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I'd be more than willing to go electric if someone sends me the cash to get an electric, because if I could replace my diesel-guzzling 11yo I would.

bix6 6d ago
Same here. Too bad they got rid of the rebates.
sdcfgy 6d ago
I'd go electric if they were just cars and not shit android tablets with wheels stuck on them.
- privong 6d ago
  I agree with you. But to be fair, gasoline powered cars are also converging on being crappy tablets with wheels attached.
- ItsBob 6d ago
  Every car has a 4G/5G modem in it now! Unless you cut off your search at about 2018, no matter what car you buy, you're giving up data! I don't like it either but you have to pick your battles these days.
  - sdcfgy 6d ago
    Mine is from 2013.
AshleyGrant 6d ago
You can't trade in for a used EV that likely wouldn't cost you anything and would save you money?
- bix6 6d ago
  No if you actually do the math it’s not worth it.
  - ItsBob 6d ago
    In what way is it not worth it? I'm genuinely curious. I used to be dead-set-against electric cars but I just bought one and am loving it. The maths is staggering. It's secondhand though as I don't believe new ones are worth it.
    - bluGill 6d ago
      You can't find an equivalent for the same price. OP has an 11 year old car that apparently works fine. To get a EV means he needs to spend thousands (or settle for one that is a lot cheaper for a reason) more. We don't know how much OP drives, but in generally I'd expect several years before the savings from the EV are more than the upfront costs. Now if OP's car is worn out and needs replacing anyway the economics are different.
      - ItsBob 5d ago
        I'm of the opinion that the greenest car you can have is the car that you currently own! No matter what you buy, energy was expended to make it! The car you own already has spent the energy. It's done. So, assuming you're not spitting flames and smoke out wherever you go, your current car will be greener than quite literally anything you can buy, new or secondhand. Note: I've done zero maths to verify this but it makes perfect sense to me :)
    - bix6 6d ago
      blu nailed it, but to reiterate, if you already have a working car then the cost to to swap to an EV is not worth it. I have done the math with my current car and even with a downgrade it’s not worth it.
- bluGill 6d ago
  I just checked 2015 diesel vehicles on my local craigslist (I refuse to use facebook, though I know that is where most cars are these days). A bunch of trucks for $15k-30k, and a few VWs for $15k. So then I search for electric cars from $10k-$15k and found nothing at all! YMMV in your local areas, but you will likely find the same: in the price range of a 11 year old diesel you will find nothing: EVs were still rare niches 11 years ago. I did find a few eGolfs and leafs for $5k-8k, but in my experience if a car is that cheap there is a reason for that, so I assume they are unacceptable. There is a chance OP has a diesel truck because he needs a truck which in turn means they wouldn't work even new (the F150 lightning perhaps would)
  - mikestew 6d ago
    I did find a few eGolfs and leafs for $5k-8k, but in my experience if a car is that cheap there is a reason for that The reason is: no one wants them. Three years ago we sold an OG Leaf my spouse’s coworker for $3500. Battery was about 80%, but otherwise the car was flawless. All the buyer needed was an around-town car, and the old Leaf fit the bill. Leafs didn’t go very far on a charge, ergo they won’t have a whole lot of miles in them, and they were otherwise reliable. If it’s all you need, I’d recommend one for cheap.
cosmic_cheese 6d ago
Last I checked, depending on one’s needs, used EVs are among some of the best values in the US used car market. Their prices are closer to what prices on used gas cars would’ve been had the market not been turned on its head during the pandemic. The main caveat is that available models are heavily weighted towards “compact” (RAV4 sized) SUVs and larger. There aren’t many little Prius/Fit/Soul type town car models around which is a bit paradoxical with that being the use case that EVs have been well suited to for the longest time.
- bix6 6d ago
  Yes because everyone wants a massive EV with a degraded 10 year old battery
  - toomuchtodo 6d ago
    EV batteries outlast the car. Unsophisticated consumers are still learning this though, so it is understandable when they don't realize it. EV batteries last longer than drivers feared - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49613527 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49613527 - September 2026 (3 comments) Retired EV Batteries Scored a New Gig: Bolstering Texas’ Grid - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47143967 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47143967 - February 2026 (0 comments) Most EV batteries outlast their cars, real-world data shows - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47083580 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47083580 - February 2026 (0 comments) https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=ev%20batteries%20last&sort=byDate&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que...
    - bix6 6d ago
      Ok so your first link. Goes to leaf forum. User replaced battery with a bigger one. Your second link. Texas takes batteries no longer suitable for car and makes grid. Neither of those is a decade old car running on its original battery. And I also said degrade which we know is true. What’s your point?
      - 6d ago
W0lfEagle 6d ago
Just swap it for a more efficient smaller 11yo car?
ItsBob 6d ago
I've just bought my first electric car. It's a 3 year old Skoda Enyaq Sportline Plus. It's lost 60% of its value, has only done 57k miles and has a battery state of health of 97.4%. I paid £22k. I still maintain that new cars, especially new electric cars, are not worth the money but secondhand ones are a bargain now... relatively speaking.
- toomuchtodo 6d ago
  If one cannot afford a new EV, they should buy used. If one would like a new EV and can afford one, they should do so. EVs will not maintain their value because of the rate of technology innovation and deployment rates. The value is in TCO savings from using electricity for fuel over fossil fuels. If one can make due with an ebike instead of an EV, certainly, that is of course an option that should be considered. The world’s 280 million electric bikes and mopeds are cutting demand for oil far more than electric cars - https://theconversation.com/the-worlds-280-million-electric-bikes-and-mopeds-are-cutting-demand-for-oil-far-more-than-electric-cars-213870 https://theconversation.com/the-worlds-280-million-electric-... - November 16th, 2026
  - bluGill 6d ago
    Problem with buying used is EVs you are limited to what is for sale now. Search EV market share by year in your favorite search engine, then do your own analysis: if you are buying a used car more than 90% of your options are not EV (even if we include PHEV) If you drive a car then EVs should be your first choice, and they should be worth a premium over other types. However in the end used car buyers are limited to what is for sale now.
- WarmWash 6d ago
  >are not worth the money The climate doesn't care what is and isn't worth the money.
Whatarethese 6d ago
Years ago you could easily get $10k+ off MSRP on an EV. Why did you still hold out?

