Anyone thinking of purchasing the new/improved 2014's?

[gatedad11]

The "I" is available or for sale in every state. However, the 2014 model has not yet been released. I hear late Spring, maybe June.
Lou

 

[AlfredWAB]

I RSVPd to attend the event I copied below. Looks like a good chance to see and learn a lot all in one place.

-----------------------------------------------------
Want to learn about plug‐in electric vehicles and electric vehicle chargers?
Come spend the afternoon at the Kroc Community Center in Suisun City to learn about the
environmentally friendly plug‐in vehicles that are available and the equipment needed to
charge them. There will be vehicles and charging units on display along with manufacturer
representatives on‐hand to answer questions and demonstrate their products.

Thursday, February 20, 2014‐ Suisun City, CA
4:00pm to 7:00pm open to the general public
The Salvation Army Kroc Center
586 East Wigeon Way (707) 439‐7880
Suisun City, CA 94585

SOME OF THE CONFIRMED VENDORS PRESENTING/DISPLAYING
* General Motors * Ford * Nissan * Fiat (Niello)
* Toyota (Momentum) * Mitsubishi (Momentum) * ZERO EV Motorcycle * EVAOS
* Altec Industries * GreenTech Automotive * Electric Movement * Via Motors
* ClipperCreek (EV charging) * AeroVironment (EV charging) * SunPower Corporation * Switch Vehicles
* Chargepoint (EV charging) * Fuji Electric (EV charging) * Schneider Electric * EVI
* REJ Electric * Liberty Access Technologies * Phil Haupt Electric * eVgo

THESE VEHICLES WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR RIDE AND DRIVES
* TESLA MODEL S * CHEVROLET SPARK * CHEVROLET VOLT
* FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC * FORD CMAX ENERGI PLUG‐IN * FORD FUSION ENERGI PLUG‐IN
* MITSUBISHI MIEV * NISSAN LEAF * TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG‐IN
* FIAT 500E * SWITCH EV * SUMMIT NEV

 

[PV1]

Word from the Pittsburgh show,the matte silver i-MiEV is for show, not what will be for sale. Also, no i-MiEV here. The guy did ask me to send him pictures of my i-MiEV for corporate. I also told him how great the i-MiEV is, they need to advertise it.

On the other hand, I parked beside a BMW i3 at the charging stations.

 

[JoeS]

A friend forwarded an email from his 98-year-old(!) acquaintance who was checking out EVs and had narrowed his choice between a Fiat 500e and a Smart ED and wanted some opinions. His criteria was two-seater, didn't need much range, and wanted low monthly lease payments. After exchanging a couple of emails with this gentleman (he didn't need to be sold on EVs), I actually steered him towards the SmartED because of its easy entry/egress like our iMiEV. I arranged to meet him at his church's Eco-Fair and discuss EVs with him. As it turned out, this sharp old gentleman needed a ride home so I drove him the five miles in my Mitsi, pointing out our iMiEV's salient features. Long story short, he said something to the effect as to why would he even consider any of the other cars since our i-MiEV has straightforward instrumentation and controls and all the features he needs as well as the rear seats for occasional great-grandkids … and he was willing to wait until the middle of the year for the 2014s to come out!

At this same Eco-Fair, this environmental-activist young lady came running up to me proudly proclaiming she had just bought a 500e! After pointing out that her bicycle wouldn't fit in back (like it had in my iMiEV without taking the wheels off! http://myimiev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8818#p8818), I asked her what her criteria were that gave it the advantage over the i-MiEV? It boiled down to an EPA range of 87 and a 6.6kW charger as she often needs to make the 50-mile trip from Stanford to Berkeley (but, truth be told, I think she got it because she thinks the orange 500e is sooo cute). I refrained from pointing out that an iMiEV with CHAdeMO would perhaps be a better choice for our crowded public charging infrastructure (there's a QC station going in at Whole Foods in Berkeley), and that the iMiEV would certainly have no trouble making the trip one-way.

As an aside, considering the short shrift automakers give their EVs, it makes one wonder if a case couldn't be made for an all-EV dealership handling all the various brands, and perhaps strategically located right next to a Tesla showroom? :roll:

 

[PV1]

As an aside, considering the short shrift automakers give their EVs, it makes one wonder if a case couldn't be made for an all-EV dealership handling all the various brands, and perhaps strategically located right next to a Tesla showroom? 

I've been thinking of this, too, especially seeing how they were lacking at the auto show. Several people glanced at the Volt and walked away seeing that it went 35 miles on a charge (I personally feel it should be able to do 50-60, but that's me). One guy said it would cost hundreds to charge the Volt, but he walked away when I told him that my EV costs $15 a month, didn't believe me.

Either people have a false impression on how much electricity an EV uses, or don't realize how much energy their house uses.

The only two automakers that bothered to bring an EV was BMW and Nissan. Ford and Chevy had their PHEVs.

I think a multi-brand EV dealer is a great idea.

 

[JoeS]

Found out something interesting at the AltCarExpo today:

California changed their rebate structure, and the iMiEV now qualifies for a $2500 cash rebate (instead of the previous $2000). They send you a check, but you must apply within six months of purchasing the new vehicle. https://energycenter.org/clean-vehicle-rebate-project/faq

Their money for this fiscal year is running out, but they hope the funding will be renewed for the next FY (starting July).

 

[Don]

Several people glanced at the Volt and walked away seeing that it went 35 miles on a charge (I personally feel it should be able to do 50-60, but that's me).

I think it should be possible too. As I understand it though, the engine starts (whether you want it to or not) when the battery SOC goes below about 50%, so it can't be made to use all of it's 16 Kw battery. If I'm 5 or 10 miles from home where I will plug in again, why waste burning gas for those few remaining miles when you have plenty of juice left for the trip? There should be some way to over-ride this feature

Don

 

[AlfredWAB]

I think it should be possible too. As I understand it though, the engine starts (whether you want it to or not) when the battery SOC goes below about 50%, so it can't be made to use all of it's 16 Kw battery. If I'm 5 or 10 miles from home where I will plug in again, why waste burning gas for those few remaining miles when you have plenty of juice left for the trip?

There is, EV Now. You can override that, if I remember right. Actually, I think the the Volt is the best car for a single person or single car small family right now. I would go with that, if I didn't already have a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid for the family car.

What I really want these days is a personal commute vehicle. But they are all still making the "family - sized" cars. My favorite that I was watching for a long time was: http://www.futurevehicletechnologies.com/the-evaro/the-car.html But since that hasn't ever come to market. I'm settling on a 4-5 passenger all EV. I don't need the extended range options when it isn't the only vehicle in the family.

I think the Volt is a very good choice and most I've talked to that have one, find that they don't use the gas extender very often at all, despite the low EV range. I've been tracking my daily mileage for months now, and I would only use the gas extender on the 3.5 hr weekend trips to my Mom's place, but we take the other car for that, so I don't need it all. The Volt would be my vehicle of choice if we only had 1 car.

 

[BarryP]

“Either people have a false impression on how much electricity an EV uses, or don't realize how much energy their house uses.”

Amen! That’s a main reason I bought an EV.

“I think a multi-brand EV dealer is a great idea.”

+1. And to my wife’s regret, I’d probably live there.

-Barry

 

[Vike]

What I really want these days is a personal commute vehicle. But they are all still making the "family - sized" cars. . . . I'm settling on a 4-5 passenger all EV. I don't need the extended range options when it isn't the only vehicle in the family.

Does the SmartED not work as a personal commute vehicle? Don't get me wrong, I'm not really a fan - once the 2014 i-MiEV hits the showrooms, I don't see much reason to pay more for marginally more range less a back seat and trunk, excluding some hypothetical niche applications (e.g., I need a car that can fit behind my Jeep Wrangler in a long garage.) But it's certainly going to be a broadly available alternative if you're seriously allergic to having a back seat.

I think the Volt is a very good choice and most I've talked to that have one, find that they don't use the gas extender very often at all, despite the low EV range. . . . The Volt would be my vehicle of choice if we only had 1 car.

See, I really think of the Volt as a premium commuter, certainly not a family car. It has serious shortcomings as an only vehicle, principally the lack of a real back seat (have you tried sitting average-dimensioned middle-aged Americans back there?) and a deceptively tiny trunk; photographs don't accurately convey how shallow the trunk is, but numbers don't lie - it's smaller than the i-MiEV's trunk (which just shouldn't be possible), and certainly less useful (unless you want to carry some garment bags laid out flat).

This is why I'm so frustrated with the Volt's packaging, and especially with GM giving the crossover MPV5 concept a pass. Sure, Voltec could easily be the drivetrain for a household's only vehicle, but there aren't many households for whom the Volt could be the only vehicle.

 

[ndm]

I have a need for a truck, I hate to admit it (I do actually use it as a truck) and I commute 50 kms each way to work, I wish I could live closer but economics and the need for a few acres to roam free keep me from living in the city perimeters or suburbs, my solution was to buy a new non current f150 2wd v6 extended cab and the imiev (both 2012 vintage) truck $24,500 out the door+imiev out the door $26,095 brought me to a total output of $50,595 after all taxes and incentives etc, I don't remember how much the volt cost exactly but it was within 2k of the price of the pair, I use the "I" more than I ever would have thought and only use the truck when necessary, I believe the end result will be a truck that lasts 10+ years and by the time the "I" is ready to trade the market may be more ripe for many improvements, plus insurance on both is equivalent to the truck alone as a daily driver, in conclusion I believe the best bet for some people is to think outside the norm of having it all in one vehicle, a cheap ICE and a BEV? A truck and a BEV? After driving the truck to work for 6 months the "I" is "FREE" compared to buying fuel!

 

[AlfredWAB]

Yes, I find it hard to believe that something as boring as the Smart and Think made it to market and the more interesting and innovative options of the Aptera and Evaro did not Here is an image of the sort of car I was interested in. Compare that to the Smart.

 

[jray3]

I believe the best bet for some people is to think outside the norm of having it all in one vehicle, a cheap ICE and a BEV? A truck and a BEV? After driving the truck to work for 6 months the "I" is "FREE" compared to buying fuel!

Amen, Brother! My F250 only gets cranked when it's needed to haul something (like a load of scrap batteries or my other EV to the racetrack). Even though the truck is old and has received lots of deferred maintenance since I bought it for this role (tranny, brakes and bearings, radiator & water pump), I've still put less money into the pair than my neighbor who commutes in his late model diesel truck (they had to remove his cab to replace a minor engine part). And unlike that shiny new truck, I ain't skeered of hauling home two tons of crushed rock! (Plus, my beast of burden with the International Noisemaker is louder than his truck.) :twisted:

 

[Vike]

I believe the best bet for some people is to think outside the norm of having it all in one vehicle, a cheap ICE and a BEV? A truck and a BEV?

An excellent point. And the new price-reduced i-MiEV coming in June will make this strategy viable for many more buyers. I hope this isn't lost on shoppers. The occasional utility of a big truck or SUV is quite real for many buyers, but that's no reason to take it out to pick up a gallon of milk. The two-vehicle strategy you describe offsets some massive costs in both combined operation and in wear and tear on the "bigfoot" hauler. And of course it's hard to top the utility of two vehicles vs. one.

 

[Don]

If you own an iMiEV and a 5 passenger ICE and a truck and you use all 3 for what they do best, your ICE and truck will last you a very long time, since you'll probably find the gas burners being driven very little

Our iMiEV shares the garage with a Mazda Miata (1994 with 60K on it) and a Mazda Protégé 5 (2003 with 67K on it) and then my brother and I share a 1993 Dodge pickup with the Cummins turbo diesel. The iMiEV is getting more than 90% of the miles at this point . . . . the other vehicles are only used for things the iMiEV can't do. At the rate we're going now, the iMiEV will easily beat both of the other cars to 80,000 miles and that will be some time in 2022

Don

 

[ZsoZso]

Me and my wiffe share 2 cars, the i-Miev and a Subaru-XV. For daily commute to work, she drives the Subaru, because she drives less (only ~15km x2), while I take the i-Miev with a round-trip of ~80km driving both kids to school then to my office and home. But for the evening/week-end grocery-trips and kid transportation to various sport or social events she "steals" my i-Miev, while for the occasional longer weekend trips such as skiing usually I drive the family in the Subaru. Overall, the i-Miev gets a lot more milage than the Subaru.

The only problem is, that she is much smaller than me and neither car has seat+mirror memory options for multiple driver settings, which means almost every time I sit into a car I need to go through the adjustment routine.

 

[PV1]

ZsoZso, I have a simple solution, 2 i-MiEVs!! :mrgreen:

 

[jray3]

The only problem is, that she is much smaller than me and neither car has seat+mirror memory options for multiple driver settings, which means almost every time I sit into a car I need to go through the adjustment routine.

Just get the little woman a booster seat. They even have built-in armrests and cup holders! :roll:

 

[FiddlerJohn]

... The only problem is ... every time I sit into a car I need to go through the adjustment routine.

Be a gentlemen. Be happy she wants to share your life and your car. My wife will not drive our MiEV. Not only should you be glad to go through the routine, but you could set it for her if you know she is going to drive it.

(Oh and while your at it, next time, put the toilet seat back down when you done.)

 

[MLucas]

... The only problem is ... every time I sit into a car I need to go through the adjustment routine.

Be a gentlemen. Be happy she wants to share your life and your car. My wife will not drive our MiEV. Not only should you be glad to go through the routine, but you could set it for her if you know she is going to drive it.

(Oh and while your at it, next time, put the toilet seat back down when you done.)

Got the same problem, spouse complains about wasting money but insists on driving the Nissan Versa instead when driving the I-MiEV around town costs next to nothing. I'll never make sense of that.