Bill's Focus

We named him “Sparky”

I am not a “car guy”. Show me your latest expensive vehicle and I will be patient as you describe the power, handling and other fantastic features of the vehicle that takes you from point A to point B in fancy fashion. For some, driving is seriously fun. Not me. A car or truck is just another expensive required line item on the family budget. Ugh.

But we recently bought a vehicle and I am EXCITED! Just as excited as when I got my first car – which meant independence and freedom!

Why have I flipped? Normally we buy a reliable car for cash and keep it for 10 years. The cost of ownership after that should be about $1000/year plus gas. Efficient and boring.

Background: For ten years we enjoyed a Honda CR-V. For us, enjoying it meant only buying a new battery and tires. “Gracie” had about 49,000 miles and was in almost perfect shape. Not sure how car lives are measured against a human standard, but after 10 years, we know things start to wear out. And the resale value really begins to fade. But we still loved and respected our trusty Honda.

This journey began as I read about General Motors discontinuing the production of their extremely popular Chevrolet Bolt – an all electric plug in vehicle that I had been admiring for years. Apparently, they are re-launching the Bolt next year with a new less expensive battery that offers even more range and super fast charging. Anyway, there are a bunch of used Bolts bouncing around the highways. And suddenly, all of the ad algorithms were showing me Bolts for sale. Every article I selected to read showered me with ads from CarMax or CarGuru. The car was wooing me.

And…I wanted to be part of the transition away from ICEs (internal combustion engines). We may live long enough to see them viewed the way we now look at antique cars with fins.

A friend and neighbor is a sales person at the local Chevy dealer. I concluded, after clicking a zillion ads for Bolts, that the right approach to this project was to put my fate in the hands of Jim – a guy I trust. “Find me a Chevy Bolt EUV – white or grey (dirt hiding) with about 25,000 miles or less. It must be a model year that qualifies for the rebates.” Which is the segue to the next reason for us to buy a Bolt.

It didn’t cost much to buy the new ride.

It was just a few days later that Jim had found a vehicle to tempt me. A 2022 white Bolt EUV with 25,950 miles. This is now getting closer to reality.

The final issue would be the rebates. The benevolent Biden administration offers a $4000 rebate for qualified used electric vehicles sold at dealerships. And the progressive state of Massachusetts offers a $3500 rebate as well. $7500 off the top price. Net cost after trade? Less than $3000. How could we say no?

We traded in a 10 year old SUV that gobbled gas (20 mpg around town) for a three year old EUV that will require almost no service other than tires (it came with nice Michelins). That big battery is warranted for another 7 years.

The Bolt is a great investment. I’ll miss the friendly guys who pump gas at our local station, a little. Sparky’s range with a full charge is 289 miles. Because of my limited local driving habits, I have been plugging it in overnight – once a week. And it is a lot of fun to drive. Very comfortable seats (lumbar friendly). Lot’s of leg and head room. Back seats fold down for hauling cargo (just like our Hondas). More technology than I have the patience to explore. The Bolt handles deftly. Smooth ride. Quiet. It has TORQUE! Yeow.

And it doesn’t hurt that we feel like we are doing the right thing for the Earth. When we plug in Sparky, he is getting his energy from 100% sustainable/renewable sources – thanks to a town program that employs a green energy aggregator at a reasonable kwh rate.

I think I am becoming a car guy.

Keep your eyes and ears open for the re-launch of a terrific vehicle. And most other auto makers are offering new EV models each year. Here is an article that may convince you that EVs are inevitable. The new batteries will offer a charging rate of another 124 miles in just five minutes. EVs are becoming cheaper to buy than ICE vehicles and cheaper to maintain. What’s not to like?

And….the FAA just approved an electric flying car. I am not ready for that. But you might be.

https://electrek.co/2024/02/28/gms-new-bolt-ev-save-billions-affordable-lfp-batteries/

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/gm-s-ultium-batteries-to-get-a-massive-performance-boost-next-year-with-help-from-catl-240408.html