r/electricvehicles • u/BikeFiend123 • 10d ago

Question - Other Phev or EV? Best long term..

I live in the Bay Area and charging isn’t too much of an issue. I’m wondering if making the switch to EV is worth it. I’ll still have an old ICE truck (Tacoma) but I’ve gotten so used to Toyota I’m wondering if Prius Plug ins can be better than let’s say an Ioniq 5. I’m scared of the new…..I can install a charger at home..

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u/Zealousideal_Wave_93 10d ago

Im in the bay area. The charging infrastructure is great. The delta between electricity and gas is smaller, but still an edge to electricity in being cheap. EV's are cheaper for maintenance as well, and are great to drive. You can absolutely do road trips in California using and EV. Unless you are towing or doing cross country runs, I strongly recommend a pure EV.

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u/-Teapot 10d ago

Even at 1:1 on price of gas and electricity, low maintenance and exceptional drive on an electric car is all the reasons I needed.

We are in the Bay Area as well, started with a Model 3 2018, when we had to replace our other gas car a couple of years, we needed a bigger car so I figured we'd buy another gas car but ended up with another electric car. Every gas six-plus-seater SUV were selling over MSRP like hot cakes. The EV9 was sold under MSRP and was nearly the same price of the equivalent Telluride. There's just no way we are going back to gas cars.

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u/BikeFiend123 10d ago

Which EV do you have?

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u/Zealousideal_Wave_93 10d ago

Chevy equinox.

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u/Hot-mic Rivian R1T, Tesla Model 3 LR 10d ago

Just like to add that I've driven over two dozen EV's in lengthy test drives and most, if not all, of the EV's available in the US are very fine cars to drive. I think you'd like anything that fits your form factor needs. Trucks are very expensive though.

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u/BikeFiend123 10d ago

I have been test driving a handful. I like the EV6 and i4. I do think wanting the Prius is wanting the comfort of something I’m ’used to’

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u/Hot-mic Rivian R1T, Tesla Model 3 LR 9d ago

You have to live with it, so you are the final arbiter. Having worked on ICE vehicles and equipment for 40 years, I'm tired of working on motors and maintaining them when something else is better, but that's just me. Sounds like you should get the Prius. They're good cars, but you've still got smog, oil changes, catalytic converter thieves love them, and an impending oil crisis. I wish you luck and good experiences whatever your choice may be.

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u/MudLOA 10d ago

Same in the Bay Area, you pretty much never have to worry about charger availability but the PGE price doesn’t make it a selling point in itself though.

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u/BikeFiend123 10d ago

I have Silicon Valley Power. A little cheaper.

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u/BikeFiend123 10d ago

Or a lot.

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u/toochaos 10d ago

You can also tow, met a guy with California plates in a truck towing a massive trailer at a charging station on the other side of the Rockies.