Prius Plug-in Offers 15 Electric Miles, But Retains Wimpy Feel

[larry4pyro]

"Here’s the bigger point: the pure battery-powered electric car like the Tesla Roadster or even the LEAF has done wonders to erase the wimp factor associated with hybrids, and to open the market to people who like to drive. The quick acceleration off the line in an EV makes all hybrids—including the Prius-with-plug—feel limp."

http://www.plugincars.com/prius-plug...el-107888.html

When reviewers compare the Volt to other cars they tend to focus economy and high cost. I've always maintained there is something else that should be considered, and that is the Volt is fun to drive. The joy of driving is the reason people put out the extra bucks for a BMW over a similar sized economy car, and this should be a factor when considering the Volt.

[Steverino]

The criteria change based on the reviewer, their understanding of how the Volt works, and whether they want to bash or not. When comparing the Prius plugin to the Volt, the criteria is base price vs Volt fully loaded, price before tax credit, ICE MPG rating, and recharge time.

So the base PiP price is less (apples to oranges on the trim package, ride, handling, etc.), the tricked out PiP price is less (but the Volt after credit is actually cheaper), The Pip 50 MPG is higher than the Volt's 39 (though the Volt can drive without gas for 60-100% of most commutes), and the Pip has a faster recharge (because it only has a 13 mile battery vs 40-50 for the Volt).

Even Prius hyper-milers have a hard time matching the low monthly gas use of a typical Volt driver.

All depends on how you present the info.

[therfman]

In almost two weeks owning my Volt and commuting daily, I've driven 720km (450 miles) and used 1.1L (0.29 gallons) of gasoline and about 140 kWh of electricity. There's no way a PiP can beat that. End of comparison.

[therfman]

I just checked the Ontario electric Vehicle Incentive program, and the PiP should be eligible for an incentive of just over 5k$, which will certainly make it more competitive. I didn't expect the incentive to be that high, but the minimum threshold is 5000$ for a 4 kW battery.

[mike1]

I just checked the Ontario electric Vehicle Incentive program, and the PiP should be eligible for an incentive of just over 5k$, which will certainly make it more competitive. I didn't expect the incentive to be that high, but the minimum threshold is 5000$ for a 4 kW battery.

Hopefully anyone who test drives one will realize just how badly it handles.

[N Riley]

I suspect that some of those who test drive a PIP will find they like it. Others will not. Those who test drive a Volt will find they like it. Others may not. (Notice the difference in phrasing?) Why Volt test drivers may not like it is questionable. My point is that both vehicles will offer customers what they are looking for.

[Slapshot28]

Today a good friend who is on his second BMW Z4 (brand new) test drove my Volt. He drove it hard through twists and turns. Where's that passenger handle? :-)

Result: "This car blows me away. I think I need to buy one."

[AllenL]

You must realize that the government incentive was a calculated move in that they do not see everyone being eligible. Also, I think it would not be in anyone's best interest to be buying a car that is 30K+ that still owes taxes. To go to a dealer to buy a car knowing that you owe taxes and then to try taking advantage of the incentive is just beyond being responsible.

I believe and expect that most people who are buying a car of this level (PiP, Volt, LEAF) whether you buy with cash or lease must be on solid financial status who wouldnt be owing taxes.

My point? quit figuring in the incentives as some discount that everyone could realize. The Volt is 41K, The PiP is 38K, the LEAF is $37K, period.

[DonC]

Also, I think it would not be in anyone's best interest to be buying a car that is 30K+ that still owes taxes. To go to a dealer to buy a car knowing that you owe taxes and then to try taking advantage of the incentive is just beyond being responsible.

It's the amount of tax you've paid not the amount you owe. It's a rebate -- you pay and then you get it back.

Of course you should consider the rebate. Tax consequences are just part of life and you always need to pay attention to them.

[tboult]

To be precise the cap on the rebate is 7500 or your tax liability for that year, whichever is smaller. If you did not earn enough you don't qualify for the full rebate.

To make it more concrete, using 2011 tax tables for a single person earning 63,500 with 5800 standard deduction and 3700 personal exception their taxable income is 54000, which means their tax liability is 7500 and they would get a full rebate. Deductions can vary but in general, a single person earning mid 60's or more will qualify for the full rebate.

For a married copule filling jointly, with a combined income of 72000, with 11500 standard deduction and 4500 exceptions, their tax liability would be $7550 and they should qualify for a full rebate.

I'm not a tax expert or lawyer, but this is pretty basic stuff to estimate. You can see the actual form at
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/f8936--dft.pdf

As always: YMMV (Your Money May Vary..)