Are EV’s a viable daily driver in 2026?
Posted by ThatIsNotAnAsian@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 46 comments
Unfortunately I may be on the market for a new car soon.
Right now I live in an apartment, but with 4 EV charging stations available in the parking deck. I live in the southeast, walk to work, and live only a couple miles from essentials like groceries.
Due to my living situation, and how little I’ll be driving I am wondering is this the time I should buy into an EV. It also seems like a comparable age/mileage EV is cheaper than its gas/hybrid counterpart.
My concerns are if I very rarely need to drive 300 miles round trip for work, is the charging network advanced enough for non Tesla EV’s to not be a headache. And will insurance destroy me due to the EV spike I hear about.
logicalvue@reddit
Used EVs are a bargain right now. It sure seems like your situation is a good fit for an EV. Slow charging in the garage will likely be much less expensive than DC fast charging, but keep in mind that many non-Tesla EVs can also charge at Tesla Superchargers.
Horror_Mobile_4452@reddit
I think some companies wrre looking into that, but theres no app or terminal for the tesla chargers, they just id the car and charge tbe account. So I dont beleive its currently possible to charge a non-tesla at tesla superchargers
Droid759@reddit
Umm, I have two non-tesla EVs. Only ever need to charge one at a Tesla supercharger and it worked perfectly with a adaptor. Just launch the Tesla app, select your car's make & model and start charging.. Nothing difficult about it.
Horror_Mobile_4452@reddit
Today I learned
choppysmash@reddit
It absolutely is possible. You just have to download the Tesla app and have the appropriate adapter.
M-G@reddit
You should probably watch this to get an idea on what your charging strategy may be and decide how viable it is for your situation. https://youtu.be/5NG4hycq8n0?si=dBtqjtl1-ewsFDCn
saabstory88@reddit
EV Mechanic here. Specific ones are, yes. Because these are new for a lot of OEMs and suppliers, there is a minefield of bad ones, but the good ones take very little thought in terms of reliability.
ThatIsNotAnAsian@reddit (OP)
Any notable manufacturers or modes to avoid/prioritize when looking?
ReptarSonOfGodzilla@reddit
Download a EV charging app and plot a route to where you think you might drive. Charging networks are generally good in metros and along major corridors, rural areas is where you run into problems. A used EV off lease is usually a great deal. Early Mach Es and Ioniq are pretty affordable now. Insurance is a bit higher, but I think it’s pretty in line with ICE vehicles of similar cost.
ThatIsNotAnAsian@reddit (OP)
Mach E, Kona electric and Ioniq are mostly what I have been looking at.
Are there other general maintenance/ concerns with an EV over ICE cars? I’ve tried doing research and find extremely varied responses, some say they’ll be a money pit, some say they’ll need next to no maintenance other than brakes and tires.
Droid759@reddit
Look at the used Audi etron models - They are amazing and inexpensive!
ReptarSonOfGodzilla@reddit
We’ve had our Ioniq since they were new. One issue with the infotainment system, but that’s not unique to EVs, and the sound deadening in one of the tires came loose. Our electric bill is maybe $20 a month extra. Long trips on chargers is slightly more expensive, but not by much. The daily expenses are so much cheaper that we only use my truck if we’re going somewhere without chargers or were picking up something in my bed.
Former_Mud9569@reddit
There's less general maintenance. EVs can have a lot of torque, so if you have a leadfoot you can burn through tires kind of quickly. but they have fewer moving parts and less stuff that needs frequent service (oil changes).
Some people are worried about battery packs being expensive to replace but honestly those concerns haven't really been supported by reality. A had a Chevy Volt for 8 years and didn't really see any degradation in electric range.
For me, the deciding factor would be how busy the charging stations are in your local parking deck. If you just need to get on them 1 night every week and a half or so, an EV would be a no brainer.
There are a massive amount of cars coming off of short leases over the next two years. For sure you can get a great deal.
qserasera@reddit
Note that the ioniq has some problems with the iccu issues:
The Hyundai Ioniq (5/6) Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) issue involves a failure of the transistor (MOSFET) that manages 12-volt battery charging, often causing sudden power loss, "Check Electric Vehicle System" warnings, and complete shutdown. Affecting 2022–2024 models (and some 2025s), it is remedied by software updates and/or part replacement via recalls.
c1884896@reddit
Ford and Hyundai have access to Tesla superchargers. You just need an adapter or a Supercharger with Magic Dock.
The people that say EVs are a money pit are the same ones that have no idea and have never used one. I had a Taycan for two years and I didn’t spend a dollar in maintenance. It cost me $12 USD / month on average to charge to drive 12k kms per year (7k miles).
Former_Mud9569@reddit
I think basically everyone is allowed on Tesla superchargers now.
devryd1@reddit
Tires are a bit more expenseive as the car is probably a bit heavier.
You wont need any oil changes, since this is not a thing. Brakes need to be serviced, though wear is lower (regenerative braking). Suspension also has a little higher load, again, higher weight. I think thats about it.
