155: The $19k 2023 Subaru Solterra: An EV Deal We Didn't Expect To Find

155: The $19k 2023 Subaru Solterra: An EV Deal We Didn't Expect To Find Batteries Included · Jun 24, 2026

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Car

Ram ProMaster Delivery Van BEV Super High Roof

This is an all-electric Ram delivery van. The “Super High Roof” version is the taller one, which gives more interior space for cargo or equipment.

Term

Original MSRP

MSRP is the sticker price the manufacturer lists for the vehicle. “Original MSRP” is the starting list price before discounts.

Car

Dodge Ram

The Dodge Ram is a pickup truck line. People often buy trucks like this for hauling, towing, or work needs. In the podcast, it’s mentioned because a dealer has several of them available.

Term

kWh battery

“kWh” is how big the battery is. A bigger kWh battery usually means you can drive farther before recharging.

Term

front wheel drive

Front wheel drive means the front wheels do the pushing. That can affect how the car grips and how it drives, especially when accelerating or turning.

Car

The Alpine A110 is a small sports car made for fun driving. It’s built to feel quick and responsive when you steer. In this episode, it’s brought up as part of the conversation about different vehicles and how they compare.

Car

2023 Subaru Solterra

The 2023 Subaru Solterra is Subaru’s fully electric SUV. The big takeaway here is that it’s limited to 70 mph by software, so it won’t feel great if you want to drive fast on highways.

Term

electronically limited

“Electronically limited” means the car’s computer intentionally caps something. In this case, it caps how fast the vehicle can go, even if you press the pedal harder.

Concept

electric delivery van

An electric delivery van is a work van that runs on electricity instead of gas. The story is about switching a delivery operation to EVs to cut down on fuel costs.

Car

Tesla Model S

The Tesla Model S is an electric car from Tesla. It’s a well-known EV, and here it’s just being used to explain that the person already drives Teslas and wants to add another EV for work.

Concept

cost conscious standpoint

“Cost conscious” here means they’re thinking about what the vehicle will cost to use, not just what it costs to buy. The YMCA is looking at EVs because their current gas fuel bill is very high.

Car

Zevo Bright Drop

Zevo is a company that makes an electric delivery van. In the podcast, it’s brought up because someone is comparing van options and pricing for deliveries. The focus is on whether it fits the budget and the job.

Concept

third party that handles our listings

Sometimes the website listing is run by an outside company, not directly by the dealership. If the listing math is wrong, the price you see online might not be the price you can actually get.

Term

rebate

A rebate is like a discount that comes from the company after you buy—so the car ends up costing less than the sticker price. If it’s applied wrong, the “cheap” price might not actually be achievable.

Concept

bait and switch

It means a seller lures you in with a great deal, but then the real deal turns out to be different or not available. With cars, that can happen when the advertised price doesn’t match what you actually end up paying.

Car

Fiat Ducato

The Fiat Ducato is a common type of van. The hosts are saying the vehicles they’re looking at are related to that van platform, which is why they might be priced or sourced the way they are.

Term

EPA

EPA is the U.S. government agency that tests cars and publishes official range numbers for EVs. So when they say “EPA range,” they’re talking about the standard, official miles the car is rated to go on a full charge.

Car

Volvo EX30

The Volvo EX30 is an electric SUV that’s designed to be small and efficient. It’s fun to drive, but if you have a family and lots of gear, the cabin and cargo space can feel too tight for longer trips.

Term

highway range

“Highway range” is how far an EV can go when you’re driving fast on roads like the highway. EVs often use more energy at higher speeds, so highway range is the number that affects road-trip planning.

Term

fast charging speeds

“Fast charging speeds” refers to how quickly an EV can add energy to its battery at a charger. For road trips, higher charging rates (and the ability to sustain them) reduce the time spent at charging stops.

Car

Tesla Model Y

The Tesla Model Y is an electric SUV that many people choose because it’s easy to charge and works well for trips. The host says it feels more premium than the Volvo EX30—nicer materials, better build, and quieter on the highway.

Car

Volvo

Volvo is the car brand being mentioned as a competitor. The speaker is basically saying Tesla’s Model Y feels nicer overall than Volvo’s EVs they’re considering.

Term

FSD

FSD (Full Self-Driving) is Tesla’s software package aimed at advanced driver-assistance features. In this segment, it’s cited as one of the reasons the host believes the Model Y “does everything really well.”

Term

standard

“Standard” here means the base/entry version of the Model Y with fewer features. The host is saying it’s cheaper, but you lose some convenience and equipment.

Term

glass roof

A glass roof is a big window panel on top of the car that makes the cabin feel brighter. The host is pointing out that even though this trim has a glass roof, there are other downsides.

Term

waterproof

“Waterproof” means protected against water getting in. The host is saying that in this Model Y “standard” setup, the front area isn’t sealed well enough to keep water out.

Term

screen

The host is saying that instead of physical buttons/controls, you have to use the car’s screen to change the seats. That can feel less convenient than traditional controls.

Car

EX60

The EX-60 is a vehicle that people are talking about as something that may be coming soon. The podcast question is basically asking when it will be available. That matters if you’re trying to plan a purchase.

Term

UI

UI means the car’s touchscreen/menus—how you interact with the infotainment system. They’re debating whether the UI is annoying or actually pretty usable.

Term

Android system

An Android system means the car’s screen software is based on Android, like a phone. The hosts are talking about whether that makes the car’s interface easier or harder to live with.

Car

Kia EV6

The Kia EV6 is an all-electric SUV. It’s designed to be a practical daily driver and it can charge faster than some EVs. The podcast mentions it as one of the EVs worth considering.

Car

Ford Mustang

The Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s electric crossover. It’s one of the EVs the host lists as a strong alternative if you’re shopping in this category.

Car

Ioniq 5

The Ioniq 5 is Hyundai’s electric crossover. The host is listing it as one of the main EV choices in this price/size area.

Car

Genesis GV60

The Genesis GV60 is an electric SUV that’s smaller than many family vehicles. It’s meant to be a comfortable, everyday EV with modern features. The episode brings it up because the hosts have experience with one and are comparing it to other EVs.

Term

EGMP platform

EGMP is the shared “EV design” platform Hyundai uses for several electric cars. Because the cars share the same basic EV layout, they can have similar charging and packaging characteristics.

Term

270 kilowatts

270 kilowatts is how fast the charger can deliver electricity to the car. Faster charging usually means you spend less time plugged in, but the exact time can vary depending on the battery and conditions.

Term

10 to 80% in 18 minutes

This is a benchmark for how long it takes to charge the battery from 10% up to 80%. Charging tends to slow down as the battery gets fuller, so 10–80% is a common way to compare cars.

Term

NAC supported

“NAC supported” means the car is set up to work with common fast-charging options used in North America. That can make road trips easier because you have more places to charge.

Term

Juniper Refresh

A “refresh” is when a car gets updated after it’s been on sale—sometimes with new software and sometimes with hardware changes. Here, the speaker means Tesla made updates that fixed the problems they didn’t like.

Term

Charges 10 to 80% in 16 minutes

That’s how quickly the EV can add charge at a fast charger. Going from 10% to 80% in 16 minutes is meant to show you can top up quickly for road trips.

Term

super fast charging

“Super fast charging” just means the car can charge quickly at the right fast charger. The speaker is pointing to the earlier time estimate as proof.

Term

0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds

“0 to 60” tells you how fast the car accelerates from a stop to 60 miles per hour. Faster time generally means quicker acceleration.

Term

integrated booster seats

An integrated booster seat is a built-in seat for kids that helps them sit at the right height for the seatbelt. It means you don’t have to buy and install a separate booster seat.

Term

heated booster seats

Heated booster seats are booster seats with a built-in heater. It warms the seat for kids, which can help in cold weather.

Concept

hard to tell what you're looking at and comparing

The hosts are describing a common EV-spec comparison problem: manufacturers may present “best of” numbers or mix specs across variants, which can make it confusing to compare two cars fairly. Their point is that you have to match the exact trim/variant to the range and other figures you’re comparing.

Car

Kia EV3

The Kia EV3 is Kia’s smaller EV offering, positioned as a more compact alternative to larger EVs. In this segment, the hosts describe it as looking like a “mini EV9” and discuss whether it’s on sale yet, plus how it fits a tall driver.

Car

Volkswagen Id4S

The Volkswagen ID.4 is an all-electric SUV. The podcast mentions that it’s no longer being sold, and that the speaker has owned a few before. That’s relevant if you’re thinking about buying one and want to understand what’s available now.

Car

Volkswagen Tiguan

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a common compact SUV model. Here, they’re discussing a future electric version of it.

Brand

Aspect Reviews

Aspect Reviews is a channel that posts car reviews. The host is saying you can watch their review to learn more about the vehicle.

Term

level two charger

A Level 2 charger is a faster home charger for an electric car. It usually plugs into a 240-volt outlet, so you can recharge more quickly between workdays.

Car

Dodge Charger

The Dodge Charger is a larger car that’s designed to feel sporty and comfortable, especially on longer drives. If someone is thinking about charging at home, they’re usually trying to make EV ownership easier and cheaper. In the podcast, it’s mentioned alongside the idea of installing a home charger.

Term

battery pack

The battery pack is the big battery inside an EV that powers the car. Over time it can slowly lose capacity, which can mean less range.

Term

degradation

Degradation means the EV battery slowly loses some of its ability to store energy. That can lead to shorter driving range as the years go on.

Car

Model 3

The Tesla Model 3 is an electric car. Here, they’re talking about a cheaper version that uses a specific battery type and drives the rear wheels, and they think it’s a good deal if you can find one under about $20k.

Term

LFP

LFP is a type of EV battery. It’s often cheaper and can be long-lasting, so it can help you get a better deal on an electric car.

Car

Kona EV

The Hyundai Kona EV is an electric crossover that’s often cross-shopped with other affordable EVs. In this segment, it’s recommended partly because the hosts mention a long EV battery warranty, which can matter if you plan to keep the car for years.

Term

10-year, 100,000 mile EV system warranty

That’s a long warranty that covers the EV’s main battery system. If the battery or related high-voltage parts have problems, the warranty can help pay for repairs for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles.

Term

transferable

Transferable means the warranty can stay with the car when you sell it. So if you buy a used EV, you may still get the same battery warranty benefits.

Term

high voltage

High voltage is the electricity system in an EV that powers the motor and battery. It’s more complex and costly than the normal 12-volt electronics, so a warranty that covers it is a big deal.

Term

power train warranty

A powertrain warranty is the part of the warranty that covers the big moving parts that create motion. On an EV, it usually covers the drive system components like the motor and the electronics that control it.

Term

battery warranty

An EV battery warranty covers the battery pack itself if it fails or loses capacity too much. Since replacing an EV battery can cost a lot, this warranty matters a lot.

Term

inverters

Inverters are the electronics that convert electricity from the battery into the right kind of electricity the motor needs. They’re important enough that if they fail, it can be a major repair—so warranty coverage matters.

Term

trans axle

A transaxle is the drivetrain unit that combines the gearbox and the parts that send power to the wheels. In some EVs, the motor and control electronics are packaged inside that same drivetrain unit.

Term

real world range

Real world range is how far an EV actually goes in normal driving, not just in lab tests. Things like weather and highway speed can change it a lot.

Car

Hyundai Kona

The Hyundai Kona is a small electric SUV/crossover. They mention it as one of the EVs they were considering while shopping for a good value.

Car

Chevrolet Bolts

The Chevrolet Bolt is an all-electric car. It’s commonly considered because it can be a lower-cost way to drive an EV. The episode includes it as one of the options to look at.

Car

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is a popular electric car. They mention it because it’s another EV they were thinking about for a practical daily-driving setup.

Term

60-minute

They’re talking about how long charging takes—about an hour. The point is whether charging fits into your day so you can drive without stress.

