When it's time to replace the ST - perhaps this?

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Rick Ohnsman

Rick Ohnsman

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Have I bought my last gasoline-powered vehicle?? I have to admit, I like the looks of this Phoenix SUT. It has much the same functionaity and design of the Sport Trac and is totally electric. I'm not quite ready to sell the Trac just yet... but as gas continues to rise an electric like this will grow ever more attractive...



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Link to the Phoenix website --



http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com/vehicles/phoenix-sut.php
 
Interesting exercise using their Return on Investment (ROI) calculator with these entries --



Say a new ST cost $27,000, you were to drive it 12K miles a year, gas were $5.00 a gallon, you averaged 18 mpg, and you figured on about $1K in maintenance costs (hopefully a little high). Even so, it's calculating it would be 5 1/2 years before their $47,500 SUT would begin to save you money over your gas-powered vehicle. I'm surprised to see this calculator on their website as it begins to make gas-powered vehicles look like not such a bad deal, even more so if you have a paid-off vehicle (which I'm sad to say I don't just now).



Here's a link to the calculator page --



http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com/why-choose-phoenix/calculation.php

 
Sorry, but I kinda like the look... reminds me of some of Pontiac's designs. I'd like it even better thumbing my nose at a gas station as I went by on electric power. I had my 2002 ST out on a 300 mile road trip this past weekend, the first time I've done much freeway driving, and only averages about 18 mpg... not much better than I get in town. I spent about $68.00 on fuel and that's finding a station with about $4.00/gal fuel prices.



Gotta confess, the higher fuel goes, the less attractive my ST becomes, though if you look at the ROI calculator on Phoenix's own page (see my other post), it takes a while before these vehicles really begin to pay for themselves.



The real unknown with any of the electrics or even hybrids, is how long is it before you have to replace the batteries and when that becomes necessary, do all your "savings" go out the window??
 
Just a matter of time before electricity is just as expensive as gas. I believe rates are going up again, down here (so fla). Isn't oil used in electricity generation/production as well. From my understanding oil is used in a lot more than just gas so don't think the "alternatives" are that free from oil.
 
I didn't just throw up in my mouth, but all over the keyboard!



Besides, I seriously doubt that you can do the things that we do with our ST's with this thing. I didn't see any tow specs, so it probably can't tow anything. So no towing a travel trailer, boat, or anything else. And how long will the battery charge last under a heavy load, like a bed full of sand, lumber, or concrete blocks?
 
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it seems alot of people forget that they have to charge their electric vehicle which means they will have a larger power bill now.
 
What is you lived someplace where it was often windy or perhaps sunny much of the time, might not you be able to charge up with a small wind turbine or maybe some solar panels? You could plug into standard AC as a backup.



Fossil fuel ain't gonna be here forever folks... it's time to start thinking outside the box. IMHO, the best thing about high gas prices are they are finally starting to make alternative technologies economically viable and we're seeing expanded research. I'd have to bet the buggy makers didn't exactly applaud the "horseless carriage" when it was a new thing either.



What I keep hoping someone will invent is a "dockable" vehicle. The front end would be a two-seat electric runabout for daily commuting. The back half would have a more powerful engine, additonal seating and perhaps a bed for hauling stuff. You'd keep that in your garage until you needed it for weekend work or fun.
 

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