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Current MPG and Electric vs. Gas

WXman

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There's definitely a break even point, but I'd venture that in most states the cost of gas is high enough right now that charging at home isn't identical to filling the tank on a per mile basis. I wouldn't put too much trust in my own math, but when I worked the numbers a while back, gas would need to be about $1.25/gal before it was cheaper not to charge at home. I think I paid $3.79 the when I filled up the other day.
Well, the national average is $0.13/kWh for electricity. Some states are as high as $0.20/kWh especially in New England. The 4xe gets 1 mile per kWH with its small 17 kW battery pack. So, the average would be $0.13 per mile on pure EV mode.

On gas, what does a 2.0L engine get? 20 MPG? 22 MPG? The current national average is $3.34/gallon. So that's $0.15 per mile on expensive fuel. When fuel is closer to normal you could be looking at $0.11 to $0.13 per mile.

It's an identical cost to drive on electricity, or on gasoline. That's my only point.

And, since the 4xe is a hybrid you still have to change engine oil and filters and fluids, etc. periodically so you don't save money there either.

The 4xe is cool because it gives flexibility, all I'm saying is nobody should buy one thinking they're going to save a bunch of money. Ain't happenin'.
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N8213

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If my math is right running on electric for my rates is the equivalent of buying gas for $1.40/gallon. 25 mile charge is $1.70, equivalent to one and a quarter gallons of gas.
Accounting for worse fuel economy when running in ice still works out in my favor.
I didn’t really buy for the economy- love taking off from a light with all 470 lb*ft pushing through auto 4wd!
 

Trainman

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Being retired and think that someday I might own an e-vehicle, then I come to me senses and think what in the hell would I want one of those for. For me it just doesn't work out on paper, but if it does for you then go for it, but I think may are kidding yourself on what you really save in the long run.
 

john adams

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Well, the national average is $0.13/kWh for electricity. Some states are as high as $0.20/kWh especially in New England. The 4xe gets 1 mile per kWH with its small 17 kW battery pack. So, the average would be $0.13 per mile on pure EV mode.

On gas, what does a 2.0L engine get? 20 MPG? 22 MPG? The current national average is $3.34/gallon. So that's $0.15 per mile on expensive fuel. When fuel is closer to normal you could be looking at $0.11 to $0.13 per mile.

It's an identical cost to drive on electricity, or on gasoline. That's my only point.

And, since the 4xe is a hybrid you still have to change engine oil and filters and fluids, etc. periodically so you don't save money there either.

The 4xe is cool because it gives flexibility, all I'm saying is nobody should buy one thinking they're going to save a bunch of money. Ain't happenin'.
Or people might be buying it to use less gas for eco/political reasons. I suspect I'll average 20 gallons of gas a month with the 4xe. That'll about halve my current usage.

I did not buy the 4xe for that reason but I got it over the turbo for that reason.
 

sconrad24

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Well, the national average is $0.13/kWh for electricity. Some states are as high as $0.20/kWh especially in New England. The 4xe gets 1 mile per kWH with its small 17 kW battery pack. So, the average would be $0.13 per mile on pure EV mode.

On gas, what does a 2.0L engine get? 20 MPG? 22 MPG? The current national average is $3.34/gallon. So that's $0.15 per mile on expensive fuel. When fuel is closer to normal you could be looking at $0.11 to $0.13 per mile.

It's an identical cost to drive on electricity, or on gasoline. That's my only point.

And, since the 4xe is a hybrid you still have to change engine oil and filters and fluids, etc. periodically so you don't save money there either.

The 4xe is cool because it gives flexibility, all I'm saying is nobody should buy one thinking they're going to save a bunch of money. Ain't happenin'.
Your post got me checking my math I did a couple months ago. I get about 25 miles per charge. Depending on regeneration, coasting and other factors I've seen as high as 32. But anyway assuming 25 miles per charge, my cost per mile comes out to $0.09. Using premium fuel, my cost per mile gas is $0.18. So its about twice as expensive for me to use the ICE than electric. In general I agree though. The 4xe is not a home run for everyone. If gas prices come back down, and I didnt have the ability here in PA to pick my electric supplier, the cost would roughly be the same. My big savings come from my wife loving to drive the 4xe. She works less than a mile away. So I usually take her civic which gets 36mpg on my long commute to the office.
 

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sconrad24

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If my math is right running on electric for my rates is the equivalent of buying gas for $1.40/gallon. 25 mile charge is $1.70, equivalent to one and a quarter gallons of gas.
Accounting for worse fuel economy when running in ice still works out in my favor.
I didn’t really buy for the economy- love taking off from a light with all 470 lb*ft pushing through auto 4wd!
Yep, with the 4xe Ive found that its easier to think of things in cost per 25 miles. Evening assuming best case gas mileage, I still come out ahead in electric vs gas. It also helps with public chargers. Ive seen prices at $1.50 per hour so after 2.5 hours you are paying more than gas. So unless its free I'm not planning on using public chargers.
 

Bmeister

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.....The 4xe gets 1 mile per kWH with its small 17 kW battery pack. So, the average would be $0.13 per mile on pure EV mode........
It's an identical cost to drive on electricity, or on gasoline. That's my only point..........The 4xe is cool because it gives flexibility, all I'm saying is nobody should buy one thinking they're going to save a bunch of money. Ain't happenin'.
Buying a 4xe in order to "save a bunch of money" depends on circumstances. It's cheaper to keep an old Jeep running more often than buying a new one. That said, the 4xe DOES save a nice chunk of money over time vs buying a non-4xe if the intent was to buy a new Wrangler anyway.

The 4xe nets people 21-30miles per charge regularly. That's not ALL 17kwhr battery used, either, since 15% of the battery is held in reserve for hybrid ops. I get 25+miles per full charge almost every time, using 15-16kwhr to recharge to 100%; that's 1.56+ miles/kwhr, consistently. More like $.09/mile in pure elec. Fuel prices here and my 21mpg fuel-only use avg yields $.17/mile...elec wins vs fuel, easily and the margin is increasing as gas prices keep going up where I'm at.

Since most of my 4xe driving is local, I rarely use gas. In fact, I run it with E-save a couple times per week for at least 20min to "exercise" the engine. I'm saving $100-$150/mo (net) gas vs gas+elec costs. Over the 10yrs I'll own it, that's an extra $15,000 in my pocket ($125avg x 12mos x 10yrs) which is a nice chunk of cash saved.
 

4xeRubicon

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Most people tend to assume that their variables in the cost equation are the same as everyone, but they aren’t.

My first 6 months of ownership I lived in a place I couldn’t charge, but I found a parking garage near work with a free charger. All I had to do was walk a couple extra blocks and work out the right time to park so that the overnight car had just left but none of the Teslas had gotten to work yet. I think I got around 1-1.5k in free electrical miles during that time.

Now I live at a place where I have charging capability, but my electricity bill is a flat rate due to multiple units sharing the same meter. If I don’t charge I pay X, and if I do charge I pay X, so my charging is again free.

This changes my equation to weigh heavily in my favor on cost savings. Additionally, with the $7,500 tax break next year, I will have purchased a more capable new Jeep for cheaper than I could have gotten the same non-hybrid new Jeep.

This Jeep requires you to check a number of boxes in how you use and charge it for it to make sense for you, but in the scenarios where it makes sense, it can really shine.
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