Concept

keep the miles low

They’re saying they prefer a used EV with fewer miles. The idea is that lower mileage usually means less wear and more time left under the battery warranty.

Concept

penalty box

They’re using “penalty box” to mean a car that feels like a bad deal—like you’re giving up too much. Here it’s about avoiding an EV that would feel inconvenient to live with.

Term

228 miles of range

Range is how many miles the EV can drive before it needs charging. They’re saying this one can go about 228 miles on a full charge, which matters for daily use.

Term

72.8 kilowatt hour battery

That 72.8 kWh number is how big the EV’s battery is—basically how much electricity it can store. Bigger battery capacity usually means more driving before you have to charge again.

Term

18 inch wheels

Wheel size can change how the car feels over bumps and how efficiently it drives. The hosts mention 18-inch wheels because it can affect ride comfort and highway behavior.

Term

bumper to bumper

“Bumper-to-bumper” means the warranty covers a lot of the car, not just one major system. They’re talking about how long and how many miles that coverage lasts.

Term

level two charging

Level 2 charging is the common faster charger you can use at home with a 240V setup. They’re saying if you charge at home most days, you don’t necessarily need super-fast charging on the road.

Term

DC

DC charging is the fast public charging you use when you need to add a lot of battery quickly. The hosts are saying that if you mostly charge at home, you might not need this kind of fast charging.

Concept

off road capabilities

Off-road capability means how well the car can handle rough or unpaved paths. They’re saying the Solterra can handle “a little off road” for things like getting to a fishing spot.

Term

ground clearance

Ground clearance is how high the car sits off the ground. If it’s higher, you’re less likely to hit the bottom of the car on bumps or rough trails.

Term

water depth rated to 20 inches

This is a factory-tested number for how deep the car can safely go through water. It matters because water can damage sensitive parts, and EVs have lots of electronics that you don’t want submerged.

Term

approach angle

Approach angle is how steep of a bump or hill you can drive up before the front of the car hits. If it’s not great, you can scrape the front when going over steep stuff.

Term

X mode

X-Mode is Subaru’s special setting for slippery or rough terrain. It helps the car manage traction so the wheels don’t just spin when you’re on dirt, gravel, or snow.

Term

traction control

Traction control helps stop the wheels from spinning uselessly when the road is slippery. It can cut power and/or brake a wheel so you keep grip and move forward.

Car

Toyota bZ4X

The Toyota bZ4X is an electric Toyota SUV/crossover. The hosts are saying it’s basically the same kind of EV deal as the Subaru Solterra, so you can compare them when shopping.

Term

100 kilowatts

“100 kilowatts” is how much charging power the EV can take at once. Higher numbers usually mean faster charging, but the hosts say the Solterra’s charging speed stays steadier than you might expect.

Term

DC fast charge

DC fast charging is an EV charging method that uses direct current to deliver high power to the battery, allowing much faster top-ups than standard home charging. In this segment, it’s used to describe how often the hosts think you’d need to charge an EV like the Solterra for a commute, and how charging speed affects daily convenience.

Term

active thermal management

Active thermal management is how an EV keeps its battery at a good temperature. If the car can’t actively cool the battery, fast charging can make it too hot and the car slows down to protect it.

Term

flat curve

A “flat curve” means the car doesn’t slow down as quickly while charging. So even if it can’t hit the highest peak power, it may keep charging at a decent speed for longer.

Concept

pre-owned EV

A pre-owned EV is a used electric car instead of a brand-new one. The idea is to get a better price while still making sure it charges and fits your daily driving.

Term

charging architecture

Charging architecture means how the car is set up to charge—what kind of charging it supports and how well it works on trips. If it’s good, you can usually find charging that’s faster and easier to use.

Concept

buying used

Buying used means you’re not buying brand-new. The idea is to pick a car that’s already been tested by other owners, so you’re less likely to get surprises.

Term

manufacturer backing

Manufacturer backing refers to how strongly the automaker supports the vehicle after purchase—through warranty coverage, service network, and ongoing parts/software support. For EVs especially, strong backing can reduce risk if something needs repair or if charging/software updates are required.

Term

800 volts

Some EVs use a higher-voltage battery system. That can help them charge faster when you use the right kind of fast charger.

Car

Audi Etron

Audi’s e-tron is an all-electric SUV. In this conversation, it’s mentioned as a good used EV choice if you want something in that price range.

Term

CPO

CPO means “certified pre-owned.” It’s a used car that a dealer has inspected and usually offers extra protection (like warranty coverage) compared with a normal used purchase.

Car

Mercedes EQE

The Mercedes EQE is an electric Mercedes sedan. Here it’s brought up as a used EV you might consider, though the speaker thinks it looks a bit unusual.

Term

hardware three

This means the car has one generation of the computer that runs driver-assist features. Newer or different hardware can be required to use certain advanced software options.

Term

hardware four

This is a newer generation of the car’s computer for advanced driving features. If you’re trying to use advanced software, the hardware generation can matter.

Car

Audi Q8 Etron

The Audi Q8 e-tron is a bigger, more premium electric SUV. The point here is that you might be able to find one used for less than you’d expect.

Car

Honda prologues

The Honda Prologue is Honda’s electric SUV. It’s one of the EVs that can show up a lot when you search for used EVs.

Car

Chevrolet Blazer

The Chevrolet Blazer is a crossover SUV. In this context, they’re talking about the electric version showing up a lot in used listings.

Car

2024 Kia EV9 Light Long Range

This is a fully electric Kia SUV with three rows of seats. The host is saying the specific version they found has a long driving range (over 300 miles) and charges quickly, which is why it fits their budget.

Term

charges quick

“Charges quick” means the car can refill its battery faster when you plug it in. That matters because it reduces how long you have to wait at a charger.

Term

201 horsepower

Horsepower is a measure of how much “pull” the car can make. Higher horsepower usually helps acceleration, but it’s only part of the story.

LIVE

Today, we'll recommend an EV for a Volvo EX30-Lisi looking to move up to a mid-size,

a gas car owner looking to go electric for under $20,000, and a family of four looking

for a second electric vehicle.