bix6 6d ago

Same here. Too bad they got rid of the rebates.

sdcfgy 6d ago

I'd go electric if they were just cars and not shit android tablets with wheels stuck on them.

privong 6d ago
I agree with you. But to be fair, gasoline powered cars are also converging on being crappy tablets with wheels attached.
ItsBob 6d ago
Every car has a 4G/5G modem in it now! Unless you cut off your search at about 2018, no matter what car you buy, you're giving up data! I don't like it either but you have to pick your battles these days.
- sdcfgy 6d ago
  Mine is from 2013.

AshleyGrant 6d ago

You can't trade in for a used EV that likely wouldn't cost you anything and would save you money?

bix6 6d ago
No if you actually do the math it’s not worth it.
- ItsBob 6d ago
  In what way is it not worth it? I'm genuinely curious. I used to be dead-set-against electric cars but I just bought one and am loving it. The maths is staggering. It's secondhand though as I don't believe new ones are worth it.
  - bluGill 6d ago
    You can't find an equivalent for the same price. OP has an 11 year old car that apparently works fine. To get a EV means he needs to spend thousands (or settle for one that is a lot cheaper for a reason) more. We don't know how much OP drives, but in generally I'd expect several years before the savings from the EV are more than the upfront costs. Now if OP's car is worn out and needs replacing anyway the economics are different.
    - ItsBob 5d ago
      I'm of the opinion that the greenest car you can have is the car that you currently own! No matter what you buy, energy was expended to make it! The car you own already has spent the energy. It's done. So, assuming you're not spitting flames and smoke out wherever you go, your current car will be greener than quite literally anything you can buy, new or secondhand. Note: I've done zero maths to verify this but it makes perfect sense to me :)
  - bix6 6d ago
    blu nailed it, but to reiterate, if you already have a working car then the cost to to swap to an EV is not worth it. I have done the math with my current car and even with a downgrade it’s not worth it.
bluGill 6d ago
I just checked 2015 diesel vehicles on my local craigslist (I refuse to use facebook, though I know that is where most cars are these days). A bunch of trucks for $15k-30k, and a few VWs for $15k. So then I search for electric cars from $10k-$15k and found nothing at all! YMMV in your local areas, but you will likely find the same: in the price range of a 11 year old diesel you will find nothing: EVs were still rare niches 11 years ago. I did find a few eGolfs and leafs for $5k-8k, but in my experience if a car is that cheap there is a reason for that, so I assume they are unacceptable. There is a chance OP has a diesel truck because he needs a truck which in turn means they wouldn't work even new (the F150 lightning perhaps would)
- mikestew 6d ago
  I did find a few eGolfs and leafs for $5k-8k, but in my experience if a car is that cheap there is a reason for that The reason is: no one wants them. Three years ago we sold an OG Leaf my spouse’s coworker for $3500. Battery was about 80%, but otherwise the car was flawless. All the buyer needed was an around-town car, and the old Leaf fit the bill. Leafs didn’t go very far on a charge, ergo they won’t have a whole lot of miles in them, and they were otherwise reliable. If it’s all you need, I’d recommend one for cheap.

