Rav4 and Honda fit EVs...anybody waiting?

[fjpod]

Have you thought about these two cars? Do you think they compare favorably With the imiev or are worth the wait?

 

[TaosEV]

I leased a Honda EV+ for five years when I lived in California. Based on that experience with Honda, I'm doubting their commitment to EVs; if the vehicles do come to market in any quantity, expect a *really* slow rollout nationally. Rather than hold my breath for a Fit EV, I'll take the i today.

 

[JoeS]

I had originally been waiting for the FitEV, but when Honda announced they were only going to be leasing and (I'm told) only producing the minimum required to meet California regs, then I kissed them off. The Rav4 is too big for my tastes. Really happy I bought the iMiEV!

 

[jray3]

We're a two Honda family, but the local dealer couldn't give us any Fit EV specifics last December, and now that I see the Fit is lease-only, am glad we went aheat with the i.

 

[Kei Jidosha]

Waiting for an EV to replace the MINI E I had for almost three years. Started with the LEAF but canceled when Mark Perry wouldn’t commit to a 6.6kW charger upgrade. Reserved an i till the range came up short after the US redesign. 3.3kW charger was also an issue. Currently waiting on the Fit EV. Like 20kWh battery, 6.6kW charger, selectable regen profile, high resolution SOC meter. Bummed it's limited supply lease only, but cost of ownership looks fair.

 

[jennrod12]

I didn't wait because I believe either of those options will cost significantly more than the i-MiEV without providing significant additional benefit.

I can get into the i now, with lower cost of entry, and drive electric 90% of the time while waiting for something much better to come along.

Jenn

 

[fjpod]

I've heard rumors of $50-60k for the rav 4.

 

[TaosEV]

"limited supply, lease only" sure sounds familiar to me! .... If your intention is to ultimately purchase the Fit EV (and not just turn it back at the end of the lease), you should scrutinize any lease agreement thoroughly before signing on. With the Honda EV+, it was a 3 year lease-only deal with no purchase option at the end. Honda wound up extending the leases for an additional two years which gained them some additional brownie points (pollution credits) in California.

With no end purchase option, Honda can play games with the lease price and the sticker price since the residual value at the end of the lease is essentially meaningless. But the residual will affect the lease price. The sticker on the EV+ in 1998 was $54,999, and the monthly lease was $452 for the first three years and $299 for the final two years of the extended lease.

And then in 2003 they took my EV+ back and shredded it.

 

[Kei Jidosha]

"limited supply, lease only" sure sounds familiar to me! .... If your intention is to ultimately purchase the Fit EV (and not just turn it back at the end of the lease), you should scrutinize any lease agreement thoroughly before signing on. With the Honda EV+, it was a 3 year lease-only deal with no purchase option at the end. Honda wound up extending the leases for an additional two years which gained them some additional brownie points (pollution credits) in California.

With no end purchase option, Honda can play games with the lease price and the sticker price since the residual value at the end of the lease is essentially meaningless. But the residual will affect the lease price. The sticker on the EV+ in 1998 was $54,999, and the monthly lease was $452 for the first three years and $299 for the final two years of the extended lease.

And then in 2003 they took my EV+ back and shredded it.

Ultimate aim is to buy an EV. MINI E taught me I need +75 mile EPA range and a 6.6kW charger. I like the i because it's small, simple, and efficient. Fit EV is next best. Focus could also work, but I don't need it's complexity. A Smyrna built 2013 LEAF is also possible. Fit EV Lease is $400/month, including maintenance (what maintenance?), for 36 months with 45,000 miles. A third less than the MINI E (also headed for the shredder). Final buy target is a BMW i3, which I think is more than 2 years away, probably 2015. If Honda changes their mind and offers a buyout, lots of choice and better batteries by then.

 

[TaosEV]

"Maintenence" on the EV+ meant I was *required* to bring the car in every six months for a *mandatory* tire rotation and brake inspection, but they also were downloading data from an on-board recorder for research purposes. I suspect the six month requirement in the lease was due to memory limitations in the vehicle data recorder and very little to do with tires and brakes.

As a consolation prize for being a research subject (er, lessee) on the EV+, Honda gave folks who peacefully and quietly surrendered their cars for shredding a $1,000 purchase credit on any new Honda or Acura. We bought a CR-V with that credit, and that 2003 CR-V is what we're selling to buy the i.

 

[sjumani123]

I have a good experience with Honda Rav. Now I own Mahindra Reva electric car. Mahindra has worked very hard on its new electric vehicle REVA. The interior dimensions of REVA are close to perfect and there is more than enough of legroom and headroom space. It is more environmental friendly than an internal combustion engine car.

 

[Don]

We looked into the Honda Fit even before we heard it was to be made into an EV and when we were contemplating buying an i we kinda compared it to the Fit because that's the sort of package that made the most sense to us for what we'd be using it for

The Fit has a bit more cargo room than the i - 7 more cu ft both with the rear seats up and with them down, but the car is nearly 2 feet longer. What really tipped me toward the i is that it has an extra 2 inches of wheelbase over the Fit - We had assumed that with the i being so short that the ride might be 'choppy' but when we discovered the i is actually longer in this dimension, it gaver us a whole new insight on small cars

Since we have no desire at all to lease, I'm glad we didn't give the Fit EV a second thought. This car is prefect for the uses we bought it for . . . . and the price was right too

Don

 

[JoeS]

Inasmuch as I had previously been holding out for a Fit EV, today I stopped by the local Honda dealer and naively asked to see a Fit EV. A rather brusque response was that there won't be any available until November-December and that there would be only a limited number and they'd only be for lease. The Fit's distinguishing feature of its uniquely-folding rear seat configuration is evidently NOT implemented in their EV.

I'm so glad we bought our iMiEV, which now has 4937 satisfying miles...
About to put on another 80-90 miles this afternoon/evening, having already driven 30 miles today.

 

[fjpod]

yup, the Rav4 and Fit are still on the drawing board. The miev is NOW.

 

[diagobd2]

"Maintenence" on the EV+ meant I was *required* to bring the car in every six months for a *mandatory* tire rotation and brake inspection, but they also were downloading data from an on-board recorder for research purposes. I suspect the six month requirement in the lease was due to memory limitations in the vehicle data recorder and very little to do with tires and brakes.





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