Welcome to Battery Bargains, where we shortcut your search for the perfect EV.

This is episode number 57.

I'm Dominic Ioni.

Joining me today is Dave Connor from the Out of Spec Dave channel on YouTube, and we are

also joined by Andrew Lambrecht of Evercars.

If you'd like your own EV recommendation, tell us your needs and budget in a brief

email or video, and we'll feature your case on an upcoming episode.

So we'll get to our viewer emails in a moment, but we want to share with you our deal of

the week.

Let's kick it off with, so I searched all the EVs for sale in the US and looked for

a price below $30,000, mileage below 30,000 miles, and less than three years old, and

I found something.

So this week's deal of the week goes to this 2024, let me just pull this up on the screen

for you, Ram ProMaster Delivery Van BEV Super High Roof.

Original MSRP was $88,999 with only 25 miles on the clock.

This could be yours for $29,988.

So the dealer Bob Johnson Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Watertown, New York actually has five

of them.

This is the one with the highest MSRP, unfortunately they don't give you a big gallery of photos

to go through, but yeah, this is what we have to work with.

So if you're unfamiliar with the Ram ProMaster, it's a 268 horsepower front wheel drive delivery

van with a 110 kWh battery, good for 162 miles of range.

It's also important to note that if you like speed, this might not be the vehicle for you

because it's electronically limited to 70 miles an hour.

So it's not a great EV for a lot of people, but for like a tradesperson or someone wanting

to start like a food truck business, it could be the perfect vehicle.

So any thoughts from you all on this?

I have a lot of thoughts on this one.

And Dominic, I jumped on this call today without knowing what your deal of the week was, but

I got a story for you.

So I've gone full time out of spec and one of the things that I'm doing right now is

helping people, select people, look for deals.

And I'm going to be helping them negotiate, be an advocate, very similar to what Tommy

McCoola does over at Deliver.

And we're working on this one case where the CEO of a YMCA in northeast Tennessee is looking

for an electric delivery van.

It's an amazing thing, the story that this viewer came to me with.

They've served two underprivileged children in the northeast of Tennessee, 250,000 meals

last year, 33 separate locations.

He's got three vans and they're all gas powered and he spent $50,000 in fuel last year.

And so he said, hey, Dave, can you help me find, you know, I want to go electric.

His wife drives a Y, he drives an S, Model S, you know, Tesla and Y and S, and he's

a big EV fan, but he's also thinking about it from a cost conscious standpoint.

He doesn't want any seats in it.

He wants one to be a hot van for hot foods, another to be a cold, you know, cold storage.

And so we found this bright drop van that was similar, $88,000 list price.

I don't know if it was a 400 or 600.

And I, did you call this guy up in Watertown, New York to verify that the price is legit?

Okay.

So I called the dealer in California yesterday because they had it listed for $16,000.

And I said, I'll take five of them right now, right?

I think I don't even care.

And the guy started laughing on the phone and goes, Oh, well, we send this out to a third

party that handles our listings.

And it seems like they applied the rebate that GM is providing to them of $20,000, which

is great.

But they applied it like four times or not four times, but like three times.

And he goes, Oh, that's an honest mistake.

And I just sat there and I said, this is why we have to be really careful as consumers.

Now, having said that, it's possible this is a good deal.

What I would love everyone to do is call this dealership and inundate them and say, can I

buy this thing?

Now, be legit.

If you're, if you're not in the market to buy it, don't, don't be, you know, turning

up the juice on these guys.

But I just think that, that that seems like an insane deal, $80,000 something for $20,000.

If that is legit, then Dominic, you win, you win finding the best deal of the week.

I am a little skeptical and quite honestly, had I seen this before the filming, I probably

would have called them myself.

Having said that, this is the kind of stuff that we're dealing with in the industry today,

where there's all these things with, I don't want to say bait and switch, not all dealers

are bad, but I think we just got to be careful.

If that's a legit deal, wow, that's someone, I may grab those for this guy in North Carolina.

It's a great deal.

So this guy has five of them around this, around the same price, but then I looked around

and I found a bunch more at different places in the country and they're all, they're all

just under $30,000.

It's kind of crazy.

Listen, that may be the case and all I would say is let's verify it, let's verify it and

if that is the case, I know, I know a guy who probably will pick up three, you know.

Yeah.

Actually, I think I saw just before that, or I saw 2025 for the same, in the same price

range, like $20,000, $29,000 in a nice blue, you know, like this one was white, it's okay,

but if I'm going to spend all that money, these things are actually, well, they're branded,

but originally they're from Fiat, right, the Fiat Ducato, just a little bit of van trivia

there for you, but this does, Dave, looking around, this really does seem to like to be

the legit spot in the market where they are right now.

It's kind of crazy.

That is a great, that, my friend, is a good deal if you have the use case for it, right,

you know, like it's, you know, that's an amazing thing.

Not for everyone, for sure.

Not for everyone, but what's the range on this thing, EPA?

162 miles.

So that's plenty for what these guys are doing.

They're doing short-haul, short stops, going here, going there, you know, okay.

Yeah.

All right, so we have three emails, emails to go through here, so let's

find these folks, their next favorite car.

Our first email comes to us from Derek, and he writes, hey, battery guys, I love the show,

I'm currently leasing a Volvo EX30, and while it's been a fun, quick little car,

my lease is up this December, and I'm ready to, for something bigger, the EX30 is just

a bit too cramped for road trips with family, two kids, and gear.

This time around, I want to buy, not lease, and I'm looking to step up to a proper mid-size

crossover with a more premium feel.

I want something with solid highway range, a good charging speeds for road trips,

and a bit more cabin space.

What models hitting the market right now, or by the end of the year,

should be at the top of my shopping list?

Thanks, Derek.

All right, Andrew, what would you suggest for Derek?

Well, I think there's some more premium, I don't know, I've driven the EX30, and I was like,

I just don't really like that car that much.

So I think there's some better options upgrade.