Left-Impress4056@reddit
Something to think about. If those EV charges arent provided for free, and they are a paid service, it might be cheaper to go gas. Chargers are about double the price of home electricity. Just FYI.
ThatIsNotAnAsian@reddit (OP)
That’s good to know. The ones at my complex are free, but if I was on a trip the public chargers could cost more than gas?
choppysmash@reddit
DCFC do charge a fairly high price per kWh but that information is easy to find online ahead of time. Home and most public L2 chargers are much cheaper by comparison.
sureal42@reddit
Lol no...
M-G@reddit
DC fast chargers are absolutely the most expensive way to charge. Public L2 chargers tend to be more reasonable.
avoidhugeships@reddit
Only if you have home charger and the extra money to buy it.
choppysmash@reddit
All most people actually need is the charging cable that comes with the car and a standard NEMA 5-15 receptacle to handle a normal commute. Unless you’re regularly arriving home with your battery near empty Level 2 charging, especially at >32A, is largely unnecessary albeit nice to have occasionally.
shortyman920@reddit
The answer depends solely on if you have your own home and can charge at home. If so, EVs are an excellent choice
ThatIsNotAnAsian@reddit (OP)
It’s kind of a two part answer, which is why I’m not sure.
Currently I do have access to chargers at home, and they are even free which is an extra plus, but I rent so it would limit where I could live in the future, or I could potentially sell the car if I need to move and can’t find somewhere with a charger available.
choppysmash@reddit
With how little you’re driving you would be able to get by easily on level 1 (120V) charging. So if you ended up moving you just need to make sure there’s a regular outlet close to where you park.
I highly suggest watching some Technology Connections videos. He does a great job explaining EV charging and how most people with even slightly longer than average commutes can get by with slow charging.
jwizzy15@reddit
Absolutely. We bought a model 3 performance and it was the best decision of all time
EVE_Burner_Account@reddit
Can you charge at home? If yes, viable. If not, then no.
jwizzy15@reddit
It says in the post he has charging at his apartment
kinga_forrester@reddit
I think we have different definitions of “viable.” Owning an EV without home charging is less convenient, but definitely “viable.”
Tiny_Entertainer_713@reddit
Spend about $17,000 on a 2016 Tesla Model S. You'll like it.
saabstory88@reddit
A model S 75D is the most reliable car Tesla ever made, aside from maybe the 2020 Model 3.
Playful_Elk3862@reddit
Do it 😁
ShadowsOfTheBreeze@reddit
Yes, with this amount of driving you would likely only need to charge up once a week or twice a month. An occasional round trip for work purposes could either be done with A-a rental car and charge the company or B-your own car and map out the charging stations. You could call your insurance company for a quote first. Without any kind of oil changes or gas costs you will likely save money.
Zealousideal-Goat839@reddit
EV leases are heavily incentivized now. Honda prologue and Hyundai ioniq 5 can be had for less than $400 a month. You can lease them for cheap if you're not sure yet.
As for commuting, yes they make a great daily driver. Many new EVs can be charged on Tesla network, just check for each model.
ThatIsNotAnAsian@reddit (OP)
I don’t really know anything about leasing cars, I’ve only ever bought outright.
I’ll have to research how that works.
Zealousideal-Goat839@reddit
You're basically renting a car for an extended period of time, like 2 or 3 years. You're in charge for all repairs, maintenance, and insurance while you have it. You return it at the end of the lease with certain conditions attached.
I'd understand if you're not comfortable doing it. It's not necessarily cheap, but it's one way of determining if you can live with an EV without committing to buying one.
Rough_Cancel7265@reddit
Yep. I've done 400ish round trip in my EV6 GT, and 1000 round trip in a Charger Daytona. For public charging with your situation, I'd say it depends on what's around your area. For me if I couldn't use my charger at home, I'd have zero issue with using the public infrastructure around me to top up for the week
andresAtMudra@reddit
Do it, if you’re not driving a lot then you will probably only need to plug in 1-2x a week. Should cost around $5 to get a full charge on a level 2 charger in your building.
But why not get a tesla? Forget best ev category, theyre the best daily driver cars in the world right now
ThatIsNotAnAsian@reddit (OP)
No reason, I’ll just have to shop around more.
Just purely based on price I’ve seen Mustang Mach E, and Ioniq 5’s for under and around $20k, but I haven’t seen many teslas in that range.
andresAtMudra@reddit
You could score a model 3 2021 and probably even 2022 for that price
EbagI@reddit
Yes. Lmao
Ancient_Persimmon@reddit
It sounds like in your case one would be a very viable daily. If for some reason a 3 or Y isn't on the menu, other EVs can use the Supercharger network, so you're covered there.
overheightexit@reddit
r/Unnecessaryapostrophe
ThatIsNotAnAsian@reddit (OP)
Dang basic grammar got me again…my middle school English teacher would be ashamed of me