I want to buy an EV and use it to deliver pizzas. I used to use a 99 Legacy which did pretty good considering. I'm currently looking at used first generation Nissan Leaf's. I found a couple for $4-6K which is a great price just worried about the battery life and I live in a cold climate zone (Montana). I do have access to a free charging station a block from my regular job that has two Tesla and a J whatever charger. I'm thinking I could also just plug in the 110V charger at home and work to keep it charged. I was also looking at Hybrid's like the Honda Insight 1st gen. and maybe Prius Prime. I'm a full time mechanic so I'd like to modify it and get as much out of whatever I get as I can. I have a full shop as my regular job. I was hoping to get a solar panel mounted on the roof to help recharge the batteries.
How many miles do you usually travel in a day? The Nissan LEAF is probably the least expensive used EV you can buy, but it may not have the range you need. I'm also in the same boat regarding worrying about the battery in an older one. I can't spend a bunch of money on a car that may need the battery replaced soon. A used Chevy Volt would also be a top option. You may not be able to get through a whole shift without burning gas, but it would definitely keep the gas-burning to a minimum.
As a mechanic I really don't like Chevy's at all. I know a lady that was using a Volt for paper delivery though and seems to get along fine. I guess I should research that one and see what it offers. I was also looking at getting a first gen. Honda insight. Those get upwards of 60-70mph or more if you can hypermile them higher. I'd really like to take advantage of the free charger across the street though. I don't think I could afford a new EV. Too much money even with the tax credits. No support here for them at all. Local dealers look at me like I'm crazy when I ask about them.
I hear you on the expense of a new EV. They'll get more affordable, but it's going to take a few years. I'm not really a big Chevy fan myself, but I know they really went all out on developing the Volt and it (especially the 1st generation) has held up really well. If you can find one to take for a spin, that would give you a better idea. 1st gen Honda Insight is a bit tricky to find. I think a regular used Prius would do as good a job more comfortably. Neither of those cars are rockets, of course.
I went plug-in hybrid: BMW i3-REx - end of lease are well maintained and reasonably loaded, in the lower, $20k range. The 72 mile EV range works well. They also have a CCS, fast DC plug and a 7.2 kW built-in AC charger. Dynamic cruise control and automatic emergency braking are great. Motorcycle sized engine and tank makes cross country like riding a 650 cc motorcycle, lots of stops, but much more comfortable. Prius Prime - new, it is in the mid and upper 20k but rare to find outside of New England and the West coast. It lacks a fast DC plug and the 3.3 kW AC charger keeps it from being more than a backup for BMW i3-REx. Dynamic cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane keeping alert make it an excellent long range car. There are some anomalies in the control laws below 50F that can be handled by driving style. Use this EPA link to review specs and years: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/powerSearch.jsp Bob Wilson
I managed a pizza joint for several years. I only ever had one driver with a two-seater (Mazda Miata), and he basically got locked out of any big-tip catering order because he didn't have room for more than 10 pizzas.
I know you said you didn't like Chevy's but a Chevy Spark EV is also an option. They should have a little more range than a Leaf, and they run more economically than a Leaf. Battery degradation is less of an issue with them than Leafs. One negative for them is that the charge much more slowly on a level 2 charger than most Leafs. But they charge faster on Level 3 chargers.
Case 1: Obscura Colorado I own the only pizza shop with 'order to deliver' in Obscura Colorado. I buy a Tesla 'wonderful' for pizza delivery. The first year, the corporation takes the maximum Federal Tax credit for the car and the $10,000, high-speed, charger. Then, the second year, I depreciate the heck out of it while using it to deliver 2-3 pizza per week to my customers. After two years, it is fully depreciated and written off on the tax returns. So my corporation, the pizza shop, decides to sell it at auction. The winning bid, $1,000, is from me. Model S, P100D, with all the extras for $1,000. Declare the pizza shop bankrupt OR sell it so the next Tesla buyer. Bob Wilson
Have you seen the inside of a Smart? There is a room for a lot of pizzas. In the back, there is a large flat hatch floor - you could probably fit 24+ pizzas in the car.
A first-generation Volt (2011-15) has a reputation for superior reliability. Getting a used 2015 Volt might be your best strategy. I'd hesitate to recommend any BEV, because if you run out of charge, you'll have to end work for the day or else switch to another car. Only a Bolt EV or a Tesla car would have sufficient range that range anxiety wouldn't be a concern, and even used cars of those models are likely not available in the price range of those on a budget. * * * * * In theory, you can look at the gauges of a Leaf to determine how much battery capacity it has lost. But in practice, some used car dealers reset that gauge so it looks like the Leaf hasn't lost any bars. This is similar to the dishonest practice of resetting the odometer, but there is (as yet) no law against that, so used car dealers can freely get away with it. The problem with buying a used Leaf is that the capacity loss is so erratic; varies so much from car to car. Buying a used Leaf is definitely a case of caveat emptor (buyer beware!), and from all that I've read, seems to be pretty much a crap shoot. Even cars driven only in temperate climates (not hot climates) sometimes show a surprisingly high loss of capacity. The only way around this problem which I can think of, would be to buy a Leaf from someone who will let you drive it for a couple of days before you decide whether or not to buy it. That would give you time to test the range for yourself. But it would be a pretty rare used car seller who would let you do that! And probably not someone selling their own car either, unless it was a friend of yours.
Just as an FYI I've read that Mercedes is ditching the Smart EV here in the States, although they have said that they will support existing vehicles / parts /repair, etc... take that for what it's worth.
I know there sure are some good deals on them. I saw one with barely any miles for $3,000 a couple weeks ago.
For that kind of price I'd almost like to get one as a second car for running errands around town. It would be great here in DC.
I'd of jumped on it myself, except my wife doesn't think they're safe enough. Now, it looks like I'm getting a car that's only marginally bigger and probably equal in safety. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Looking now, the smart I see start around $5,400 with less than 20,000 miles.
