It’s 2024 and the automotive industry is in a weird place. The car-buying public finds itself at a moment of uncertainty, wondering if it should buy electric cars or gas cars or plug-in hybrids or regular hybrids or…hydrogen? When people ask me what they should buy, here’s what I tell them: If you plug in at home, consider a PHEV. If you can’t, buy a regular hybrid. Here, allow me to explain.
As a car journalist, I get asked the “What Car Should I Buy?” question all the time, and what I’ve come to learn is that oftentimes someone has a car in mind already, and they should probably just buy that. My brother, for example, kept asking me for car advice, and I gave him lots of options better than a white, rental-spec 2017 Hyundai Elantra, but he chose that anyway. He liked it. He thought it looked “sporty.” I respect that; if you have a car you like, you should probably buy that.
But some people don’t have a car in mind; they think with their brains, not their hearts. And many of those people are wondering: Should I buy an EV or a gas car? The answer that I’ve been giving lately? Neither.
Why I Wouldn’t Buy A Gas Car Today
My parents just bought a BMW X3 after their 2011 Equinox lost its timing chain and burned an entire tanker full of oil. The X3 is a great car by almost all measures, and yet, I did wince a little when they told me they bought it. It wasn’t a bad call, but I’d have gone with something electrified; I’d have hedged my bets.
My parents live in Germany, where fuel prices are absurdly high and volatile. Right now, the average gasoline price in Germany is $7.22 a gallon, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that figure climbs as the government pushes EVs into the market. Europe has been especially aggressive in pushing its transition towards electrification, and it makes sense. It’s a densely-populated continent that could see major health benefits for its citizens by moving pollution away from cities and towards rural powerplants. (Europe has been pushing solar and wind energy, too, which is great). A number of European cities have banned diesel cars and many have put tariffs on gas cars or outright banned them.
To drive a 24 MPG car like the BMW X3 for the next 13 years in Europe seems…difficult.
My parents are paying U.S. gas prices since my dad is a government employee (Uncle Sam subsidizes his gas while he lives abroad), and they will likely be moving back to the U.S. soon. Still, I’m not sure I’d want to buy a brand new 2024 car that only gets 24 MPG; maybe in certain states it’ll work out for 13 years, but fuel in California is already well over $5 a gallon, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that figure got jacked up in a push to electrify America’s fleet.
Plus, from an environmental standpoint, driving a 24 MPG car in 2024 all the way out to 2037 seems silly. We have the technology to move you much more efficiently.
Luckily, my parents don’t drive much, so this isn’t as big of a deal, but I’d just never buy a gas guzzler as a daily driver in 2024 when there are so many better options, not just for the environment, but for my pocketbook.
Why I Wouldn’t Buy An EV Today
With that said, I often find myself unable to recommend a new EV purchase, either, especially to those who cannot charge at home. My friend Jeb lives in Washington DC. He’s a true environmentalist who thinks gas cars are dumb in 2024. And yet he drives a gas Mini Cooper. Why? Because he can’t charge at home, and plugging in his EV at a charging station when so many of them are broken is just going to be stressful.
I know this because I tried charging my i3 yesterday, and received this fun error:
If this weren’t the 9 millionth time I’ve had such BS happen at a charging station then this wouldn’t be worth sharing. But EV chargers are notoriously unreliable, and if you rely on public chargers to get to work, since you don’t have a place to charge at home, then this will drive you nuts.
The bigger reason why I can’t recommend EVs is depreciation. My partner, Elise (not her real name), has been eyeing a Lexus RZ for a while. The thing MSRP’d at $54,000, but the one she likes costs around $60 grand.
You can find these things lightly — and I mean lightly — used for just $39 grand. That’s $21,000 in depreciation over, in the case of the Carmax car below, just 5,000 miles of driving!
Could you imagine how silly you’d feel if you’d bought this car for $60 grand and paid $21,000 to drive it for only 5,000 miles?
The Lexus RZ is a bit of an extreme case of New EV Depreciation, but it’s happening across brands and models. From Polestars to Hyundai Ioniq 5s to Volkswagen ID.4s — EVs are depreciating at alarming rates. To buy one new seems like a bad move right now.
You should, however, look into leasing one. I hate the idea of leasing, as you’re just borrowing a car and not building equity in it. But if you value newness, paying a little to borrow a car for two years isn’t bad, as you could just buy a severely-depreciated version of that car after those two years are over; you might end up paying less than if you bought the car outright. A lease should cost enough to cover that crazy depreciation, but there are deals to be had out there.
Why I Wouldn’t Buy A Plug-In Hybrid Today (If You Can’t Charge At Home)
As many of you likely know, I love plug-in hybrids, but recently I bought a second BMW i3S, booting my daily-driven regular-i3 from the garage (as you can see above, the two don’t fit back-to-back) where I used to charge it. Now I have no at-home charging for my daily-driven PHEV.
So you know what I do instead? I drive it on gasoline power only unless I can find charging at work. How do I feel when I’m driving this PHEV on gas power? Like a chump. Particularly because I’d be getting better fuel economy if I just bought…
… A Regular Hybrid
Seriously, the only smart new car purchase in 2024 if you don’t have at-home charging (if you have at-home charging, a plug-in hybrid is a good option, too) is a regular hybrid. My D.C.-based friend, Jeb, who has no at-home charging should buy a hybrid. If I didn’t plan to use my new BMW i3S as my daily commuter, I myself would be smart to replace my now-gas-propelled i3 with a regular hybrid.
You don’t have to worry about bullshit infrastructure issues like the bad EVgo charger I showed earlier or the malfunctioning Chargie app that left me in a bind yesterday (see above). You just park wherever you normally park, you get 40-50 MPG, and you don’t have to worry about serious depreciation. Heck, in some cases, your car might actually appreciate over the next year or so, as demand for certain hybrids has been through the roof.
Did I ever think that I’d only be able to recommend hybrids to people asking for car advice? Nope. But again, it’s a weird time in the auto industry.
Maybe your parents didn’t ask your opinion when they got the X3 because you told them the Equinox would be reliable because it had a timing chain.
(You had to know somebody would bring that up, and you shouldn’t be surprised that I’m the asshole that would do it.)
lol! I didn’t recommend the Equinox. What’s funny is that the old EcoTec 2.2 ALSO had timing chain issues. Come on, GM!
Still prefer a good chain design to a belt 🙂
I think good chain designs ended when they stopped going around 2 gears – one on the crank, one on the camshaft, with no intervening pulleys or guides.
If you change the 2.2 between 140-160k you’re good
Maybe your parents didn’t ask your opinion when they got the X3 because you told them the Equinox would be reliable because it had a timing chain.
(You had to know somebody would bring that up, and you shouldn’t be surprised that I’m the asshole that would do it.)
lol! I didn’t recommend the Equinox. What’s funny is that the old EcoTec 2.2 ALSO had timing chain issues. Come on, GM!
Still prefer a good chain design to a belt 🙂
I think good chain designs ended when they stopped going around 2 gears – one on the crank, one on the camshaft, with no intervening pulleys or guides.
I’ve been preaching and practicing the Hybrid mantra since I bought our first over a decade ago. HEVs or PHEVs are all that I’ve purchased for daily drivers since then. Trucks and toys are a different matter, ICE ICE Baby.
In fact I was just talking with someone I work with at the non-profit and she said she was done with her current shit box after it broke down again. I told her Hybrid all the way since she doesn’t have a big budget, low cost of operation and practicality are priorities, and has no place to charge at her in-city apartment.
My wife had the standard hybrid and PHEV version of the same car and they are still in the family having been handed down to my MIL and Daughter. Both were used as the wife’s daily driver and for a couple of road trips of different lengths. In the real world there was little to no difference in MPG when operating the PHEV in gas only mode. However it was designed around transaxle designed to work of either w/o sacrificing efficiency for either.
My wife’s current PHEV is usually only charged to 80% to maximize battery life with only the occasional bump to 100% when we know we are likely to exceed the pure EV range. The last time I drove it the current trip meter was at 980 miles with 920 EV miles.
I’ve been preaching and practicing the Hybrid mantra since I bought our first over a decade ago. HEVs or PHEVs are all that I’ve purchased for daily drivers since then. Trucks and toys are a different matter, ICE ICE Baby.
In fact I was just talking with someone I work with at the non-profit and she said she was done with her current shit box after it broke down again. I told her Hybrid all the way since she doesn’t have a big budget, low cost of operation and practicality are priorities, and has no place to charge at her in-city apartment.
My wife had the standard hybrid and PHEV version of the same car and they are still in the family having been handed down to my MIL and Daughter. Both were used as the wife’s daily driver and for a couple of road trips of different lengths. In the real world there was little to no difference in MPG when operating the PHEV in gas only mode. However it was designed around transaxle designed to work of either w/o sacrificing efficiency for either.