Not that person made a bad decision getting that, because I think on paper it sounds pretty good,

but then when you daily drive that car, you're like, interesting.

Just a bunch of interesting choices with that car.

I don't know, I think there's just the classic several options, like Ioniq 5,

if you want fast charging speeds.

Tesla Model Y, honestly, truly, I think the Tesla Model Y interior is more premium than the EX30.

The materials are better in the Tesla.

The build quality is better in the Tesla.

It's quieter on the highway as the 2026 refresh.

Like the new 2026 Model Y, I think fundamentally is a more premium, better feeling product

than the Volvo.

It doesn't even touch on the software and the EX30, which is really, really sub par.

So I'd say probably, yeah, Ioniq 5, Model Y, I'd probably lean towards Model Y,

but I think there's two really good choices.

Of course, you could also do a Mach-E or something like that,

but the charging speeds aren't quite as good from there.

So I'd say there's a lot of good options to get besides the EX30.

What about you, Dave?

All right.

Yeah, it's really hard not to recommend Model Y, but there are a lot of other vehicles out there.

You know, my wife, we got out of my Model 3 performance and into a Model Y

rear wheel drive premium.

And Kyle just made a video over on, I don't know what channel it was,

but I've never seen a bigger fanboy in my whole life.

He is so over the top sold on that Model Y for every reason, right?

It's just, it's the FSD, it's the integration, it's the network, it's the app.

It just does everything really, really well.

Having said that, it's not for everybody, right?

So what I would highly recommend you do is go drive the Model Y.

Now, about in mind, he just bought a Model Y, what they call the standard,

which is kind of like the bare bones.

It's not so great because it just, it has a glass roof, but it doesn't.

The front is not waterproof.

In order to change the seats, you got to go to the screen.

It's got all these little wacky, but you know what, for him,

he was so happy because he was stretching, right?

He was stretching and he couldn't really go that extra.

He's one of these guys that's like, for me, an extra 2K,

like I'll just do a little bit of math and finance it.

Well, that's only $13 a month more and whatever, but he's a real budget guy

and he held them and he's super happy with it.

And he pays the $99 a month every month for the FSD and he goes for it.

But look, there's a lot of other vehicles out there, Subaru.

Did this dominate, did this gentleman say what his budget was?

No, no budget.

It's just that he's going a little more premium.

So I don't think he's, I don't know.

Well, so what is the status of the EX-60?

When is that, when is that coming?

Because if you like the EX-40, and by the way, I think that,

I know what you're saying, Andrew, about the UI.

It's not, I've used the UI in the Volvos and the Pulse Stars,

and it's the Google, what do they call it?

The Google's Android system that's in there.

I kind of liked it.

It wasn't that bad, but I really, I don't know that that was such a bad thing,

but the EX-60, that's, is that out now?

I mean, can you go buy those?

It's not a little later this year.

So it's in this, it's coming to the end of the summer and early fall.

In this timeframe, and actually that's kind of what I'm suggesting too.

That's kind of my, that's where I went with this.

Yeah. Well, if you really like the Volvo family, and I do like the Volvo,

there's a lot of really amazing safety features in the Volvos and all of that.

But look, Andrew, you're right.

The Mustang Mach-E, you know, there's the Ioniq 5, the EV6.

I mean, even, even like a GV60, which is a small crossover,

which we've owned, great car, it's the EGMP platform.

It'll charge wicked fast, 270 kilowatts, decent curve, 10 to 80% in 18 minutes,

and you're on your way.

And it's now NAC supported.

So, you know, there's, there's a lot of choices.

You know, sort of that Toyota, Subaru, whatever, you know, it's,

they're all in the same family.

AT&T.

Yeah, exactly.

You know, there's, there's, there's a bunch of different ones.

But yeah, I mean, look, the Model Y, if you haven't driven it yet, go drive it.

And I would say that's probably what I would do is it's just hard.

I would not want to be competing in that small crossover space.

That vehicle just does everything incredibly well.

Right.

It's not the only game in town, but it's, it's pretty hard to say to go off brand.

Yeah.

I wasn't, I wasn't a big fan of the Tesla Model Y until this Juniper Refresh.

So the Juniper Refresh just fixes kind of the things that really bothered me.

And I was like, okay, I get this.

This is the second, I would drive this.

But, but yeah, for this individual, I just want,

you seem to like the Volvo well enough.

Yeah.

Didn't really complain about the software.

And I think the EX6, he fixes a lot of that.

I haven't heard anything.

I mean, it hasn't come out yet.

So we haven't had it in the hands of customers for, you know, a period of time yet for sure.

But it does get, so if you want, there's three different versions of this.

I went with the P10 because the P12 was with a big battery.

It's not coming until next spring.

So the P10, it's got 322 miles of range.

Charges 10 to 80% in 16 minutes.

So super fast charging, 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds.

So plenty quick.

Has two integrated booster seats in the second row.

So if he's got two kids, I'm not sure what ages they are,

but you know, between four and 10 years old,

this kind of fixes that booster seat situation for them.

And I don't know if he needs this, but they're also heated booster seats.

So I don't know.

So, yeah.

Well, we don't need that down here in Southern Florida.

I can tell you that, but that's a nice...

That's true.

I'll just pull a picture of this thing up real quick

just so people can see what we're looking at.

We were talking about, yeah, EX60, 400 miles of range.

Oh, that's for the P12, we'll have 400 miles of range.

This one will only have 322.

Yeah.

They put all the specs for everything up there at once.

So they put the best specs for, you know,

whichever one has the best spec and mix it all together.

So sometimes it's hard to tell what you're looking at and comparing, but...

Hey, Dominic, a couple of other things.

You know, Kia recently is retiring the Nero

and they've brought out the EV3, which looks like a mini EV9.

The thing is sweet.

I saw it at the New York Auto Show and I really liked that vehicle.

And it had, I would say, because I've driven them,

I've driven the Volvo EX30 and I'm a big guy, six foot five,

and it was a little tight for me.

