I commute 40mi each way, 80mi a day. Liked the EV6 I test drove... is it right for me?

Seeking Advice Forum
1

I currently drive a Telluride and LOVE it. But I’m realizing that I don’t really need all that space. It’s just me, my wife, and one kid, so it feels like overkill, but I got the Telluride because of its looks and comfort.

Now, I’ve never owned an EV before, and I don’t have a charger at home or at work, so I’d have to rely on public charging stations. My commute is mostly 65mph, and I’ve heard that’s around the speed where EVs aren’t as efficient—is that true?

Originally, I thought I’d wait for the EV9, but honestly, I don’t need the space, and I’m mostly drawn to it because it’s new and cool. We don’t take road trips over 100mi often, except for one yearly 600mi round trip.

Is the EV6 a good fit for my needs? What should I consider before making the jump to an EV?

EDIT: Thanks for all the help, everyone! I’m looking into getting a home charger installed. Once that’s done, I’ll definitely be getting an EV.

2

Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

3

emma said:
Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

Great info, thank you! I’ll look into getting a charger installed. I don’t have a garage, so I’d need to get it mounted near the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house from the fuse panel. Any idea how much an install like that might cost?

4

olivia said:

emma said:
Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

Great info, thank you! I’ll look into getting a charger installed. I don’t have a garage, so I’d need to get it mounted near the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house from the fuse panel. Any idea how much an install like that might cost?

Long cable runs aren’t cheap, especially if you’re installing a 50-amp circuit. The wire and conduit alone could cost a few hundred dollars depending on how far you need to run it.

But there are often tax refunds available (usually around 30% of the cost), and the charger itself can run about $500 for a 40-amp rated unit.

The good news is that your gas savings should cover the cost of the charger pretty quickly. With your commute, you’re looking at about 19,000 miles per year. In a Telluride, that’s around 738 gallons of gas. At the current national average of $3.71/gal, that’s $2,740.

In the EV6, assuming 3.6 mi/kWh efficiency, you’ll use about 5,333 kWh to cover the same distance. At $0.12/kWh, that’s just $640.

So yeah, you’ll make back the cost of the charger and installation in about a year!

5

emma said:

olivia said:
emma said:
Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

Great info, thank you! I’ll look into getting a charger installed. I don’t have a garage, so I’d need to get it mounted near the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house from the fuse panel. Any idea how much an install like that might cost?

Long cable runs aren’t cheap, especially if you’re installing a 50-amp circuit. The wire and conduit alone could cost a few hundred dollars depending on how far you need to run it.

But there are often tax refunds available (usually around 30% of the cost), and the charger itself can run about $500 for a 40-amp rated unit.

The good news is that your gas savings should cover the cost of the charger pretty quickly. With your commute, you’re looking at about 19,000 miles per year. In a Telluride, that’s around 738 gallons of gas. At the current national average of $3.71/gal, that’s $2,740.

In the EV6, assuming 3.6 mi/kWh efficiency, you’ll use about 5,333 kWh to cover the same distance. At $0.12/kWh, that’s just $640.

So yeah, you’ll make back the cost of the charger and installation in about a year!

I crunched the numbers recently, and I’ll be saving about $200 per month on gas. I pay around $0.09/kWh where I live, so it’s definitely a good financial move for me. Plus, my car payment will be lower too! I think my state offers a $750 rebate for installing a home charger.

I do have a dryer on the same side of the house—would splicing into that line be an option?

6

olivia said:

emma said:
olivia said:
emma said:
Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

Great info, thank you! I’ll look into getting a charger installed. I don’t have a garage, so I’d need to get it mounted near the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house from the fuse panel. Any idea how much an install like that might cost?

Long cable runs aren’t cheap, especially if you’re installing a 50-amp circuit. The wire and conduit alone could cost a few hundred dollars depending on how far you need to run it.

But there are often tax refunds available (usually around 30% of the cost), and the charger itself can run about $500 for a 40-amp rated unit.

The good news is that your gas savings should cover the cost of the charger pretty quickly. With your commute, you’re looking at about 19,000 miles per year. In a Telluride, that’s around 738 gallons of gas. At the current national average of $3.71/gal, that’s $2,740.

