The electric car market is always evolving. Our Car Corner quarterly blog is the Drive Green Team’s way of providing you with the latest insights, trends, and updates! We are committed to delivering a thorough update to keep our readers well-informed and empowered with the necessary knowledge to secure the best deal on the perfect car.
Keeping up with the availability of electric vehicles (EVs) can be overwhelming, so we’ve done the leg work for you. We’ve compiled a list of EVs that are readily available for purchase, alongside some that have longer wait times. We’ve included information about the rebate for each car, but just remember you can always save money through the leasing loophole.
READILY AVAILABLE
Ford F-150 Lightning
You can now find plenty of models for sale on dealer lots across New England going for MSRP with no dealer markups. The F-150 Lightning starts at $49,995 with 240 miles of range. You can get an XLT trim level with an extended range for $54,995 that can travel for an estimated 320 miles before needing a charge. To make this truck even more attractive, both the standard range battery and the extended range battery trim levels are eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit. In Massachusetts, this vehicle is eligible for an additional $7,500 through the new MOR-EV Trucks program, significantly lowering the price.
Hyundai Kona Electric
The Kona Electric was recently given a beautiful makeover, with sleeker styling and a more upscale and futuristic interior. This new model starts at $32,675 with a range up to 261 miles. With several attractive lease offers and plenty of standard features, like a 12.3-inch center screen, the Kona Electric is a great choice and can be purchased the same day on dealer lots. Unfortunately, the Kona is not eligible for the federal tax credit, but it is eligible for both Massachusetts and Rhode Island state incentives.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 & 6
Both the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and 6 are available at most dealership lots for immediate purchase. These retro-inspired models offer versatility and affordability. The IONIQ 5 is a large hatchback that starts at $41,800 with 220-303 miles of range, depending on trim. The IONIQ 6, a mid-size sedan, starts at $42,450 with 240-361 miles of range, dependent on trim. Neither model is eligible for the federal tax credit, but the leasing point still stands, and both qualify for state incentives.
Kia Niro EV
The Kia Niro is another good EV hatchback option. Starting at $39,600, you can easily find models on dealer lots for immediate purchase with several incentive offers from Kia. The Niro has an estimated range of 253 miles and comes with an optional heat pump to help maintain that range during cold winter months. Currently, no Kia models are eligible for the federal tax credit, but the Niro qualifies for state rebates in MA and RI.
Nissan Ariya
This is the first crossover EV offered by Nissan. It boasts 99 MPGe and a range up to 304 miles and has a starting price of $43,190. The Ariya offers an attractive interior and comes standard with DC fast charging. Models are readily available on dealer lots, but the Ariya does not qualify for the federal tax credit although you can still receive both state incentives.
Toyota bZ4x
This small SUV has a starting price of $43,070 and a standard range of 252 miles. While inventory was low last year, you can now easily find this EV on dealer’s lots around the region. This model is not eligible for the federal tax credit but is eligible for both MA and RI state incentives.
Volkswagen ID.4
As the first model from Volkswagen's all-electric ID lineup, the ID.4 offers a spacious interior, a sleek exterior, and the practicality that the brand is known for, with a range of 275 miles. The ID.4 starts at $38,995 with several attractive lease deals. Many models are currently available for same-day purchase in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Additionally, the ID.4 is eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit and both MA and RI state incentives.
LONGER WAIT TIMES
Unfortunately, some EVs have longer wait times. Sometimes, this is due to vehicle popularity and manufacturers cannot keep up with demand, and other times factory delays and technological problems lead to vehicle postponements.
Here are a few EVs with longer wait times:
Tesla Cybertruck
Waitlists are quite long. The purchase price for the entry-level rear-wheel-drive model starts at $60,990 but won’t be available until 2025. The all-wheel drive model can be pre-ordered now and starts at $79,990. While some people are already getting their Cybertrucks delivered, the expected wait time is several months, with some sources saying it could take years.
Chevrolet Blazer
Many were excited when the SUV was first announced, but Chevy has fumbled the release. First, they limited production to only the more expensive trim levels, and then production delays caused by software and mechanical issues kept making the news. As of now, there is still a stop-delivery order in place due to software issues. Once the stop-delivery is lifted, Chevy will start delivering models that have been pre-ordered so you may find it hard to find the Blazer on dealer lots. The MSRP is $60,215 for the RS trim.