That EV3, again, I don't know if it's on sale yet,

kind of like the EX60, but I really liked that vehicle an awful lot.

Is this guy based in the U.S.?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, he is.

Oh, hi.

I'm not seeing it, actually.

Never mind.

I'll give you another one.

All right.

I mean, and then, you know, Volkswagen is no longer selling the ID4s.

I've owned two or three of those and they're actually very roomy,

but they're bringing that out again this fall, I think.

It's going to be the Tiguan or something like that.

An electric Tiguan, okay.

An electric Tiguan, but I don't think it's the same body style.

That new Tiguan is pretty sweet looking.

I like it.

My buddy just got a white one.

It looks really good.

But, you know, that EV3, check out what Volkswagen is doing, perhaps.

And that EX60, if you love everything about your EX30

and you want a little more room, that EX60 is great.

Check out the reviews that Kyle did on the Aspect Reviews channel as well,

because he was a big fan of that vehicle.

Yeah, he likes it.

All right.

So our next email comes to us from Richard.

He says, hey, guys, I'm looking to finally ditch my gas guzzling sedan and pick up a used

electric vehicle.

My daily commute is about 60 miles round trip, mostly highway.

And I can install a level two charger at home.

My budget is strictly under 20,000.

I want something reliable with decent efficiency and ideally a battery pack

that holds up well over time so I don't have to worry about immediate degradation.

I don't need a massive amount of range, but enough to comfortably cover

my commute and daily errands with a safe buffer.

What used models offer the best value for money right now?

Best Richard from Columbus.

So, Dave, do you have something for Richard?

I would look at used bolts.

You know, I think that especially after the battery recall incidents,

get one that had the new battery pack put in them.

And you could probably pick them up 15K.

Maybe less and you will not have any issues as far as 60 miles of range.

You'll probably charge maybe twice a week with that.

I mean, the thing is magically efficient.

And I'm not talking about the new 2027 bolt, which is a great vehicle.

But, you know, bolts been out since I think 2017, somewhere in there.

And I'd have to go back and do my homework on like which year, but check out the bolts.

Kona's, you know, I think would be a good one.

And also Nero's, which are really good as well.

Yeah, I mean, those I think would be kind of my choice.

Oh, and of course a Model 3.

I mean, they're trading really cheap now.

And, you know, I wouldn't really be all that.

You get a pick yourself up an LFP rear wheel drive Model 3 and you won't be disappointed.

Like, I don't know what they're trading at Dominic.

I'd have to look at the market, but those would be Kona, Nero, Bolt, Model 3,

even maybe an older Model Y if you could find, you know, like, but maybe not for 20K.

I don't know 20K or less, but I'd have to really check that out.

But that would be my shortlist.

Yeah, I'd say the, I would go with the LFP Model 3, but I think they're just really hard to find

now for under 20 because the prices have just kind of like resurfaced.

But I would also say, yeah, 100%, I, sorry, Hyundai, Kona EV and Kia Nero.

I think those are two great cars because those also have the 10-year battery warranty as well.

So it's a 10-year, 100,000 mile EV system warranty.

And especially if you're keeping it for a long time, it's like that might be a little nice

because then you can go older model year, but then lower miles.

So I would definitely go with Kia.

Yeah, that's a good point.

And by the way, that my understanding is that that, that battery warranty is transferable

to the second and I think beyond any owner, it stays with the car, which is great.

Yeah, it's a really weird situation because you get that 10-year power train warranty,

just like any other Kias, those don't transfer, but there's also the EV system warranty that

covers everything high voltage and that's 10-year, 100,000 mile and that does transfer.

So it's a little confusing because they're like, oh, the power train warranty doesn't

transfer, but then the EV system warranty transfers.

So yeah, it's interesting.

So sometimes I was looking at a car earlier.

It had like a, had a bumper to bumper three-year warranty and then it had a five-year power

train warranty and then it has, oh, actually the vehicle that I'm going to suggest,

then it has the electric, you know, the battery warranty, which includes in this case, the trans

axle, which means that the motor and the inverters are all in the gearboxes are all covered under

the 10-year, 100,000 mile or 80,000 mile for this one.

One of those, you know, it's, yeah, there's plenty of, okay.

Yeah.

By the way, if you gave me an extra 5k to play with my friend, I would, we just bought Lacey,

you know Lacey, right Dominic?

She just got a, I found her a, an EV6, low mileage, out the door, tax, all dealer fees,

the thing was 25 grand, fully loaded out the door and it was a big battery pack.

I think we got it for like 21 eight, but by the time you put on like, you know, these dealers

have their fees, right? And they don't negotiate on that unless they're exorbitant.

Down in Florida, they seem to get like 1200 bucks, but I think it was an 899 or 799 dealer fee tax

registration. She was right there at 25k, fully loaded for an EV, EV,

what am I thinking? Kia?

Ionix, maybe.

Ionix 6, I'm sorry.

Yeah, yeah, that's it.

I meant to say, that's okay.

This is, yeah, the Ionix 6.

Now, if you like the styling of that and you have an extra 5k in your pocket,

there's a ton of them on the market right now.

Yes, there are.

Yeah, this, yeah.

But I found, so I found, I don't know, did you, did you have some else that you wanted to

bring up, Andrew?

No, I was going to say Ionix 6 is fantastic car, especially for under 25 grand.

It's like, and so many of them are so low miles because they were just off a two year lease.

It's like the two years old, you still got eight years of battery warranty

and you got like 300 miles of real world range.

It's like absolutely great.

They're great highway cruisers too.

But so yeah, so I was thinking the same as you guys, like Chevrolet Bolts,

Hyundai Kona, Nissan Leaf even.

Since they're only adding like 60-minute, they're doing 60 miles every day though.

So I figured it'd be best to keep the miles low and then recommend something that didn't

feel like a penalty box.

So I wanted like to, I couldn't really find any bolt EVs with low mileage like post,

like second gen basically.

Because the first gen is just a lot of plastic and a lot of people will complain about the

seats and everything in the first gen.

But I found this like crazy deal looking and looking around.