cosmic_cheese 6d ago

Last I checked, depending on one’s needs, used EVs are among some of the best values in the US used car market. Their prices are closer to what prices on used gas cars would’ve been had the market not been turned on its head during the pandemic. The main caveat is that available models are heavily weighted towards “compact” (RAV4 sized) SUVs and larger. There aren’t many little Prius/Fit/Soul type town car models around which is a bit paradoxical with that being the use case that EVs have been well suited to for the longest time.

bix6 6d ago
Yes because everyone wants a massive EV with a degraded 10 year old battery
- toomuchtodo 6d ago
  EV batteries outlast the car. Unsophisticated consumers are still learning this though, so it is understandable when they don't realize it. EV batteries last longer than drivers feared - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49613527 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49613527 - September 2026 (3 comments) Retired EV Batteries Scored a New Gig: Bolstering Texas’ Grid - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47143967 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47143967 - February 2026 (0 comments) Most EV batteries outlast their cars, real-world data shows - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47083580 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47083580 - February 2026 (0 comments) https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=ev%20batteries%20last&sort=byDate&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que...
  - bix6 6d ago
    Ok so your first link. Goes to leaf forum. User replaced battery with a bigger one. Your second link. Texas takes batteries no longer suitable for car and makes grid. Neither of those is a decade old car running on its original battery. And I also said degrade which we know is true. What’s your point?
    - 6d ago

W0lfEagle 6d ago

Just swap it for a more efficient smaller 11yo car?

ItsBob 6d ago

I've just bought my first electric car. It's a 3 year old Skoda Enyaq Sportline Plus. It's lost 60% of its value, has only done 57k miles and has a battery state of health of 97.4%. I paid £22k. I still maintain that new cars, especially new electric cars, are not worth the money but secondhand ones are a bargain now... relatively speaking.

toomuchtodo 6d ago
If one cannot afford a new EV, they should buy used. If one would like a new EV and can afford one, they should do so. EVs will not maintain their value because of the rate of technology innovation and deployment rates. The value is in TCO savings from using electricity for fuel over fossil fuels. If one can make due with an ebike instead of an EV, certainly, that is of course an option that should be considered. The world’s 280 million electric bikes and mopeds are cutting demand for oil far more than electric cars - https://theconversation.com/the-worlds-280-million-electric-bikes-and-mopeds-are-cutting-demand-for-oil-far-more-than-electric-cars-213870 https://theconversation.com/the-worlds-280-million-electric-... - November 16th, 2026
- bluGill 6d ago
  Problem with buying used is EVs you are limited to what is for sale now. Search EV market share by year in your favorite search engine, then do your own analysis: if you are buying a used car more than 90% of your options are not EV (even if we include PHEV) If you drive a car then EVs should be your first choice, and they should be worth a premium over other types. However in the end used car buyers are limited to what is for sale now.
WarmWash 6d ago
>are not worth the money The climate doesn't care what is and isn't worth the money.

Whatarethese 6d ago

Years ago you could easily get $10k+ off MSRP on an EV. Why did you still hold out?