My wife’s current PHEV is usually only charged to 80% to maximize battery life with only the occasional bump to 100% when we know we are likely to exceed the pure EV range. The last time I drove it the current trip meter was at 980 miles with 920 EV miles.
Admittedly, I don’t commute, so our one family car only gets driven about 12k kms per year, but even then, at current gas prices (which, yes, are bound to rise), I’d be looking at about 5 years before I broke even if I bought a RAV4 Hybrid instead, and as minor as it is, they lock the good colours to the XLE and up, at which point my breakeven is almost 8 years, and if that’s if I went to the hassle of begging a dealer to allocate me one. I do wonder about the Niro PHEV as a decent alternative, but ultimately I’m content with my choice for now, and hope that there’s just way more hybrid abundance whenever I eventually replace the current DD.
Admittedly, I don’t commute, so our one family car only gets driven about 12k kms per year, but even then, at current gas prices (which, yes, are bound to rise), I’d be looking at about 5 years before I broke even if I bought a RAV4 Hybrid instead, and as minor as it is, they lock the good colours to the XLE and up, at which point my breakeven is almost 8 years, and if that’s if I went to the hassle of begging a dealer to allocate me one. I do wonder about the Niro PHEV as a decent alternative, but ultimately I’m content with my choice for now, and hope that there’s just way more hybrid abundance whenever I eventually replace the current DD.
All good points for many people! I do think it’s worth considering an EV if:
All good points for many people! I do think it’s worth considering an EV if:
For the majority of *commuters* the only EV charging station you need is a 120V outlet.
I get David’s points…but I feel buying anything other than an EV makes little sense for the majority of commuters. Of course not EVERY person… but the majority.
That really depends on how much you’re paying for electricity. Here in PG&E land it very much depends on avoiding peak hours as that can go from being slightly under price equity with a gallon of regular to nearly double that same gallon of regular.
For the majority of *commuters* the only EV charging station you need is a 120V outlet.
I get David’s points…but I feel buying anything other than an EV makes little sense for the majority of commuters. Of course not EVERY person… but the majority.
That really depends on how much you’re paying for electricity. Here in PG&E land it very much depends on avoiding peak hours as that can go from being slightly under price equity with a gallon of regular to nearly double that same gallon of regular.
The “standard” gasoline in Germany has an octane count of 93. “Super” is typically 95, and “Super Plus” is 98. Engines are tuned to tighter ignition timing in Europe to avoid knocking, and to more completely burn the fuel. When accounting for the price difference of 10-15 cents/gallon for the step-ups from 87 octanes to a hypothetical 95 or 98, California would pay just about as much as Germans for the same fuel grade.
European octane is probably RON, while US is AKI. That “super plus” 98 RON in Europe is equivalent to premium 93 AKI in the US.
It’s definitely RON in Germany.
The “standard” gasoline in Germany has an octane count of 93. “Super” is typically 95, and “Super Plus” is 98. Engines are tuned to tighter ignition timing in Europe to avoid knocking, and to more completely burn the fuel. When accounting for the price difference of 10-15 cents/gallon for the step-ups from 87 octanes to a hypothetical 95 or 98, California would pay just about as much as Germans for the same fuel grade.
European octane is probably RON, while US is AKI. That “super plus” 98 RON in Europe is equivalent to premium 93 AKI in the US.
It’s definitely RON in Germany.
Totally agree. I recently bought a Corolla Cross XSE Hybrid after my Honda Fit meet its end in an unfortunate accident. I get about 40 MPG combined. That’s 5 more than my Fit for a bigger car with more power, AWD, and zero change in driving habits. A PHEV would be even better, but the Cross met my option and price requirements.
Totally agree. I recently bought a Corolla Cross XSE Hybrid after my Honda Fit meet its end in an unfortunate accident. I get about 40 MPG combined. That’s 5 more than my Fit for a bigger car with more power, AWD, and zero change in driving habits. A PHEV would be even better, but the Cross met my option and price requirements.
I think Toyota got the drop on everyone when they made the Camry all hybrid. I’m retired and don’t commute anymore but if I did I certainly would buy a hybrid.
I think Toyota got the drop on everyone when they made the Camry all hybrid. I’m retired and don’t commute anymore but if I did I certainly would buy a hybrid.
We’ve got a Prius wagon and a Bolt EV, and it’s been a really solid setup. The Bolt is like the default car my wife or I drive around town every day – super cheap to drive and there’s basically nothing to break down or maintain except for rotating the tires. I’ve road tripped with it a little, but the Prius is better because David’s right, the charging infrastructure suuuuuucks right now. We basically only fill the tank up before a road trip, and now it gets like 90% highway miles.
This is the way! Pacifica PHEV + Mini EV for us. We only burn gas on road trips (where it’s currently cheaper than charging anyway!) and never have to rely on public chargers. And BEV simplicity is the greatest thing ever for working families that are tired of finding time for oil/filter changes on top of everything else. And nothing is better/more fun for an urban/suburban commute than a small EV!
We’ve got a Prius wagon and a Bolt EV, and it’s been a really solid setup. The Bolt is like the default car my wife or I drive around town every day – super cheap to drive and there’s basically nothing to break down or maintain except for rotating the tires. I’ve road tripped with it a little, but the Prius is better because David’s right, the charging infrastructure suuuuuucks right now. We basically only fill the tank up before a road trip, and now it gets like 90% highway miles.
This is the way! Pacifica PHEV + Mini EV for us. We only burn gas on road trips (where it’s currently cheaper than charging anyway!) and never have to rely on public chargers. And BEV simplicity is the greatest thing ever for working families that are tired of finding time for oil/filter changes on top of everything else. And nothing is better/more fun for an urban/suburban commute than a small EV!
About that EVgo error. If you have not done it yet, you should try holding and pushing the connector in until the charging session fully starts.
I used to have the same problem with my ’14 i3 until an EVgo technician told me this. It seems that the cable is so heavy that, in some older EVs, gravity can unseat the pins that do the handshake with the car.
At first I thought that the guy was full of it but… it worked for me!
So what happens after the handshake? You can let it go, the connectors drop out of connection, and you don’t need to keep shaking hands anymore? It’s only HV connectors involved from then on?
It seems to be something like that. Once the charging session is fully started, you can let go of the handle and it keeps going.
My 2020 Bolt has a little solenoid-driven latch that grabs onto a DC fast charge connector once handshake is complete. It keeps the big connectors snugly together while high voltage power is flowing, and I assume would also keep the smaller handshake pins in contact. Latch releases upon charging session completion.
I imagine something similar is a common feature for all EVs with DC fast charging capability. It seems like a good idea to keep the user from unplugging while high voltage is present. While I’m sure charger electronics will detect disconnection and cut power, it’s nice to have multiple layers for safety.
The latch is absent from Bolt without DC fast charge capability.
When I’m charging on 120V I could freely unplug in the middle of a charging session if I run out of patience and need to get going.
Yes, the i3 does the same. It might have to do with tolerances. Early CCS ports (I believe the i3 was the first car equipped with it?) might not connect as tightly as later ones, enough to disrupt the handshake even for a split second, and to upset some DC chargers.
About that EVgo error. If you have not done it yet, you should try holding and pushing the connector in until the charging session fully starts.
I used to have the same problem with my ’14 i3 until an EVgo technician told me this. It seems that the cable is so heavy that, in some older EVs, gravity can unseat the pins that do the handshake with the car.
At first I thought that the guy was full of it but… it worked for me!
So what happens after the handshake? You can let it go, the connectors drop out of connection, and you don’t need to keep shaking hands anymore? It’s only HV connectors involved from then on?
It seems to be something like that. Once the charging session is fully started, you can let go of the handle and it keeps going.
My 2020 Bolt has a little solenoid-driven latch that grabs onto a DC fast charge connector once handshake is complete. It keeps the big connectors snugly together while high voltage power is flowing, and I assume would also keep the smaller handshake pins in contact. Latch releases upon charging session completion.
I imagine something similar is a common feature for all EVs with DC fast charging capability. It seems like a good idea to keep the user from unplugging while high voltage is present. While I’m sure charger electronics will detect disconnection and cut power, it’s nice to have multiple layers for safety.
The latch is absent from Bolt without DC fast charge capability.
When I’m charging on 120V I could freely unplug in the middle of a charging session if I run out of patience and need to get going.
Yes, the i3 does the same. It might have to do with tolerances. Early CCS ports (I believe the i3 was the first car equipped with it?) might not connect as tightly as later ones, enough to disrupt the handshake even for a split second, and to upset some DC chargers.
Where do diesel sedans and cars fit into this? A buddy of mine just picked up a very nice 2016 BMW 535D to be his daily driver so his manual FJ Cruiser can retire to weekend and camping duties.
The MPG boost he’s getting and the current parity between regular gas and diesel prices make it seem like a very tempting option.
Having owned two diesels (sedan and wagon) I can say they are great options, but are getting as rare as unicorns these days. Especially in decent condition. My local market has many TDI vehicles with 325k miles available, but none that are lower mileage, good condition.
Where do diesel sedans and cars fit into this? A buddy of mine just picked up a very nice 2016 BMW 535D to be his daily driver so his manual FJ Cruiser can retire to weekend and camping duties.
The MPG boost he’s getting and the current parity between regular gas and diesel prices make it seem like a very tempting option.
Having owned two diesels (sedan and wagon) I can say they are great options, but are getting as rare as unicorns these days. Especially in decent condition. My local market has many TDI vehicles with 325k miles available, but none that are lower mileage, good condition.
Where’s my goddam PHEV truck, Bruce?!
The only current/ upcoming option is the Ram 1500 REV, unless they put the 4xe drivetrain in the gladiator next
4xe is confirmed for Gladiator for 2025 already
Actually the 1500 REV will be electric only. The 1500 Ramcharger will be PHEV.
The idea of the Ram 1500 REV (execution is still TBD) is a rare instance where I’ll praise Stellantis. I never quite understood the idea of trucks attempting to jump straight to EV with current battery/charging constraints when existing PHEV or HEV tech could give massive fuel economy boosts with little if any cost in performance or range. Generally speaking, trucks only need their power capability for getting a load moving or up a hill; both applications electric motors are exceptional at. The rest of the time they are barely stressed and could easily be recharging a battery (in the case of PHEV). This isn’t even taking regenerative braking into consideration, or the option of MGU’s in connected trailer axles to aid in regen while providing trailer braking.
I’m REALLY hoping it works well. It’s pretty much exactly what I want in a truck. I’d even take a mid size cause my towing needs can be met with anything that’ll tug 6500lbs.
Where’s my goddam PHEV truck, Bruce?!
The only current/ upcoming option is the Ram 1500 REV, unless they put the 4xe drivetrain in the gladiator next
4xe is confirmed for Gladiator for 2025 already
Actually the 1500 REV will be electric only. The 1500 Ramcharger will be PHEV.
The idea of the Ram 1500 REV (execution is still TBD) is a rare instance where I’ll praise Stellantis. I never quite understood the idea of trucks attempting to jump straight to EV with current battery/charging constraints when existing PHEV or HEV tech could give massive fuel economy boosts with little if any cost in performance or range. Generally speaking, trucks only need their power capability for getting a load moving or up a hill; both applications electric motors are exceptional at. The rest of the time they are barely stressed and could easily be recharging a battery (in the case of PHEV). This isn’t even taking regenerative braking into consideration, or the option of MGU’s in connected trailer axles to aid in regen while providing trailer braking.
I’m REALLY hoping it works well. It’s pretty much exactly what I want in a truck. I’d even take a mid size cause my towing needs can be met with anything that’ll tug 6500lbs.
Or you could just buy a used car where the difference in fuel economy makes it a moot point. Like yeah, my 30 year old BMW gets 24-25mpg at best, but it cost $1300 to buy and I don’t have a car payment, so I don’t care about spending money on gas.
Yep yep. My parents just purchased their third e38 7 series. It doesn’t matter that they average about 20 mpg because they drive it just a few thousand miles a year. It was a $12k car and they will drive it easily for the next 10 years.
If you are trying to justify buying a vehicle on fuel cost, then just buy a cheaper vehicle and you will be way ahead. My twin brother had a 100 mile commute, every time we do the math to buy a more fuel efficient car, it never adds up because the purchase price of the car far exceeds the value of the fuel savings compared to just driving the not as fuel efficient vehicles we already own. A BMW E36 M3 gets mid 20s on the highway without even trying, buying a replacement that gets mid 30s mpg might save us $500 per year.
It depends. With our driving and gas prices here in Europe, burning 5-10k for fuel is not that hard. So fuel efficient car/EV stacks up quite fast if one drives a lot. Wife had 150km daily commute before maternity leave. With home charging it makes about 1-2€/100km, vs with our diesel it was about 10€/100km. And that was very frugal. And anyho we had to change car as it was getting rather beaten.