Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Low gas prices, incentives change math for electric cars
Fox News ^ | January 22, 2015 | AP

Posted on 01/22/2015 7:14:12 PM PST by jazusamo

Drivers trying to calculate whether it's practical to own an electric car are facing a new math.

U.S. gas prices have fallen more than $1 per gallon over the last 12 months, to a national average of $2.06, according to AAA. That makes electric cars — with their higher prices tags — a tougher sell.

"Fuel savings are not top of mind to many consumers right now," says John Krafcik, president of the car shopping site TrueCar.com.

Automakers have responded by slashing thousands of dollars off the sticker price of electrics. Incentives averaged $4,159 per electric car last year, up 68 percent from 2013, according to Kelley Blue Book. The average for all vehicles was $2,791.

The discounting, combined with new vehicles such as the BMW i3, the electric Kia Soul and the Mercedes B Class, boosted sales of electrics 35 percent last year, according to Ward's AutoInfoBank. But the gains came before gas prices plunged in the second half.

So the discounting will likely continue. In January, the electric version of the Ford Focus was selling for an average of $25,168, or 16 percent lower than the sticker price of $29,995, according to TrueCar.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: efv; electricvehicles; energy; ev; gasoline; oilprice
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 141-149 next last
To: DB
And when that happens suddenly there will be a massive transition to electric cars.

And that is when we'll be wishing that Obama hadn't closed down the coal industry and clean coal technology.

61 posted on 01/22/2015 8:40:34 PM PST by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: ctdonath2

I’m so deep into the principal at this point that the interest portion doesn’t loft my deductions that much.

But you can’t get a 4000 tax incentive if you aren’t paying at least 4000 in taxes.


62 posted on 01/22/2015 8:42:21 PM PST by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: ctdonath2

.
>> “I heard the same basic complaints about flat-panel TVs just before the transition” <<

.
I didn’t!

I used flat screen units in my field work for 10 years before they began producing TVs. I bet you used them too.
.


63 posted on 01/22/2015 8:45:16 PM PST by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: editor-surveyor

Oh, sure, they were available ... but at “a flat-panel TV in every home” scales? wasn’t gonna happen at several thousand dollars each vs “superior” CRTs for cheap. Why sell a 42” panel at home TV prices when you could cut 4 computer monitors out of the same glass and sell ‘em at $2000 a pop?


64 posted on 01/22/2015 8:47:55 PM PST by ctdonath2 (Si vis pacem, para bellum.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: xzins

I’ve paid around a half-million $$$ in taxes. ‘nuf said.


65 posted on 01/22/2015 8:48:47 PM PST by ctdonath2 (Si vis pacem, para bellum.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: ctdonath2

.
This isn’t about TV, what is your lithium solution?

.


66 posted on 01/22/2015 8:49:27 PM PST by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: ctdonath2

I haven’t paid that, but I’ve paid an awful lot.

And like I said, if I can take a tax incentive and keep that money instead of sending it to the Fed, then I’ll do it in a heartbeat. I’d rather spend my money on me than on some federally approved study to find the love interests of the Mongolian earthworm.


67 posted on 01/22/2015 8:52:26 PM PST by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: xzins

trying to control what people buy through tax incentives is foolishness


68 posted on 01/22/2015 9:00:09 PM PST by GeronL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

That’s probably true for the most part. But when it comes to my money and a check that I have to write out to the IRS, I prefer it to be smaller. And if I can accomplish that by buying something that I’m already interested in anyway, then I’ll do it.


69 posted on 01/22/2015 9:02:56 PM PST by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: cripplecreek
wind and solar.

My car runs on compost, and I heat my house with solar batteries.

70 posted on 01/22/2015 9:05:34 PM PST by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans Freed the Slaves Month")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: xzins

ObamaCar Mandate coming


71 posted on 01/22/2015 9:16:50 PM PST by GeronL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: editor-surveyor

I can’t agree with that.

Technology continues to change. What wasn’t proven not all that long ago becomes proven. It gets proven by doing it.

LCD tech has been around for a long time, but its only been fairly recently that it has been practical for large displays with wide viewing angles. That changed everything.

Electric cars will make that transition sooner, or later. It all comes down to electric energy storage technology. Be it fuel cells or batteries. Storage technology is changing rapidly. Its coming.


72 posted on 01/22/2015 10:08:17 PM PST by DB
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Roman_War_Criminal

Not having a perpetual monthly lease payment, along with tossing down a few grand every trade in is coming out ahead in my book.


73 posted on 01/23/2015 3:26:26 AM PST by DAC21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Roman_War_Criminal

Glad its good for you, but for most it is an impractical car. If you need to take a long drive through the mountains in winter, that is not the car to own.

Pray America is waking


74 posted on 01/23/2015 3:47:50 AM PST by bray (Sharpton is a murderer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: editor-surveyor

There are other battery technologies that don’t use lithium.
There are other electricity storage and production technologies other than batteries.

Just like TVs and those who dismissed CRT alternatives (”you’re not seriously suggesting putting six million lights on glass, operated at 240 times per second are you? That’s absurd!”).


75 posted on 01/23/2015 3:55:38 AM PST by ctdonath2 (Si vis pacem, para bellum.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo
Low gas prices, incentives change math for electric cars

The real comedy here is people making long term financial judgements based on what is likely a temporary situation.

Once the domestic production has been run out of business, the left will likely find some way to make it financially untenable to restart.

Just wait...

76 posted on 01/23/2015 3:59:58 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Roman_War_Criminal

>> I don’t regret leasing it.

Leasing is arguably the way to go — turn in the vehicle before it needs a battery replacement.


77 posted on 01/23/2015 4:49:15 AM PST by Nervous Tick (There is no "allah" but satan, and mohammed was his demon-possessed tool.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Roman_War_Criminal

Have you calculated your total cost per mile to drive?


78 posted on 01/23/2015 5:05:42 AM PST by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: EagleUSA

They were subsidized so much that in some cases there was a rational economic argument for use as a second, commuter car. Especially if the user was able to charge at work on the employer’s/landlord’s dime.

I don’t have one, but know a couple people who do, and it seems to make sense. Well, it made sense to the individual, the ridiculous subsidies that made this so, not so much.


79 posted on 01/23/2015 5:10:46 AM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Reaganez
Electric powertrains are 90% efficient with regenerative braking.

If you don't count the whole fuel to wheels system. Most of the energy from the original fuel didn't leave the power plant, more was lost along the way to home, charging system, etc...

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

80 posted on 01/23/2015 5:10:54 AM PST by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 141-149 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson