a little expensive but now has $10k~20k discount across the lineup. Personally, I feel iX is more complete as a car than Tesla (whichever model), and is similar to RDX but has that new, upgraded feel everywhere except for the trunk space.

Texasrdx21

You MPG is average - city driving is not the RDX with SHawd most efficient. 25-27mpg on the highway is what I have got on several 1200 mile road trips. I only use regular gas, as the premium only adds 20 more HP and does nothing for mpg.

I went through the same scenario over the last year. There are a lot of pro and cons that the spreadsheet will not provide. Depends on your driving habits, weather and if you take any trips. For me, I just got frustrated with the FOMO, super high prices and delivery time that keep getting pushed (mid to later 2022). So I canceled my Tesla Model Y Performance order and my ID.4 order - lucky for me - as 3 months after - Tesla dropped the prices almost $18k.

Pro:

• Love the electric immediate torque and the simplicity of the vehicle, plus almost zero maintenance (no engine air filers, oil changes, diff changes or transmission fluid).
• If you can charge at home - 10-13 cents a kw/h is great, but supercharge on the road can be 30-45 cents kw/h.
• Lots of storage.
• Amazing tech - Tesla is miles ahead of the rest.
• Tesla's supercharging network makes road tripping less stressful.
• Lots of service centers in the USA

Cons:

• You will go through tires much quicker - no one tell you that - but the weight and torque will eat those $1500-$2000 tires in 20k miles or less.
• Doesn't have all the options that the RDX has (ventilated seats, more plush interior and etc).
• Extreme climates (hot and cold) will reduce the range significantly.
• You won't be charging to 100% daily, more like 80-90% - so estimated range will be lower.
• Road trips take a little planning, so does staying in a location for a week or so - as you'll need to charge someplace.
• Install of a charger at home is $500 - $1000.

***Break even in MPG to a EV in terms of charging is a vehicle that gets about 35 mpg. Both gas and electric prices will rise - so take that into consideration.

The depreciation hit on my Acura as a trade, paying the full taxes again and buying a new expensive vehicle just didn't have the ROI I was needed to take the plunge. Plus, Tesla is about to revamp their model 3 and Y - so once that comes out - used Teslas will take a bigger hit in values. So I am waiting for the new models to come out - and battery tech will get much better in the next few years.

anoop

I don't think it's worth doing it for financial reasons alone. If you find the Tesla exciting do it, otherwise stick with the RDX. How many miles do you drive in a year? Do you take long trips? If so, are you willing to wait in line for a supercharger? These are the kinds of questions you should ask.

Texasrdx21

If you are living in CA and a resident - look at the rebates CA has for new electric vehicles. Plus, if you finding in inventory (especially at the end of the month) there are usually discounts to move vehicles. Go check out the site "waitingforatesla"

In the end - its your $$$, choose what makes you happy! If you are going to use it locally and charge from home daily - that will save time and money!

SebringSilver

You should check out the electrified GV70. I bought one 2 months ago and will be picking up a second one today. 483 hp and 516 lb-ft torque. This is my current one in Uyuni White.

HotRodW

Very nice! Best looking car in its class - and that includes the ICE GV70 with its overdone detailing. They're still not available here in Michigan (and about 30 other states).

ELIN

Does your Genesis dealer have its own site or still sharing w/Hyundai?

anoop

To me, the ID.4 is the best looking followed by the EQC. Not a fan of the GV70, electrified or not. But because the EQC pretends to be a Tesla with its tech, I think the Tesla would be a better choice and much cheaper to buy over the EQC.

SebringSilver

It's a combo Genesis/Hyundai dealership but has a dedicated Genesis service team. As for the car itself, it's quiet, super quick, it's much more structurally rigid than the ICE GV70, and has easily the best interior in this class. I had 2 GV70s with the twin-turbo V6 (already a superb vehicle) previously and the electric version is far superior.

Wouldn't hurt to take one for a test drive if they're available in your area.

Baldeagle

Will the electricity be free? In NJ, the power companies limit the capacity of a solar system to just less than the annual expected household usage. (That is if you own your own panels. If you lease the panels, you pay a fixed rate for all electricity, which isn’t much cheaper than the regular rate.) Where you live, was your system’s capacity also limited to your household’s current consumption? If yes, adding a EV implies you may exceed your system’s production capacity and you’ll wind up taking your EV’s electricity off the grid at full retail rates. It won’t be free. It will only be free if your current system generated a LOT of unused credits at the end of each year. Do you have unused credits each year?

brubins

Any idea when the GV70e will become more readily available? Thinking hard about a Mach-e but may want to hold out for the GV70e as I've had great experiences with Genesis in the past. Any hope that they will be improving the range in the near term?

SebringSilver

They're quite readily available where I am (Vancouver), you order online and it arrives in about 6 weeks. Canada gets its eGV70s from Korea, whereas US buyers get theirs from Alabama. On a full charge, I'm seeing a maximum range of 450 km, but in reality it's probably closer to 380 when you take into consideration the use of A/C. Prodigious use of the Boost button will reduce that further but that's how you get from 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds.

I've test driven the Mach E. All due respect to Ford for creating a popular EV, but there's no comparison to the GV70. The use of materials, the tactile feel of the switchgear, etc, is much more elevated in the Genesis.

brubins

I can completely relate to that. Ten years ago when I bought my Genesis sedan I test drove it right after test driving a Ford Fusion and was surprised at how much nicer the Genesis was for only a few thousand $$ more. Of course they were basically giving away Genesises back then. Sadly that has changed.

anoop

Now Tesla is giving them away.

I just played a game of car counting on my way home through a couple of traffic lights counting cars in the opposite direction. I found about 1 out of 20 is a Tesla.

EFR

Haha. I'm surprised it wasn't more...they are all over the place. It'll be interesting to see how that changes over the couple years as the variety of EV brands/models is growing really quickly. Now...does the demand keep with the supply?

foxwiz5262

I think we generate enough electricity to charge the EV for free all year round. We do pay a lease charge for the system as the previous owner decided not to purchase it outright. I went over the usage with the power company over the last year that the previous owners used. They had 2 people in the house and we have three. In our defense, we should be traveling more and be away more than they were during the year.

Texasrdx21

With 15k+ repos a day, FOMO gone, higher interest rate, booming used car inventories, falling used car prices and low sales volume of new vehicles - you will see deals as they all struggle to grow and move over to EV platforms.

jmhumr

Having your own solar panels that can fully supply your house and car definitely makes EVs more attractive. If you don’t travel long distances, it’s probably a no-brainer to go all-in on EV soon.

That being said, I’d definitely broaden my search beyond Tesla. They’re really only worth it if you covet the self-driving features. Otherwise, the competition has caught up in terms of EV range and you can avoid all the drama and frustration that comes with Tesla. Keep an eye on the ZDX unveiling later this month. There are many other EVs out there now/soon.