Even the EV guy gets it..

The encore's main issue was it would over heat. Previous owner had added an auxiliary electric fan that you had to manually turn on. And you best remember in the summer. It was a Florida car so rust free. Dark blue with white roof. I beat it like a rented mule too.

 

We're not even at pre-covid production levels.

 

When we could be energy independent but aren't (anymore), and we choose to rely on other countries is beyond mind boggling to me..

 

Not surprising considering...

 

Man! you were scrapin' bottom with a Renault. Lol

 

More political diarrhea.

 

Lol. Ya got that right. Guy wouldn't sell it to me without taking the parts car either. That should have been a clue to walk away.

 

Sometimes we're clueless...

 

Yep. Still happense thinks.

 

Ask our wives. Lol

 

Really, Dave?

You've been a member here for a long time. I don't know what happened within the last year but man oh man, give it a rest. Please!

We're glad you have an EV and it's working out. Not everyone can afford to or live in a climate conducive to solar energy for their homes, but it's great that you can.

I wish you had posted all the costs involved with that choice though.....

 

Give what a rest? Asking the mods to actually follow the guidelines of the forum?

What's my situation got to do with anything? I just provided information, without any political content.

I believe I did.

 

Still think everything should have been included. Install, shipping, extras (like batteries).

No need to make the sound like it cost less; it only sounds like you are trying to convince yourself.

If I wanted to install solar for my house, I would want to know every and all costs involved...not just a few. Thats what I'm talking about. Including subsidies and rebates. Those aren't realized until after you pony out all the costs, right?

Do you use electric for heat?

Do you have to monitor or watch your electric usage? Have you "given up" certain niceties like TV for instance?

What happens after 10-15 20 years?

Did you have to update your home system after purchasing your 2 EVs?

 

Sure thing, because you asked and because I'm such a nice guy and because I think there are people here who have a genuine interest and because I am an advocate of PV solar and EVs...here ya go!


Grid tied PV solar
Our initial PV array was a 6.8kw system, we added 10 more panels (3.15kw) later bringing the total system up to 9.95kw.
6.8kw system installed was $17,076
3.15kw addition installed was $7,880
Both systems qualified for a 26% Fed tax credit which is $6488 total. So our total cost was $18,468, we paid cash. I believe I ballparked it at $20K, so it was even less than I remember.


And to answer your questions directly;
-The subsidies are tax credits, so you don't get the money until you file your taxes. The good thing about this tax credit is that you can roll it over from year to year, so if your Fed tax bill for the year is lower than your credit you can just carry the credit over to the next year.
-The whole home battery backup system we installed is not necessary for the grid tied system to work, we installed it as a luxury it was $15K with a 26% tax credit.
-Our house is wired for resistive electric heat, but we don't use it.
-We do not have to monitor our electricity usage and we have not changed our electricity use habits i.e. "given up any niceties". I sized the array appropriately so that it would meet our needs
-After 10-15-20 years? Not sure what you are asking here but, All of the equipment has at least a 20 year warranty. The array will loose production as it ages maybe as much as 10%. A quick google of how to dispose of PV solar gave some options.
-The system will reliably produce ~13,000kwh/year and has a 20 year lifespan (these are conservative numbers), so including for reduced production as the system ages it will produce ~234,000 kwh. Residential electricity rate is currently $.215/kwh so if the rates never go up (fat chance) the system will produce $50K worth of electricity.

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The EVs
We paid cash, sticker price plus dealer doc fee, tax, title and registration. Tax, title and registration we would have had to pay on any car we bought and it varies by where you live, some states even waive sales tax on EVs, so for simplicity sake MSRP + dealer fee. Both EVs qualified for a $7,500 Fed tax credit and a $2,000 Efficiency Maine POS credit. One thing to note here is that the Fed tax credit for EVs does not roll over to the next year.

2021 Mustang Mach-E.
MSRP $50,135
dealer fee $479
Fed tax credit -$7500
Maine POS -$2000
Total cost $41,114

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5
MSRP $50,990
dealer fee $479
Fed tax credit -$7500
Maine POS -$2000
total cost $41,969

Both EVs will average for the year ~3.3 to 3.5 mi/kwh
15,000 miles/3.3=4,500kwh yearly electricity consumption.

Go price some similar ICE vehicles and they will easily cost you $40K

So this is where the number get a bit fuzzy, because we are not buying gas and the price of gas varies, however the price of the electricity we are "paying" is included in the price of the array (amortized over 20 years) and there is no real direct correlation between an EV in mi/kwh and and ICE vehicle in mpg. Both of the EVs are "mid size SUVs" so assuming 15,000 miles per year/30mpg X $3.50 (for gas and I think I'm being very generous here) = $1750 for gasoline. The amortized rate for our array is $0.07/kwh. So 15000 miles/3.3mi/kwhX0.07=$318 for electricity. So the savings there assuming $3.50 for gas is ~$1400 x 2(for two cars)= $2800

Our house electricity use per year before the EVs was consistently ~4000kwh
so 4500+4500+4000= 13,000kwh

Maine has net metering for PV solar. The array will produce way more than we use in a month in the high production months. Net metering will give us credits for the unused kwh and we will use them during the low production months, so over a year it evens out. The credits expire, so what you don't want to do is have your array produce more than you use in a year because you ultimately will not receive any benefit from the extra production and you would have paid more for the array.

I think that about covers everything and it seems to me as though the ballpark numbers I threw out there we if anything a little conservative, meaning things look even a little better for me. Hope that helps and happy to answer any more questions.

 

I called local Ford dealer yesterday & they said it would be 2 years before they would get any EV’s in because Ford has oversold & are so far behind.

 

Thanks for sharing this info.

 

Thats a lot of numbers to digest.