In the EV6, assuming 3.6 mi/kWh efficiency, you’ll use about 5,333 kWh to cover the same distance. At $0.12/kWh, that’s just $640.

So yeah, you’ll make back the cost of the charger and installation in about a year!

I crunched the numbers recently, and I’ll be saving about $200 per month on gas. I pay around $0.09/kWh where I live, so it’s definitely a good financial move for me. Plus, my car payment will be lower too! I think my state offers a $750 rebate for installing a home charger.

I do have a dryer on the same side of the house—would splicing into that line be an option?

There’s a thing called a “Dryer Buddy” that lets you share the dryer plug with your car. It only charges your EV when the dryer’s not running. Might be a cheaper option than installing a whole new circuit.

Check it out: Dryer Buddy™ Plus AUTO – BSA Electronics

7

Gabriel said:

olivia said:
emma said:
olivia said:
emma said:
Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

Great info, thank you! I’ll look into getting a charger installed. I don’t have a garage, so I’d need to get it mounted near the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house from the fuse panel. Any idea how much an install like that might cost?

Long cable runs aren’t cheap, especially if you’re installing a 50-amp circuit. The wire and conduit alone could cost a few hundred dollars depending on how far you need to run it.

But there are often tax refunds available (usually around 30% of the cost), and the charger itself can run about $500 for a 40-amp rated unit.

The good news is that your gas savings should cover the cost of the charger pretty quickly. With your commute, you’re looking at about 19,000 miles per year. In a Telluride, that’s around 738 gallons of gas. At the current national average of $3.71/gal, that’s $2,740.

In the EV6, assuming 3.6 mi/kWh efficiency, you’ll use about 5,333 kWh to cover the same distance. At $0.12/kWh, that’s just $640.

So yeah, you’ll make back the cost of the charger and installation in about a year!

I crunched the numbers recently, and I’ll be saving about $200 per month on gas. I pay around $0.09/kWh where I live, so it’s definitely a good financial move for me. Plus, my car payment will be lower too! I think my state offers a $750 rebate for installing a home charger.

I do have a dryer on the same side of the house—would splicing into that line be an option?

There’s a thing called a “Dryer Buddy” that lets you share the dryer plug with your car. It only charges your EV when the dryer’s not running. Might be a cheaper option than installing a whole new circuit.

Check it out: Dryer Buddy™ Plus AUTO – BSA Electronics

That’s a great option! I do have a 30A NEMA plug for my dryer, so this could work. The only issue is the dryer is in the basement, so I’d need to run the cable outside for the charger. Still cheaper than running a new line from the fuse panel on the other side of the house.

8

olivia said:

Gabriel said:
olivia said:
emma said:
olivia said:
emma said:
Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

Great info, thank you! I’ll look into getting a charger installed. I don’t have a garage, so I’d need to get it mounted near the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house from the fuse panel. Any idea how much an install like that might cost?

Long cable runs aren’t cheap, especially if you’re installing a 50-amp circuit. The wire and conduit alone could cost a few hundred dollars depending on how far you need to run it.

But there are often tax refunds available (usually around 30% of the cost), and the charger itself can run about $500 for a 40-amp rated unit.

The good news is that your gas savings should cover the cost of the charger pretty quickly. With your commute, you’re looking at about 19,000 miles per year. In a Telluride, that’s around 738 gallons of gas. At the current national average of $3.71/gal, that’s $2,740.

In the EV6, assuming 3.6 mi/kWh efficiency, you’ll use about 5,333 kWh to cover the same distance. At $0.12/kWh, that’s just $640.

So yeah, you’ll make back the cost of the charger and installation in about a year!

I crunched the numbers recently, and I’ll be saving about $200 per month on gas. I pay around $0.09/kWh where I live, so it’s definitely a good financial move for me. Plus, my car payment will be lower too! I think my state offers a $750 rebate for installing a home charger.

I do have a dryer on the same side of the house—would splicing into that line be an option?

There’s a thing called a “Dryer Buddy” that lets you share the dryer plug with your car. It only charges your EV when the dryer’s not running. Might be a cheaper option than installing a whole new circuit.

Check it out: Dryer Buddy™ Plus AUTO – BSA Electronics

That’s a great option! I do have a 30A NEMA plug for my dryer, so this could work. The only issue is the dryer is in the basement, so I’d need to run the cable outside for the charger. Still cheaper than running a new line from the fuse panel on the other side of the house.

Get a few quotes from electricians. If the basement is unfinished, the labor shouldn’t be too expensive.

9

olivia said:

emma said:
olivia said:
emma said:
Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

Great info, thank you! I’ll look into getting a charger installed. I don’t have a garage, so I’d need to get it mounted near the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house from the fuse panel. Any idea how much an install like that might cost?

Long cable runs aren’t cheap, especially if you’re installing a 50-amp circuit. The wire and conduit alone could cost a few hundred dollars depending on how far you need to run it.

But there are often tax refunds available (usually around 30% of the cost), and the charger itself can run about $500 for a 40-amp rated unit.

The good news is that your gas savings should cover the cost of the charger pretty quickly. With your commute, you’re looking at about 19,000 miles per year. In a Telluride, that’s around 738 gallons of gas. At the current national average of $3.71/gal, that’s $2,740.

In the EV6, assuming 3.6 mi/kWh efficiency, you’ll use about 5,333 kWh to cover the same distance. At $0.12/kWh, that’s just $640.

So yeah, you’ll make back the cost of the charger and installation in about a year!

I crunched the numbers recently, and I’ll be saving about $200 per month on gas. I pay around $0.09/kWh where I live, so it’s definitely a good financial move for me. Plus, my car payment will be lower too! I think my state offers a $750 rebate for installing a home charger.

I do have a dryer on the same side of the house—would splicing into that line be an option?

I wouldn’t mess with splitting the dryer circuit yourself. If you run the dryer and charge the car at the same time, you could overload the system and risk a fire. Better to have a pro install it properly.

Many utilities and the federal government offer rebates for EV charger installations, but they usually require a licensed electrician to do the work.

10

Randy said:

olivia said:
emma said:
olivia said:
emma said:
Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

Great info, thank you! I’ll look into getting a charger installed. I don’t have a garage, so I’d need to get it mounted near the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house from the fuse panel. Any idea how much an install like that might cost?

Long cable runs aren’t cheap, especially if you’re installing a 50-amp circuit. The wire and conduit alone could cost a few hundred dollars depending on how far you need to run it.

But there are often tax refunds available (usually around 30% of the cost), and the charger itself can run about $500 for a 40-amp rated unit.

The good news is that your gas savings should cover the cost of the charger pretty quickly. With your commute, you’re looking at about 19,000 miles per year. In a Telluride, that’s around 738 gallons of gas. At the current national average of $3.71/gal, that’s $2,740.

In the EV6, assuming 3.6 mi/kWh efficiency, you’ll use about 5,333 kWh to cover the same distance. At $0.12/kWh, that’s just $640.

So yeah, you’ll make back the cost of the charger and installation in about a year!

I crunched the numbers recently, and I’ll be saving about $200 per month on gas. I pay around $0.09/kWh where I live, so it’s definitely a good financial move for me. Plus, my car payment will be lower too! I think my state offers a $750 rebate for installing a home charger.

I do have a dryer on the same side of the house—would splicing into that line be an option?

I wouldn’t mess with splitting the dryer circuit yourself. If you run the dryer and charge the car at the same time, you could overload the system and risk a fire. Better to have a pro install it properly.

Many utilities and the federal government offer rebates for EV charger installations, but they usually require a licensed electrician to do the work.

Oh, I wouldn’t DIY it. I’m not messing around with electricity!

11

olivia said:

Randy said:
olivia said:
emma said:
olivia said:
emma said:
Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

Great info, thank you! I’ll look into getting a charger installed. I don’t have a garage, so I’d need to get it mounted near the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house from the fuse panel. Any idea how much an install like that might cost?

Long cable runs aren’t cheap, especially if you’re installing a 50-amp circuit. The wire and conduit alone could cost a few hundred dollars depending on how far you need to run it.

But there are often tax refunds available (usually around 30% of the cost), and the charger itself can run about $500 for a 40-amp rated unit.

The good news is that your gas savings should cover the cost of the charger pretty quickly. With your commute, you’re looking at about 19,000 miles per year. In a Telluride, that’s around 738 gallons of gas. At the current national average of $3.71/gal, that’s $2,740.

In the EV6, assuming 3.6 mi/kWh efficiency, you’ll use about 5,333 kWh to cover the same distance. At $0.12/kWh, that’s just $640.

So yeah, you’ll make back the cost of the charger and installation in about a year!

I crunched the numbers recently, and I’ll be saving about $200 per month on gas. I pay around $0.09/kWh where I live, so it’s definitely a good financial move for me. Plus, my car payment will be lower too! I think my state offers a $750 rebate for installing a home charger.

I do have a dryer on the same side of the house—would splicing into that line be an option?

I wouldn’t mess with splitting the dryer circuit yourself. If you run the dryer and charge the car at the same time, you could overload the system and risk a fire. Better to have a pro install it properly.

Many utilities and the federal government offer rebates for EV charger installations, but they usually require a licensed electrician to do the work.

Oh, I wouldn’t DIY it. I’m not messing around with electricity!

Glad to hear it! I’ve seen too many people try to cut corners when installing EV chargers, and it’s just not worth the risk.

12

olivia said:

emma said:
olivia said:
emma said:
Yes, it’s a great car for you.

65 mph isn’t bad for efficiency. EVs do get a bit less efficient the faster you go, but it’s not really noticeable until you’re above 65 mph. The EV6 has a pretty good aerodynamic design, and I still get around 3.4-3.6 mi/kWh at 70-75 mph.

As long as you can charge at home, you’ll love it. If you can’t install a home charger, though, relying only on public stations might be a headache with the mileage you’re driving. I recommend installing a Level 2 charger if possible. A NEMA 14-50 outlet would be perfect.

Great info, thank you! I’ll look into getting a charger installed. I don’t have a garage, so I’d need to get it mounted near the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house from the fuse panel. Any idea how much an install like that might cost?

Long cable runs aren’t cheap, especially if you’re installing a 50-amp circuit. The wire and conduit alone could cost a few hundred dollars depending on how far you need to run it.

But there are often tax refunds available (usually around 30% of the cost), and the charger itself can run about $500 for a 40-amp rated unit.

The good news is that your gas savings should cover the cost of the charger pretty quickly. With your commute, you’re looking at about 19,000 miles per year. In a Telluride, that’s around 738 gallons of gas. At the current national average of $3.71/gal, that’s $2,740.

In the EV6, assuming 3.6 mi/kWh efficiency, you’ll use about 5,333 kWh to cover the same distance. At $0.12/kWh, that’s just $640.

So yeah, you’ll make back the cost of the charger and installation in about a year!

I crunched the numbers recently, and I’ll be saving about $200 per month on gas. I pay around $0.09/kWh where I live, so it’s definitely a good financial move for me. Plus, my car payment will be lower too! I think my state offers a $750 rebate for installing a home charger.

I do have a dryer on the same side of the house—would splicing into that line be an option?

You probably don’t need a 40A charger, though. I installed one, but it’s overkill for my needs. A 32A charger should be enough for most people, and it’s a little cheaper.

13

I also have a Telluride and an EV6 (Wind AWD), and I have a similar commute (88 miles round trip). With Level 2 charging at home, the EV6 is an amazing commuter car. Plus, it’s great in the winter with the right tires. I’ve put 28k miles on mine, mostly commuting, and it’s been fantastic.

14

jessicah said:
I also have a Telluride and an EV6 (Wind AWD), and I have a similar commute (88 miles round trip). With Level 2 charging at home, the EV6 is an amazing commuter car. Plus, it’s great in the winter with the right tires. I’ve put 28k miles on mine, mostly commuting, and it’s been fantastic.

Just remember that if you buy used, Kia doesn’t give the full warranty to second owners.

15

The EV6 Wind AWD gets about 300 miles of range in the summer and 260 in the winter. I’ve had mine for 8 months, and I love it. It’s hard to beat in that price range.

16

We have a Telluride and an EV6 GT Line. In the past year, we’ve put 26k miles on the EV6 and only 3k on the Telluride. The EV6 is our go-to for commuting and road trips unless we need the extra space. It’s quiet, comfy, and the AC is amazing, even in extreme heat.

17

If you can’t charge at home, I wouldn’t recommend going with an EV, especially with your commute. Installing a Level 2 charger at home is key to getting the most out of an EV.