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Hybrids seem likely to have more maintenance costs than pure EVs, but I think it's clear that EVs are still too expensive to be truly cost-efficient. If what y

Hybrids seem likely to have more maintenance costs than pure EVs, but I think it's clear that EVs are still too expensive to be truly cost-efficient. If what you care about is lowest TCO, you can get a car of comparable size to the Bolt for like more than $15k cheaper, and of course you won't make that back up in fuel. I expect that the Bolt will also have crappy resale value, if, as I think we all expect, EVs continue to get substantially better over the next few years. The reason to get a Bolt right now is because you are ideologically committed to EVs or because the whole deal of mostly not having to deal with fueling up your car/liking the acceleration profile of an EV/etc., not because it's genuinely the lowest TCO.

CarVac 10y ago
Toyota's hybrids have low maintenance costs; the transmission varies the gear ratio by electronic means and is overall far simpler than either a manual or automatic.
- aetherson 10y ago
  But an EV presumably has all those advantages and also no gas engine to maintain.
  - r00fus 10y ago
    My 11 year old Prius (not even a plug-in) with 150k miles - No engine, brake or transmission maint costs whatsoever (other than the basic manufacturer recommended checkups and minimal at that). On the downside is that it's not fully EV, still stinky gasoline.
ansible 10y ago
I expect that the Bolt will also have crappy resale value... The battery pack replacement is a major maintenance cost, even if everything else is running fine. That's something a used EV buyer should take into account.
- erikpukinskis 10y ago
  A spent battery also has very high resale value, compared to used auto parts. You can sell it back to the manufacturer for stationary storage. And even if it's being recycled, it still has substantial value. So it's not as huge a cost as one might imagine.
  - delackner 10y ago
    Does anyone have real numbers on this or is this a projection into the future?
bhandziuk 10y ago
> ideologically committed to EVs True. This is a voting with your dollars situation. If you favor the way in which electricity is generated in your area over using an IC engine then the Bolt is your car regardless of how the finances work out.

CarVac 10y ago

Toyota's hybrids have low maintenance costs; the transmission varies the gear ratio by electronic means and is overall far simpler than either a manual or automatic.

aetherson 10y ago
But an EV presumably has all those advantages and also no gas engine to maintain.
- r00fus 10y ago
  My 11 year old Prius (not even a plug-in) with 150k miles - No engine, brake or transmission maint costs whatsoever (other than the basic manufacturer recommended checkups and minimal at that). On the downside is that it's not fully EV, still stinky gasoline.

ansible 10y ago

I expect that the Bolt will also have crappy resale value... The battery pack replacement is a major maintenance cost, even if everything else is running fine. That's something a used EV buyer should take into account.

erikpukinskis 10y ago
A spent battery also has very high resale value, compared to used auto parts. You can sell it back to the manufacturer for stationary storage. And even if it's being recycled, it still has substantial value. So it's not as huge a cost as one might imagine.
- delackner 10y ago
  Does anyone have real numbers on this or is this a projection into the future?

bhandziuk 10y ago

> ideologically committed to EVs True. This is a voting with your dollars situation. If you favor the way in which electricity is generated in your area over using an IC engine then the Bolt is your car regardless of how the finances work out.