Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Mechanic
Does the source of liquid fuel affect the consumption? Of course not. Consumption is measured by volume, not source or cost.
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Just be honest, you are willing to spend significantly more to be among the first to go fossil fuel free. That's admirable in itself, but mybe just not practical for those who have lesser means and more limited incomes.
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I, for one, would not argue that a decent used car, of almost any type, is cheaper to run that most any new car. Those of lesser means and limited income have limited choices. Those of unlimited means are more likely to be concerned with the best private jet than the best car.
For those somewhere in the middle, the decision of what to drive is a balance of many factors. Few who have some choice in the matter choose to by the car that gives the absolute lowest cost per mile. Is that a stupid decision? Maybe, maybe not. My son just graduated from college and needed a car. Locally, there was a low-mile, pristine, and rust-free 1974 Plymouth Valiant available for $2700. That would have been the cheapest/mile option for him, but without any modern safety features, it could also have killed him too. A 2015 Escalade for $60k would probably be safest, but also too costly. Choice, balance.
My Volt is the my first new car since my 1984 GTI. Will it be the cheapest/mile compared to the string of $1500 used cars I've had in between? No. A $150/month saving in gasoline does not offset a $800/month payment (but it helps a little). If one defines "smart" as lowest cost per mile, the it was a stupid purchase. But very few car buyers, new or otherwise, act on a pure cost basis. Otherwise the roads would be full of no A/C Versas and the like. People insist on extra-cost options.
IMO, electric drive is the best luxury offered since the advent of air conditioning. Few get their panties in a knot if someone buys a BMW or Z28 over a Versa, but for some reason, many do when it comes to electric cars. (No, I'm not saying that you are doing that.) (Yet I've found that removing the emblems from my car and adding a Browning sticker on the back has cut back road rage from 4x4 pickup truck drivers.)
Given that electric drive is an extra-cost option, why do some buy it? Stupid or not, one will find that a good fraction of electric-car buyers choose to spend extra money to buy a car that minimizes sending money to the middle east, directly or indirectly. You'll find plenty of people in the gm-volt forum that have served themselves during wars there or, more tragically, have lost loved ones in those wars. So yes, for those, where the energy comes from does measure in "consumption" calculations.