OK, my kid needs a car to get to school now so that means three people with places to go in the house and only two cars to do it with. The math is not adding up!
I have a new Volt which I love and our trusty old Toyota SUV. I test drove 2016 Chevy Spark EV last week and thought it was an absolute hoot. The thought of owning that thing is really growing on me! The plan is to give the kid the SUV and my wife and I get another car for us.
I have like $10K max to devote to another car. So here's my dilemma, do I go out and spend the $10k on a 3yr lease on something like a Clarity PHEV or a Leaf? I would like to avoid another gas burning car if at all possible.
At the end of three years I would have nothing
OR....
Maybe I should get a Spark EV for $10k drive the heck out of it and still have something to show for it after three years.
The thing that is holding me back is I'm reading stories of battery degredation and making these barely 80 mile ranges look more like 50-60 after three years. Not a total deal breaker but it leaves me wondering about spending my $10k more wisely and questioning the wisdom of buying a used EV.
A few additional facts...
My commute right now is like 40 miles round trip and there is actually L2 at my work (at a buck an hour!).
There are times where I need to go more than 60 miles if I'm running errands so I guess I'd charge at work (read $$$) or swap cars with my wife on those days.
My wife doesn't drive all that much but there are times when she needs to go further than the Spark could probably take her so that means she probably gets the Volt and i'd get the Spark most days.
What does everyone think? Is it a bad idea to get a 3 year old Spark EV?
I have a new Volt which I love and our trusty old Toyota SUV. I test drove 2016 Chevy Spark EV last week and thought it was an absolute hoot. The thought of owning that thing is really growing on me! The plan is to give the kid the SUV and my wife and I get another car for us.
I have like $10K max to devote to another car. So here's my dilemma, do I go out and spend the $10k on a 3yr lease on something like a Clarity PHEV or a Leaf? I would like to avoid another gas burning car if at all possible.
At the end of three years I would have nothing
OR....
Maybe I should get a Spark EV for $10k drive the heck out of it and still have something to show for it after three years.
The thing that is holding me back is I'm reading stories of battery degredation and making these barely 80 mile ranges look more like 50-60 after three years. Not a total deal breaker but it leaves me wondering about spending my $10k more wisely and questioning the wisdom of buying a used EV.
A few additional facts...
My commute right now is like 40 miles round trip and there is actually L2 at my work (at a buck an hour!).
There are times where I need to go more than 60 miles if I'm running errands so I guess I'd charge at work (read $$$) or swap cars with my wife on those days.
My wife doesn't drive all that much but there are times when she needs to go further than the Spark could probably take her so that means she probably gets the Volt and i'd get the Spark most days.
What does everyone think? Is it a bad idea to get a 3 year old Spark EV?