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We drove the Volt and the two Fords, and chose Audi. The Fords compromised otherwise possibly worthy platforms to shoehorn in an EV/petrol package whose fuel engine noise flat scared me when engaged. The Volt felt cramped about the shoulders; there is no way a six foot male can fit in the rear seat and the rear deck is tight and narrow. The Audi delivers performance, comfort if not stature, and the potential for durability I fear lacking in the others. I really wanted to like the Volt with its $7,500 federal rebate and EV range and all. Just couldn't do it.

I need (did I really say "need") a car that is a PHEV (for solo HOV lane access), but I don't need a PHEV that might be a car compromised in other regards. That said, I haven't yet told my wife that this $50K vehicle (all-in before employer, federal, and state rebates, and with added extended warranty) that we just bought is roughly equivalent in interior and exterior dimensions to our son's Ford Focus ST. Did I really buy this car? Yes. It's replacing a 2004 Lexus ES330 that we have just loved over its 237K miles (and for which we got $500 in trade!). I hope we feel the love here too.
 
Hi Jumper, welcome to the fold. I followed a similar path in that I looked at/drove the Volt and really wanted to like it. But I had the same concerns as you, and my wife agreed. When I found out that the Audi was in the same ballpark price wise, it seemed like a no-brainer to me. My commute is about 5 miles each way, so I drive all week on battery when I charge each night.

As to the comparison between the Audi and the Focus, you can drive yourself crazy with those comparisons. As far as getting from point A to point B, why stop at the Focus? Get a 15 year old used car for $1000? I like driving, so I like a nice car. To me, the Audi is nicer than the Ford (or the Volt, for that matter). The way I look at it, I get to drive an Audi that gets around 90mpg per tank, and still drives like an Audi. When you talk to EV evangelists, they are purely about the numbers (maximum battery range, no emissions, etc). That's great if that's your main driver. For me, I want a nice car, and the other stuff is a nice bonus.

Anyway, to stick to the topic, with monthly sales in the US around 300 per month, we're going to be a rare breed for now. I do think these cars will continue to improve. Hopefully in a few years I can trade this in and get an Allroad with a 50 mile battery. :)
 
jumper":21rra4w6 said:
We drove the Volt and the two Fords, and chose Audi. The Fords compromised otherwise possibly worthy platforms to shoehorn in an EV/petrol package whose fuel engine noise flat scared me when engaged. The Volt felt cramped about the shoulders; there is no way a six foot male can fit in the rear seat and the rear deck is tight and narrow. The Audi delivers performance, comfort if not stature, and the potential for durability I fear lacking in the others. I really wanted to like the Volt with its $7,500 federal rebate and EV range and all. Just couldn't do it.

I need (did I really say "need") a car that is a PHEV (for solo HOV lane access), but I don't need a PHEV that might be a car compromised in other regards. That said, I haven't yet told my wife that this $50K vehicle (all-in before employer, federal, and state rebates, and with added extended warranty) that we just bought is roughly equivalent in interior and exterior dimensions to our son's Ford Focus ST. Did I really buy this car? Yes. It's replacing a 2004 Lexus ES330 that we have just loved over its 237K miles (and for which we got $500 in trade!). I hope we feel the love here too.

Lucky for you, CA has renewed the Green Sticker HOV program. I just got mine after being on the waiting list since January. For me, this A3 e-tron replaced a 2006 A3 that had over 160K miles. I loved that car. and I'm loving this one. However, for me this car is only a stiop gap until Audi (or VW) releases a full electric C-BEV car (the "e-tron") in 2018/2019. Hence, I'm leasing this one. So far I have logged over 10,500 miles since January.
 
bruintoo":5i5vpehj said:
Lucky for you, CA has renewed the Green Sticker HOV program. I just got mine after being on the waiting list since January. For me, this A3 e-tron replaced a 2006 A3 that had over 160K miles. I loved that car. and I'm loving this one. However, for me this car is only a stiop gap until Audi (or VW) releases a full electric C-BEV car (the "e-tron") in 2018/2019. Hence, I'm leasing this one. So far I have logged over 10,500 miles since January.
My apologies for going off topic, but regarding your lease, are you happy with it? For me the A3 e-tron only makes sense as a short-term car while I wait for better full electric choices, but with Audi's horribly low residual and fairly high lease rates, a lease on this car is really expensive. Even with federal tax break and an 8% discount, a 7500 mile lease on a Prestige is about $700! I was sure I was going to get one, but now I don't think so.
 
FredT":1mlywysj said:
bruintoo":1mlywysj said:
Lucky for you, CA has renewed the Green Sticker HOV program. I just got mine after being on the waiting list since January. For me, this A3 e-tron replaced a 2006 A3 that had over 160K miles. I loved that car. and I'm loving this one. However, for me this car is only a stiop gap until Audi (or VW) releases a full electric C-BEV car (the "e-tron") in 2018/2019. Hence, I'm leasing this one. So far I have logged over 10,500 miles since January.
My apologies for going off topic, but regarding your lease, are you happy with it? For me the A3 e-tron only makes sense as a short-term car while I wait for better full electric choices, but with Audi's horribly low residual and fairly high lease rates, a lease on this car is really expensive. Even with federal tax break and an 8% discount, a 7500 mile lease on a Prestige is about $700! I was sure I was going to get one, but now I don't think so.

Wow, that's horrible! I'm leasing mine (Premium Plus, Tech Package), 12,000 miles for just over $500 (and I feel like I could've done better). Mine is a 2016, so I'm sure they were more willing to move.

BTW, I agree with your leasing rationale. Technology is changing too fast. I don't want to be tied into some early obsolescence.
 
We bought ours outright. While I agree with the thought that battery technology is changing fast, I don't think the charging infrastructure will be enough better in 3 years to make the move to full EV possible. I could be wrong, but I've decided to err on this side. I can continue to make use of the PHEV technology either way.
 
arne":7sdwh1v0 said:
We bought ours outright. While I agree with the thought that battery technology is changing fast, I don't think the charging infrastructure will be enough better in 3 years to make the move to full EV possible. I could be wrong, but I've decided to err on this side. I can continue to make use of the PHEV technology either way.

I agree with you on charging infrastructure. I don't think I'll live long enough for a full electric car as my only ride. It will be a long time before I can charge an electric car to 350-400 mile range in 5 minutes at over 100,000 locations in the US. :)

I'm holding out for that plug in Sportwagen/Alltrack with a 50 mile battery.
 
rfortson":37s12ffq said:
I agree with you on charging infrastructure. I don't think I'll live long enough for a full electric car as my only ride. It will be a long time before I can charge an electric car to 350-400 mile range in 5 minutes at over 100,000 locations in the US. :)

I'm holding out for that plug in Sportwagen/Alltrack with a 50 mile battery.

Oh ya, I'd go for that!!
 
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