OT: EV daily driver Purchase Options Options

[flipb]

I'm likely to replace my DD within the next year and it will definitely be another BEV. Would love to get some input from the hivemind on the options and perhaps on the timing, given that purchase/lease incentives are likely to be changing in 2025. I'll want something that can seat 4 adults comfortably, decent cargo storage, and at least 250mi range, 300+ would be nice. V2L would also be a nice thing as backup for power outages at home. I'm not too concerned with fast charging speeds as 99% will be L2 charging in my garage. Not likely to spend extra for a "performance" model as the 914 scratches that itch.

A few of the cars that are in the consideration set:

1. Tesla Model 3 / Model Y -- Tesla is still well ahead of the competition on software and charging network. The latest Model 3 supposedly drives really well and certainly seems like a bargain. My Model S has unlimited Supercharging for life -- if they opened up another window to transfer that benefit (as they did in late 2023), it would be hard to resist.

2. Hyundai Ionic 5 / Kia EV6 / Genesis GV60 -- of these, I really like the Genesis the best but it's hard to justify the price. (Maybe pre-owned?) They all offer V2L and check a lot of the core requirements. We've had good experiences with Hyundai/Kia products over the past 20 years (my wife currently drives a Palisade).

3. Honda Prologue -- although it's a badge-engineered GM product, it's got better interior and features than its twins. And the lease deals right now are insane -- $250/mo for one that's very well-equipped.

Thoughts on these and other options (BMW EVs?) and purchase timing?

(If you'd like to share with me why you think EVs/EV buyers are dumb, feel free to do so via DM. I'd like to keep this thread on-topic about purchase considerations.)

[flipb]

For me, the most important factor is where I can charge the EV. The only EV you can realistically take on a long road trip is a Tesla because it has the largest EV supercharging network and the highest reliability of its chargers. If you can't charge on the Tesla network, then your EV is just a local car you can't take on long trips until the other charging networks get serious about building AND maintaining their charging stations. For that reason alone, I would buy the Tesla. That said, it all depends on how you intend to use the EV and your travel needs. For long distances, an ICE vehicle is still hard to beat. If your EV is only going to be used locally, then get the Honda with the unbeatable price.

In 8 years of dailying a Model S, I've only done a handful of long trips. The SC network is outstanding now, even on the East Coast. I don't have a good grasp of how reliable the 3rd party (non-Tesla) charging networks have become but they seem on the cusp of being viable for the occasional road trip. It's sort of a Catch-22 that the Model 3 has the longest range at 360mi but also the best charging network, while the others suffer from both lower range and questionable infrastructure. I'd very rarely need more than 300 miles of range (enough to get to NYC with cushion); that would be enough to make me worry less about road-trip charging. My wife's car is the primary road-trip car.

We have a 2017 Chevy Volt. We love it. My wife commutes 40 miles total each day which is entirely covered with the battery, but if we want to venture out (Boston mostly, 360 miles), the Gas kicks in and we have a 420 mile range. I know it isn't pure EV but man is a plug in hybrid nice. We put gas in it like every 3 months, the car even monitors how old the gas is and if it goes too long it runs the engine just to get rid of it.

My complaint about the plug in hybrids are the mechanical complexity. Kind of worst of both worlds going on there.

I test drove a Volt back in the day before I bought my (used) Model S. Now I feel "all-in" on a full EV for daily. Especially as you noted about the mechanicals. I feel kind of spoiled with 100% of refueling in my garage while I sleep and practically zero maintenance.