ownership costs
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Electric cars still cost significantly more to buy than gasoline-powered vehicles of the same size and capabilities. But cars that plug in are almost always cheaper to run per mile, often by a significant multiple. A study released Thursday has quantified those differences, comparing the cost-per-mile of gasoline versus electricity in different states. DON'T MISS: Buyers still think used electric cars cost more than gas cars; they're wrong Using state-by-state electricity-cost data from October and gas prices from late December, Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle at the University of...
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If electric semi tractors are real, their running-cost advantage could be huge
Emotions play a big role in purchases of passenger vehicles, but fleet decisions are generally driven by numbers, spreadsheets, and the almighty dollar. And it's in the equation of overall cost where early adopters of electric and other alternative-fuel semis could make a financial killing. Haulers...
Mark Stevenson -
IIHS says Tesla electric cars have higher miles, more costly repairs
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute has once again confirmed the Tesla Model S electric car is an outlier. While the Model S gets high ratings for its crash safety, it also seems to incur higher insurance losses than competing conventional cars. Higher...
Sean Szymkowski -
UBS study predicts electric-car cost parity in Europe could arrive by 2018
With the prospect of multiple long-range electric cars hitting the market over the next few years, the prediction market is in full swing. Battery costs have fallen faster than predicted eight years ago, and virtually every carmaker plans to introduce at least one battery-electric vehicle with 200...
John Voelcker -
2015 Nissan Leaf: one year later, owner offers pros and cons
Sometimes being a revolutionary requires a lot of personal sacrifice, and sometimes it doesn’t. After one year of driving of a 2015 Nissan Leaf electric car, I was surprised to find that daily driving with a gasoline car requires more sacrifice than with my electric. Like most people, before...
John Briggs -
Nissan Leaf electric vs Toyota Prius hybrid: which is lower on cost, emissions?
Sometimes, when tucking in for the evening, you can't help but wonder: did I really make the right choice? Could I have done better? Even now, could I still do better? This is the question I ask myself, each evening, when I park my 2015 Nissan Leaf in the garage next to my wife’s 2006 Toyota...
John Briggs -
The Toyota Prius has the lowest average maintenance costs over 10 years of any model, according to website YourMechanic.
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How much does electric-car range cost per mile?
When it comes to electric cars, range is a commodity. But how much are buyers paying to increase the amount of driving they can do between charges? We looked at every electric car currently on sale, as well as the upcoming 200-mile 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV and Tesla Model 3, and some of the...
Stephen Edelstein -
Highest Gas Mileage For The Least Money: We Rate 10 Top Cars
Here's how to get the cheapest gas mileage.
Stephen Edelstein -
Diesel Vehicles Pay Back In 3-5 Years, Study Finds, Due To Lower Depreciation
Diesels have a lower cost of ownership over three to five years, a new study finds.
Stephen Edelstein -
Hybrid Car Repairs Getting Cheaper, But Not For Regular Cars
Hybrid repair costs have dropped over the past five years, a survey of costs finds.
Stephen Edelstein -
How To Drive A Tesla Model S Electric Car Free For 18 Months
An owner claims to have essentially driven a Tesla Model S for free for 18 months.
Stephen Edelstein -
It happens so quickly: They learn to crawl, and then walk, and before you know it, you're helping them do their first oil change in their first new car. A little more than six months ago, I contributed an article on my car shopping experiences with my daughter Priscilla. Those ended with her purchase of a brand-new 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage in Sapphire Blue. DON'T MISS: Why One Young Woman Bought A 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage: Frugal Shopping The Mirage was a totally new car in the American market then. Its light weight (less than 2000 pounds), low price (starting around $13,000), and less-known...
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Are Diesels Cheaper To Own Than Gas Cars? Varies By Model, Study Says
A cost-of-ownership survey finds 11 diesel models that will save owners money.
Stephen Edelstein -
Hybrid Cars Can Cost Less To Own: Here Are Eight Examples
New data shows that only certain hybrid cars save owners money.
Stephen Edelstein -
Why One Young Woman Bought A 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage: Frugal Shopping
Many people approach car shopping in the U.S. looking for the largest, most luxurious vehicle they can afford, from the best brand possible. Still, at least a handful of shoppers are more focused on basic transportation--and a vehicle they know they can afford. My daughter Priscilla falls into the...
John Briggs -
Five MORE Big Myths About Green Cars And Gas Mileage, Debunked
Yep, Big Oil is definitely scheming and plotting to destroy the electric car. Everyone knows that. Right? [sigh] Time for more mythbusting, it seems. The surprising success of our first debunking of five green-car myths led us to look at five more relatively common ideas and explain ... well, as...
John Voelcker -
What Can I Save Driving An Electric Car? Apps Can Help, Soon
Last month, Apple Stores in the United States began stocking the Automatic Link. And it might just point the way toward how to convince more car buyers that a plug-in electric car--or other alternatives, from hybrid to diesel to natural gas, for that matter--could make economic sense. The Automatic...
Matthew Klippenstein -
We all know that hybrid vehicles typically offer greater fuel economy than their regular gasoline counterparts. But when considered over a typical ownership period, are they actually any cheaper to run? That's what a new study from cost-of-ownership specialists Vincentric has been finding out. The company has released its latest 2013 data and revealed that yes, hybrids do offer genuine cost-of-ownership benefits over their counterparts... as long as you select the right model. Out of 33 hybrid vehicles on the market, a total of 13 prove cheaper to run over a five-year ownership period than...
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Five Things To Know About Gas Mileage That Will Save You Money
Gas mileage has gotten far more important in new-car choices over the last 10 years, and that's not likely to change. But not everyone really understands automobile efficiency--or how to maximize their mileage--and which tactics will really save them money. Here's our cheat sheet. (1) Your driving...
John Voelcker -
U.S. Gas Prices Falling; Does It Matter For Green Cars?
Gasoline prices rise. Gasoline prices fall. And every time there's significant movement, it's a news story. Last week, for instance, CNBC (via The Car Connection) reported that a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline dropped to about $3.59 last Friday. That's almost 8 cents lower than the cost two...
John Voelcker -
New Gas Mileage Rules Will Reshape What Americans Drive: Hybrids, Electrics, Cost
Hybrids and plug-in electric cars probably get more press than they deserve, given how small their numbers are in the vehicle fleet. The U.S. has roughly 250 million vehicles on the roads, of which less than 2 percent are hybrids and plug-ins of all kinds. Nonetheless, both technologies are...
John Voelcker -
Car Repair Costs Rising--Apart From Hybrids, Which Get Cheaper
There was a time when the average vehicle could be expected to go wrong on a fairly regular basis. That's not the case these days, and in general cars are more reliable than ever--even if repair costs are increasing. Well, they are for regular vehicles anyway, as a study by CarMD suggests the cost...
Antony Ingram -
If You're Going To Attack Electric Cars, Do Your Homework
They pop up like weeds, these "Electric cars are failures" articles--and you just have to keep killing them. The latest is an opinion piece titled, "Why the Electric Car Failed," published last week in U.S. News & World Report. Author Michael Lynch identifies himself as a researcher for the...
John Voelcker