OT: Electric Vehicles--anyone driving them or seriously looked at them?

[NHAero]

Apropos your comment that the cost to get into a plug in hybrid outweighs the return:
If you're comparing a new PHEV to otherwise buying a decent used Honda Fit, for example, I agree (I use this example because buying 2-3 yr old nice low cost Hondas has been my automotive strategy for a long time. I'm still driving the '08 I bought at the beginning of '10, running strong and with minimal repairs.) But, when we wanted a new small economic car, the Hyundai Ioniq pure hybrid (Prius equivalent) cost $3,000 less than the plug in version, and between the Fed tax credit and the MA rebate, the PHEV cost $3,000 less. And all that is before the fact that over half the 'fuel' we put in it this past year has been free from our PV system.

Originally Posted by C40_guy

Friend of mine recently bought a Cayenne plug-in hybrid. He can drive 20-25 miles without the gas engine ever kicking on, and his around town use allows him to charge at home (from his solar panels), at the supermarket and the mall.

He may go for weeks without the gas engine turning on...but if he takes a road trip, he has no range anxiety.

Works well for him.

I also have solar panels and generate more juice than I consume, but I'm not quite ready to go electric. My usage is similar to my buddy's, but the cost to get into a plug in hybrid far outweighs the financial return. I'll help save the planet in other ways.