Sierra Club’s Guide to Low-Cost EV Vehicle Options

Posted by: Higgins_James // Student

It’s an exciting technological and environmental shift that nearly every major car distributor now carries a line of battery-electric cars or hybrids. And these vehicles are getting more affordable as well. With more green vehicle options coming to market, you may wonder what you need to know to make a choice you can feel great about. Fortunately, the Sierra Club has published a guide to some low-cost fossil-fuel alternative vehicles.

With a cap of $30,000 after federal credits, Sierra documents lower prices for many models and even lower prices with state plug-in rebates in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

Here are some of Sierra’s top recommended green vehicles:

The Nissan Leaf offers a stealthy quiet ride, and used models can be found online for under $10,000 dollars, as original owners start to make their next purchases and sell their first EVs. Look for the 480 volt fast-charge model which can charge in about 30 minutes.

The Volkswagen e-Golf has an EPA estimated 116 MPG and ranges about 83 miles. It comes equipped with a touchscreen infotainment system and an automated emergency braking and parking assist. The 24.2 kilowatt-hour battery is located under the seats, so the car provides more trunk space compared to the standard Golf models. The e-Golf comes in at around $22,500 after $7500 in federal tax credits.

Available as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid, the Ford C-Max Hybrid seats five and offers generous passenger space (though at some cargo expense). The C-Max has a range of over 500 miles. The 2016 hybrid is priced at a little over $25,000 for the base model, and at $29,000 after rebates, the Energi plug-in hybrid adds 19 miles of all electric, emission free travel.

Sierra points out that the BMW i3 can be found used for under $30,000, with 125 kilowatt electric motor, equivalent to 170 horsepower. The i3’s range is only about 81 miles, but it can reach over 150 miles with a (less green) gas-powered range-extender.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited offers 27 miles of electric range, a fully parallel HEV system and 202 horsepower, for just under $30,000 after the federal tax credit.

Sierra guide writers seem to feel favorably about the 2015 Prius Plug-in, but they recommend waiting for the 2017 models, which promise a longer range. Perhaps more information and an updated guide is to come when newer models hit the road. We hope so!

For more information click the link below:

http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2016-3-may-june/feature/electric-vehicle-buyers-guide-low-cost-options-are-hitting-road?utm_source=insider&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter