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I know they liked the EV over ICE Kona, however if you look at the price difference (and they choose both vehicles with similar equipment) it is still doesn't make sense financially: $29k for ICE vs $46.6 for EV. Even taking into account $7k deduction for EV it is still a staggering difference of almost $11k for basically the same vehicle. I like EVs but right now it still doesn't make sense financially.

After I bought my Flex and posted here, I had stated that I really wished that it had the Sync 3 system instead of Sync 2 and @dfelt alluded to upgrades being available in that manner. After a little research, I pulled the trigger and did just that. Just installed It today but they sent me the wrong power module cord for the USB hub so no Apple CarPlay for now until they send that to me. Otherwise, here it is...

When we discussed a similar story last year, a diesel bus was $60-70K, and whatever EV bus company was involved, the cost was $250K. What’s going to be on the budgetary chopping block for the children in order to pay for exploding the bus budget?? How many other programs or benefits or basics are going to have to be discontinued?

Gotta love people selling restored auto's on Ebay. https://www.autoblog.com/photos/ebay-finds-for-the-cost-of-an-average-car-in-america/#slide-2202577

Somebody pays for that, buddy.

Virginia is on a 5yr plan to replace all their school buses with EV buses. https://chargedevs.com/newswire/dominion-energy-selects-thomas-built-jouley-for-electric-school-bus-initiative/ Dominion Energy is going to buy Thomas Built Buses that use Proterra technology so that the buses will have a 220 kWh battery pack for a range of 134 miles. They will be adding 200 buses a year to replace all diesel buses over the next 5 years. Health of the children is the principle focus removing the toxic waste exhaust that the kids currently are exposed to on the buses.

Interesting article at Motortrend MotorTrend

I quoted the wrong section... This is the part I wanted to quote you on... And no...Motor Trend did not cop out on anything... EVs are REALLY REALLY smooth. THAT is the point... THAT is what YOU misinterpreted... and un-ironically...they compare an EV ride to an ICE powered isolation luxury machine that costs more to buy than real estate in certain cases...

Its only ugly because you dont like EVs... THAT would be a cop out on YOUR part... See what you did there? See what I did there? This is what I got from the article: EVs are not cost effective (for most people) just yet. (That would be a No shyte Sherlock moment actually...no need for a MT article to point that out) But...I also got "life is full of small inconveniences" and "capitalism lets us profit from it" regarding charge stations. And that one just compliments another video I saw yesterday. I also got that EV infrastructure and battery range has improved to the point that range anxiety (at least in California...and in Quebec) is literally a NON-ISSUE... What I got is...at least in California...and in Quebec... that an EV of at the very least a KONA EV, one could travel decent distances and not worry about being stranded and eaten by wolves because of desolation...as haterz like to tell their tales against EVs. Your blindness and hatred to EVs and you misread...and misinterpret. You could read into the 1.6 liter is rough and tough because transmission...but you omit that even comparing a 2.0 KONA..."The EV is almost continuously better to drive than the gas," Reynolds said. "Its silky acceleration and right-foot response are akin to a Rolls-Royce." And to boot, the EV is SLOWER than the 1.6 gas 0-60... You could hate on EVs, man....but at least when reading an article...please dont misinterpret the information given. Or at least try not to. Regardless of your feelings towards things you hate on.

Never smelled the ozone of the electric motors, but how quiet they are is sure nice.

@surreal1272 That is really cool, thank you for updating us. I am excited to see that you moved forward to do this. I honestly think you like myself and others that made the move will love the ability to have your phone tied into the auto system.

Virginia can wait about a couple of more years on school buses if only for prices to fall significantly. In 2023 those buses could become a lot more price-competitive with a new diesel bus. Now if diesel bus makers were smart, they would already build diesel-electric buses to head off full-fledged EV buses and undercut those on price. But that would be too smart on the incumbents to actually compete on lowering emissions.

Well, $175K is two and a half times a diesel; when you base number is 70,000 and you're talking about multiples (a fleet), it adds up quick and is worth getting correct. Where EV buses can offset their extreme purchase costs is, if school boards/governing bodies allow them to run longer service intervals (years) or not. That determination is too often tied up in status quo contracting, rather than any direct examination of a particular buses' condition. Add to that a marked unwillingness for elected officials using taxpayer money to be remotely cost effective ('It's not OUR money!'), and I wonder if the interval would in fact ever get any longer. If even justified. Frankly, I believe the service intervals of current buses is too short as it is- they should be able to get an easy 500K out of a diesel bus. That would equate to 42 years. Why are they replacing buses at only 20-25% of their lifespan? Oh; I already answered my own question, above.

What if it halves again to $3 B in 2020? EVs are going to depress that even further. Stockholders aren’t going to sit by and watch profits dry up. How much longer is daimler going to drag out settling Dieselgate?

It's interesting to see them already into so many different things yet they are able to use their same basic skateboard-style platform for everything. This is a very promising business strategy.

Was sitting behind a current Hyundai Santa Fe this morning in a turn lane and realized they have the rear turn signals down low in the rear fascia..not in the main taillight cluster. They are so low I couldn't see them over the hood of my Jeep, only saw the repeater on the driver's door mirror making blinky-blinky.

Some Rivian news: https://www.motortrend.com/news/rivian-readies-production-electric-trucks-suvs-ford-lincoln-amazon/

NOPE to the 5th power.

One wonders if the bean counters will approve the funds to pull the stunt. With the diesel issue clouding image & costing major money and profits halving / the profit margin down to 4% AND going hard into unprofitable EVs, things may get extremely lean in the coming years.

Really like the detailing on this dash ~

Only because it was a pretty big marketing tool they used to sell their vehicles. "Buy our vehicle and never pay for fuel!"

People buy Fords tho.

Quebec lost ground in EV infrastructure to British Columbia, California and Washington. Due to the PQ (Parti Quebecois) Government that was elected as a minority government in 2012. The PQ cut all subsidies and EV investments in infrastructure and distanced themselves with the idea of a better economy with EVs. But in 2014...there was another election and the Liberals won and the government invested its energy (*pun intended) back in informing the citizens that EVs might be good for the Quebec people. But...not enough monies were invested for the infrastructure. Subsidies for EV purchases only. A new government was elected in 2018 (the CAQ...50% separatist values (kinda like the PQ party, but less radical), 25 % liberal values and 25%conservative values... but these guys actually do listen to the voice of the people...the pur sang Quebec people...the true blue Frenchies...and maybe not the English voices LOL) but where the Liberals left off with EVs, the CAQ goes even further. They actually inform the people of Quebec on how EVs benefit our economy. Monies are given to local businesses, homes, to establish an infrastructure. The CAQ government is working with Hydro-Quebec to not raise its prices, to give discounts to those who actually charge their EVs at home...to also encourage people to not be wasteful of electricity and so forth. Subsidies for the purchase of EVs has also been prolonged, and the rebates increased all for the purpose to get more EVs on Quebec roads. For green purposes but for Quebec's economy also. The people of Quebec are starting to see the benefits of EV ownership versus ICE on multiple levels.... We have discussed these benefits ad nauseam @ Cheersandgears...no need for me to revisit this. The Model 3 is everywhere in Montreal. The Model S too. The Model X not so much... But...the Kia Kona EV is also a very popular EV in Montreal. Tons of hybrids. From the Fusion Hybrid to the Chevy Volt to the different Toyotas that have the Toyota Hybrid Drive. The Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Bolt were once dominant in Montreal, but since the Model 3 has arrived and now wait times are no longer an issue for the Model 3, the Leaf and Bolt are not as popular. The Model 3 is just steamrolling along. The Federal government is offering up to 5000 and the Quebec government is offering another 8000. That figure was for EVs costing less than 75 000. But now, as of April 1st 2020, that 8000 max is for EVs costing less than 60 000 MSRP. A Model 3, with an MSRP of less than 60 000 (which was the standard price) could be potentially had for 47 000... And now...I think the standard price for the Model 3 in Canada IS 47 000... Well...we know that Elon likes to overcharge for some stuff...OK...but with rebates like in Quebec and in Canada...the Quebec rebate pays for the AWD and the Canada rebate pays for the mundane shyte that Elon charges for but other OEMs gives us for free...(yeah...its not as if GM or Ford or Honda dont force you into higher trim packages for the mundane shyte you want but are stuck in upgrading trim packages just to get that mundae shyte but now are forced to have other mundane shyte you really dont care for...) https://vehiculeselectriques.gouv.qc.ca/english/rabais/ve-neuf/programme-rabais-vehicule-neuf.asp

Different views for different people adapting and adopting different hurdles of and for different fuel propulsions. Like I said in another post, its up to the people to decide for themselves how much and how far they are to accept and change for EVs. In my neck of the woods, the citizens, the government, the local businesses and our local economy are on the same page regarding EVs. Its to everybody's benefit in our community for us to adapt and adopt EVs. Ill agree with the "who gives a phoque what Koenigsegg thinks", but Koenigsegg doesnt really build pedestrian family sedans therefore not really slamming his own products. PS: I dont give a phoque what he thinks of the Tesla Model 3 myself if I wasnt clear enough. But...Ill say this about that...HIS attention to detail in his products are second to none in the automotive business. Tesla...not so much. Well....the electronics and software and stuff, Tesla is second to none. The finishing details...are admittedly lacking. The world IS full of small inconveniences and God Bless capitalism for allowing everybody a more or less equal chance of profiting from that. But then again...unchecked capitalism is also responsible for incredulous business practises. Is a 9000 dollar option for AWD one of these incredulous instances? A fool and his money and buyer beware are two of my favorite sayings. I dont know about anybody else though, if they share those thoughts... But then again, capitalism does dictate market value for some of these things some find incredulous. Others find need and pay for it negating the negative feed back... Tesla products are luxury only in price and the luxury in question is the technology. Luxury as in precious metals and excessive comfort is not a Tesla quality. State of the art technology however...

There are definitely hurdles to mass adoption of EVs.. will be interesting to see how the reality is in 5 years, 10 years...

I will say once your on a quiet EV public bus, you never want to go back onto a Diesel, propane or CNG bus again. I love the EV buses running around the streets of Seattle, hate it when you hear a noisy diesel bus from across county lines pull into a stop. The noise, smell just is terrible.

While cool to see, this dash SCREAMS at me busy busy busy and is not a well thought out layout of a Dash. Totally agree, love the attention to detail and yet simple clean dash design. Would love to see it restored without all the corrosion.

Thanks for posting, this is a good read on a even comparison of the Electric Kona to the Turbo Gas version and how both ended up liking the electric over the ICE. Not planning for charging, I can understand the stupid increase in cost, but so much more to like about the EV. Great Read!

LOL the false tears. Cry! If you really read the article... what Motor Trend REALLY doesn't like about the turbo Kona is the TRANSMISSION, which is a dual clutch. NOBODY likes the type of DCT that is in the Kona. This is a cop-out on MT's part. Buy the 2.0 with conventional automatic and save even MORE over the exorbitant MSRP of the uglier EV version.