And this was the only one of this kind that I found.

So 2023 Subaru Salterra premium, as premium is the entry trim in the Salterra model.

27,805 miles, a bit more, more miles than I tend to like.

But still, I mean, I think it's the reasonable amount for 19,922.

So just under the budget cap.

And just, I think a nicer car to spend like a lot of time in and plenty of range.

I think it's, yeah, 228 miles of range.

So for this guy's situation, it's fine.

It's got a 72.8 kilowatt hour battery.

It's got the 18 inch wheels on it with the premium.

That's what they come with.

So it's a bit more of a compliant ride.

So again, great for highway cruising.

And it's a 2023.

So it might have a bit of warranty on the power train warranty left.

Or even the, no, it comes to the full bumper to bumper three years, 30,000 or 36,000 miles.

So there could be a few months of that, I don't know.

But regardless, they're not really like the best EVs for some reasons.

Like if you're doing a lot of charging on the road, but for a commute,

like 60 miles back and forth, I think this would be great.

You could take it on the weekend to, I mean, like fishing, if you're into fishing,

you know, where you want to go like slightly off road, like a slightly off,

you know, these things do for decently for what they are, you know?

Yeah.

I mean, I think the, I mean, the new Solterra is great.

But I think the old one is like limited by charging speeds.

But if it's your daily driver and you're not, you're just level two charging it all the time.

It's like, why do you need something that charges fast DC?

Because it's like you're just charging at home.

But that car is great because I think in terms of its off road capabilities,

it's like that is literally the best in class for that price point used.

You can't get anything else with over 8.2 inches of ground clearance.

It's from the factory, it's water depth rated to 20 inches.

So you can drive like decently off road.

The approach angle isn't too great because I think the front overhangs are kind of huge.

But it's like that thing's like not bad.

If you want to go over a landing, want to take it on some trails,

like it's kind of a cool option.

And then not to mention Subaru's X mode with their killer traction control.

So not as not a bad choice.

This was down in Texas.

It's just the, and this is the only one that I really saw,

like down in that dollar range at all.

So I was kind of taking it back when I saw it because it was, you know,

with all the corners and early bolts and things.

Just verify because I don't know.

No dealer feeling.

Yeah. These are basically the guidelines.

Like I can't, we can't, you know, present the price and guarantee.

This is going to be the price when you, you know, but we can only,

yeah, if we have a bit more time, we can maybe call them up and.

Yeah, it's better.

It's, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's good that you open my eyes to,

that's a lot of vehicle.

I mean, just size wise, you know, it's your, it's a much more substantial vehicle.

That's basically a BZ4, right?

BZ4X, the same thing.

Yeah.

And so, you know, you might want to look at some of the Toyotas as well,

but yeah, if you can get something under 20 grand in that, in that,

now it only charges at 100 kilowatts, right?

And the new ones are 150, but to your point, Andrew,

if he's just doing 60 miles a day and it's got about 220 miles of range,

charge it every other day at DC fast charge it.

The only problem with the leaf that you mentioned is that if you did want to take that on a,

on a road trip, you know, there's no active thermal management.

So you might end up heating up the battery pack and then you're going to really limit it

in terms of your, your charging speed.

But, you know, that 100 kilowatt charging speed on that Solterra,

that's pretty flat curve.

You're going to pull that, you know, deep into the pack.

So you might not be that much slower than even the 150s that are out now.

I mean, it's, it's, that's an interesting one for under 20 grand.

I like that.

Yeah.

All right.

So let's get into our final email.

It comes to us from David.

He writes, Hi, battery bargains.

We are looking to replace our secondary family vehicle with a pre-owned EV.

We have two kids in car seats.

So rear space, rear seat space and cargo capacity for a stroller are our biggest priorities.

We have a budget of around 30 to 35,000.

We prefer a crossover with decent charging architecture because we do occasionally take

weekend trips to visit grandparents about 200 miles away.

Since we're buying used, we want to make sure we're getting a vehicle that has proven to be

reliable and has good manufacturer backing.

So which older model years or specific trims should we be hunting for on the used market?

Keep up the good work, David from Denver.

So, uh, Andrew, I got a lot of choices.

30 to 35 used.

Yeah.

There's a lot of choices.

Yeah.

Cross over.

Tons of choices actually.

I don't even know where to start because you just underneath that $35,000 mark

just opens up the floodgate.

But you can go with like a 2024, 2025 model Y.

You can go with a 2024, 2025 Mocky.

Go with that same model year.

You can get nice 2025 Ioniq 5 as well, the refresh one.

Yeah.

There's a lot of really great choices in there.

I think it all just kind of depends on what you're looking for.

It's like, do you want software to find vehicle?

Do you want something more traditional?

Do you want something 800 volts?

Because you can kind of go anywhere in that price range.

You can even get a new Toyota BZ.

You could even do that.

But if you want to go used, um, there's also a lot of space.

You can get Audi e-tron.

That's a fantastic choice.

You can get like a nice 2023 CPO e-tron, premium plus.

That would be probably what I would lean towards.

You can get a Mercedes EQE, even one of those CPOs.

Those look a little weird though.

So I'm not sure if you want something a little plop-like.

But yeah, I think there's a bunch of great choices in that price range, for sure.

So what do you think, Dave?

Yeah.

I mean, you know, 30 or 35 grand in the used market, that's a lot of money.

You know, definitely, I think, you know, to stay away from hardware,

three cars and the model Ys.

I think definitely 2023 was a weird year.

So be careful on the Ys.

Some of the cars were hardware three, some were hardware four.

There is definitely a difference.

And at least if you want to do FSD.

So if you're going to pick up, maybe go a little bit less expensive, you can get a 23.

Make sure it's a hardware four car.

The way to know is if you look at the cameras from an angle, they're a little red in color.

So you'll see that.

And also on the screen itself, you can tell from the data, from the software,

I believe you can tell in there.

But yeah, Ioniq 5, EV6, Mustang Mach-E, all these cars.

