I used to like hybrids, and obviously series hybrids are the coolest kind of hybrids, but now that I’m driving a budget EV, I honestly don’t see the point anymore. Just get the EV and skip the awkward half-way step that inherits the most expensive and complicated parts from both designs.
Seeing a sleek modern car pull away whisper quiet and then start the ICE 3 seconds later with a stutter and a puff of water vapor from underneath is the most schizophrenic sight, it somehow feels more dated than actual ICE cars.
Unless you live in bumfuck nowhere with expensive electricity, zero solar power and a daily 5 hour commute, an EV will likely work just fine for you.
Is the hybrid car then just a social cover for “I want gas savings, but where I live doesn’t have EVSEs?”
It almost reminds me of mechanical alarm clocks from the 70s, where they are designed to look like an electronic model but are just driven by AC motors (1).
I can't vouchers for the specifics, but it could make sense because gas and electricity prices as well as incentives vary a lot between US states.
There's a really easy calculator available at <a href="https://chooseev.com/savings-calculator/" rel="nofollow">https://chooseev.com/savings-calculator/ You can play with different values for vehicles and local prices.[0][1]
It looks to me like an EV makes as much sense in Texas as anywhere. The places where EVs don't make sense currently have average gas prices but high electricity prices, like the Northeast.
> For example in the US it makes perfect sense to own an EV in California, but no sense in Texas for example.
It makes a lot of sense to own and operate an EV in Texas. At my current electricity rate, the energy cost per mile for my EV is something like 4¢/mi. I just bought gas this morning, gas was $3.75/gal for me in a very cheap gas part of town in Texas (many places are closer to $4). To get that same energy cost per mile, I'd need to get ~94MPG.
Let's compare it to a car that gets like 35mpg, and say I drove a normal average US mileage of 14,000mi in a year. $560 for energy costs in the EV, let's be fair and add on the extra $200 in taxes Texas is currently adding to EVs, $760. How much did I spend on gas on that 35MPG car? 14,000mi / 35MPG = 400 gallons, * $3.75 = $1,500/yr.
Toutouxc · · focus · HN ↗
Seeing a sleek modern car pull away whisper quiet and then start the ICE 3 seconds later with a stutter and a puff of water vapor from underneath is the most schizophrenic sight, it somehow feels more dated than actual ICE cars.
Unless you live in bumfuck nowhere with expensive electricity, zero solar power and a daily 5 hour commute, an EV will likely work just fine for you.
acomjean · · focus · HN ↗
Hybrids with their good mileage although complex are a good fit for those.
xattt · · focus · HN ↗
It almost reminds me of mechanical alarm clocks from the 70s, where they are designed to look like an electronic model but are just driven by AC motors (1).
(1) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zWqweWjsbU" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zWqweWjsbU
jgalt212 · · focus · HN ↗
twilo · · focus · HN ↗
For example in the US it makes perfect sense to own an EV in California, but no sense in Texas for example.
syedkarim · · focus · HN ↗
georgeecollins · · focus · HN ↗
<a href="https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/gas-taxes-state/" rel="nofollow">https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/gas-taxes-state/
<a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/08/07/governor-newsom-announces-3500-instant-rebates-now-available-for-californians-buying-their-first-zero-emission-vehicle/" rel="nofollow">https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/08/07/governor-newsom-announces-...
stvltvs · · focus · HN ↗
dublinben · · focus · HN ↗
It looks to me like an EV makes as much sense in Texas as anywhere. The places where EVs don't make sense currently have average gas prices but high electricity prices, like the Northeast.
[0] <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/todays-state-averages/" rel="nofollow">https://gasprices.aaa.com/todays-state-averages/
[1] <a href="https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a" rel="nofollow">https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.ph...
bluGill · · focus · HN ↗
The above is for most people. There are exceptions in both states where gas makes more sense.
vel0city · · focus · HN ↗
It makes a lot of sense to own and operate an EV in Texas. At my current electricity rate, the energy cost per mile for my EV is something like 4¢/mi. I just bought gas this morning, gas was $3.75/gal for me in a very cheap gas part of town in Texas (many places are closer to $4). To get that same energy cost per mile, I'd need to get ~94MPG.
Let's compare it to a car that gets like 35mpg, and say I drove a normal average US mileage of 14,000mi in a year. $560 for energy costs in the EV, let's be fair and add on the extra $200 in taxes Texas is currently adding to EVs, $760. How much did I spend on gas on that 35MPG car? 14,000mi / 35MPG = 400 gallons, * $3.75 = $1,500/yr.
jgalt212 · · focus · HN ↗
That sounds very high. The most common lease cap is 10k miles per year.
vel0city · · focus · HN ↗
Also, 10K seems like a common base lease arrangement, but up to 15K is common. On top of that its not like most cars are leased.
rswail · · focus · HN ↗
They worked on the same principle as the old mechanical signs at airports and train stations.
So it was mechanical first with the motors, then the LED display and then LCD and then the current TFT etc.