Fisker Ocean
The small SUV has unique styling and a very attractive base price of $38,999 for the Sport edition, but this trim level is not yet available for purchase. For now, consumers can only buy the Launch Edition going for a full $30k more, at $68,999. Unfortunately, wait times are long and limited to select locations throughout the country, currently only on lots in New Jersey, Virginia, and Illinois. If you’re still set on buying outside of these markets, Fisker will deliver but expect a bit of wait.
Kia EV9
The Kia EV9 is a big EV SUV, with three rows and up to seven seats, depending on the layout. It can be hard to find an available model in the most affordable trim level starting at $54,900. Most of these models on dealer lots are already allocated to customers on waitlists. You can more easily find the expensive trim levels for same-day sales, but those models start around $70,000.
Chevrolet Bolt
We know a lot of our readers love the Bolt, and many have tried getting one in the last few months. While some dealerships are still getting Bolt deliveries, almost all of these models are already earmarked for customers who ordered a Bolt months ago. You may still be able to pick up a model in New England, but it will take plenty of research and calling around to multiple dealerships. With a starting price of $26,500, they’re among the least expensive electric vehicles for sale in the United States.
Manufacturers are regularly unveiling new models to add to their lineup, and we’re excited to share some of the upcoming models with you! The following vehicles have been confirmed by the manufacturers and are set to hit the market within the next year. Be sure to also watch our video highlighting future EVs!
Chevrolet Equinox
The new Equinox EV has garnered plenty of media attention for its price starting at $34,995 and its estimated range of 319 miles. Chevy now states it will be available for purchase sometime in mid-2024.
Honda Prologue
Honda’s newest battery electric vehicle will run on the same Chevrolet Ultium platform as the Equinox. This mid-size SUV is expected to start at $48,795 with 296 miles of range. With an attractive exterior and Honda’s reputation for reliability, we expect this to be a very popular model among consumers. Honda says the Prologue will be available sometime in March, so you don’t have to wait much longer.
Volvo EX30
If you’re interested in an affordable and stylish small SUV, definitely keep your eye out on this model. The EX30 starts at $36,245, making it one of the most accessible EVs entering the market. The 64-kWh battery pack provides up to 275 miles of range for rear-wheel drive models. The EX30 is available for preorder and deliveries are expected next summer.
Porsche Macan EV
This last EV is for those who appreciate speed and luxury. The Macan EV was just announced last month with a starting price of $78,800. The base model can go 0-60 mph in under 5 seconds with a top speed of 136 mph and the Turbo trim can reach 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. The Macan EV will go on sale in the latter half of this year.
As we mentioned in our last Car Corner, Tesla has partnered with multiple automakers to include the North American Charging Standard (NACS) in their future cars. Volkswagen Group, the parent company of Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche, and Stellantis, the parent company of Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Ran, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati, were the last holdouts to make the switch to the NACS port. Now every major automaker will be able to use the Tesla Supercharger Network this year with an adapter and 2025 models will come standard with the NACS port. You can see the full list of participating automotive manufacturers from our Car Corner blog linked above.
These new adapters have yet to roll out and some technical problems are still being addressed: such as how to pay for the charging. But several automakers, including Kia, Ford, BMW, and Honda/Acura, plan to allow payment for charging through their own brand’s digital apps. If other automakers do not make an app to pay for charging, consumers will have to download the Tesla app to pay at stations. There is still much uncertainty as automakers and Tesla navigate this transition. For the most up-to-date information, please see this article from Consumer Reports.
We still have not heard any news about the cost of these new adapters. But Rivian and Ford have announced that they will provide adapters for free to current EV owners, but no definitive date has been set for their release.
There have been many updates to the Federal Clean Vehicle Tax Credit. You can now get the credit at point-of-sale, regardless of tax liability, at any IRS-registered dealership. To find out more, view our blog, New Rules for Federal Electric Vehicle Tax Credit.
Massachusetts has also recently updated the MOR-EV program with two new great options, MOR-EV Trucks and MOR-EV Trade-In. Read our blog to learn more: Everything You Need to Know About the Massachusetts MOR-EV Rebate Program in 2024.
And Rhode Island has made some changes to its Drive EV program, as well. Rhode Island is now offering an incentive for small businesses, nonprofits, and public sector entities who can receive up to $1,500 for qualified new battery and fuel cell electric vehicles. There is an additional $500 rebate for businesses and organizations located in high-asthma municipalities. To learn more, and to see a full list of which municipalities are eligible for this additional rebate, visit the Drive EV website.
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