And then you start getting into some crazy, like you open my eyes there, Andrew, with,

say, an EQE.

And like even the Audi e-tron, you know, you're talking about like the Fat e-tron, right?

Yeah, Fat e-tron.

You can even maybe find Q8s.

Q8s are getting close to that 35.

Yeah, Q8 e-tron, yeah.

Yeah, I mean, like there's a lot to choose from.

And you know, but yeah, that's definitely a buyer's market out there for pre-owned.

Yeah, just, you know, again, careful when you're searching for the dealer websites,

but 30 or 35 grand is a lot of money in the market.

So when I did a search for this, at first, all I saw was Honda prologues and these Chevy Blazers.

It was like dozens and dozens of them.

Like I'm not sure what I did with my search parameters exactly, but that's basically all

I saw until like I was just about done and I clicked on something else.

And I was going to avoid this car because I thought it was going to like a predictable choice.

But, you know, it looked like a good deal.

I also looked at the Tesla Model Y, but I couldn't find a Juniper like the 2025 year under 35,000.

You know, they're holding the value pretty recently, I think.

Yeah, the Juniper is a small super high.

Yeah, yeah.

And I was searching for under 30,000 miles probably too.

It's generally my baseline, or my, you know, I don't like recommending cars with more than that

for just because I want people to, you know, enjoy their like their car and you get something

that's got somebody else's stains in the carpet or something.

It's not a great experience, you know?

But anyway, so I found besides all those other things, I'll just share this on my screen with

you all. I used 2024 Kia EV9 Light Long Range with 10,920 miles for 30, basically $35,000.

Near the top of his budget, but it's got over 300 miles of range.

It charges quick.

There's a third row, so plenty of room for any future family expansion.

But until then, it folds down flat.

And so these like a ton of storage space in the back for the strollers or the family size,

grocery howls or whatever, you know?

Yeah, and of course, it's a Kia EV9, so it looks like this.

It looks great, I think.

I love these things.

I think I did the Race to Vegas and back in one of these things, actually.

So then for Colorado to Vegas and back.

And yeah, I kind of, I didn't like the, what do you call it, not the lane centering.

Yeah, maybe it's like lane departure.

Yeah, it's lane departure where it kind of nudges the wheel for you.

But I think we figured out how to turn that off.

But yeah, other than that.

Well, that's the, you're talking about lane keep assist.

It's just where it bounces you back.

Lane keep assist.

That's the one.

Oh my gosh.

By the way, great choice.

35 grand or less.

I love this vehicle.

I really do.

I like it better than the Ioniq 9.

I just styling wise, but they're basically the same thing.

But yeah, that's a great choice.

Out the door, you're going to be at 40 grand

by the time you do dealer fees and taxes.

But still, you know.

Right.

It might be tough to find this like really, like it says 35, but like you said,

once you start, you know, adding this stuff on,

yeah, like the behind, there wasn't a whole lot of these.

So, you know, really, it probably makes more sense to recommend like the Honda Prologa.

I thought was a pretty decent choice because it's got like a lot of cargo space in the back.

But yeah, that's a good one too.

And they stopped making those.

And so they're great vehicles.

It's basically the same as the Blazer.

And, you know, one vehicle I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't talk about today

is the Equinox EV.

And I think that that's that's one that people should look at.

I love that feel.

I like that better than the Blazer EV.

I sit lower.

It's got the right size.

It has nothing to do with the conventional gas powered Equinox.

My buddy down here in Florida, he rented one of these Equinoxes.

And I got in and go, what is this?

You know, it's like, this is not an Equinox.

Come on.

But yeah, the Equinox EV is great.

And, you know, I'm wondering what.

Yeah.

Anyway, that EV 9 that if you could stretch that's so much vehicle for the money guys.

It really is.

The standard features are great on there too.

You get lane centering adaptive cruise control.

I think you can do automated lane change as well.

So you just put in your blinker and you get ventilated seats on the base model, which is crazy.

Ventilates is great.

Plus, I think it looks great.

I mean, it's comfortable inside and it's big.

You know, like it's that's a lot of vehicle.

You know, that particular is 30 to 35,000.

You get you get a lot of choices here.

You know, and right there.

There's a lot of not only are there a lot of vehicles coming off lease.

They're flooding the market.

But there's a lot of people that just for whatever reason, they want to get out of

their vehicles and they're just willing to deal private party, you know, sales.

And keep in mind, if you've got a low mileage one like Dominic, what you're doing under 30k,

a lot of these later models, they're still under warranty.

So in the powertrain, it's unbelievable on the key is in the Hyundai's.

So yeah, good stuff.

All right.

The only downside to that EV 9 too, I just noticed too, is it's rural drive and our viewer

is in Colorado.

So might not be the perfect vehicle for them.

A lot of people in Colorado prefer to have like an all wheel drive vehicle for those,

you know, winter situations.

Yeah.

And it's 201 horsepower against 5400 pounds.

So it's not quick at all.

It's not quick.

No, that was like the one that I drove was also like that rural drive.

It didn't have a lot of power, but you know, I felt like you could floor it.

And it'd be plenty controllable, but not too slow.

You know, it was quick enough, but it wasn't like a lot of EVs are, you know, really nice

and snappy.

It's not that.

But for family, for a family vehicle, it's fine.

Like if you're, especially if you're coming from a gas vehicle and you're not used to,

you know, lots of big power.

Yeah.

If you're coming from like an O2 Tahoe or something, you're like, oh, that's great.

It's so quick.

All right.

Well, I guess that brings us to the end of this episode.

Thanks for hanging out with us.

And yeah, so if you're, if you're ready for your own battery bargain,

so drop us an email at hello at batteries, included podcast.com with your needs in budget.

And we'll see you on the next episode.

Ciao.

Take care, everybody.

Bye.

0:00

39:39

cost conscious standpoint

Fiat Ducato

Volvo

waterproof

UI

NAC supported

Juniper Refresh

0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds

60-minute

DC

off road capabilities

pre-owned EV

charges quick

201 horsepower

About this episode

Original notes