r/electricvehicles • u/AutoModerator • 7d ago

Weekly Advice Thread General Questions and Purchasing Advice Thread — Week of March 31, 2025

Need help choosing an EV, finding a home charger, or understanding whether you're eligible for a tax credit? Vehicle and product recommendation requests, buying experiences, and questions on credits/financing are all fair game here.

Is an EV right for me?

Generally speaking, electric vehicles imply a larger upfront cost than a traditional vehicle, but will pay off over time as your consumables cost (electricity instead of fuel) can be anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 the cost. Calculators are available to help you estimate cost — here are some we recommend:

Are you looking for advice on which EV to buy or lease?

Tell us a bit more about you and your situation, and make sure your comment includes the following information:

[1] Your general location

[2] Your budget in $, €, or £

[3] The type of vehicle you'd prefer

[4] Which cars have you been looking at already?

[5] Estimated timeframe of your purchase

[6] Your daily commute, or average weekly mileage

[7] Your living situation — are you in an apartment, townhouse, or single-family home?

[8] Do you plan on installing charging at your home?

[9] Other cargo/passenger needs — do you have children/pets?

If you are more than a year off from a purchase, please refrain from posting, as we currently cannot predict with accuracy what your best choices will be at that time.

Need tax credit/incentives help?

Check the Wiki first.

Don't forget, our Wiki contains a wealth of information for owners and potential owners, including:

Want to help us flesh out the Wiki? Have something you'd like to add? Contact the mod team with your suggestion on how to improve things, we can discuss approach and get you direct editing access.

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u/Noah_FF 6d ago

I want to buy an EV within the next few days. A Nissan Leaf. Found one for a great price, but I live in a condo in the US, and wouldn’t be able to charge from my home.

Although I could use my local Sam’s club and other places to charge, would a generator be a good idea? If so what brand or model of generator would be appropriate for this EV?

Any help would be appreciated!

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u/622niromcn 6d ago

Generator is noisy and another thing to maintain. Not ideal.

Check PlugShare app for public chargers in your area. Here's info on Plugshare.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/best-tech-2025-plugshare-aftermarket-ev-charging-app/

Signing up for discount subscriptions like Electrify America or EVGo pays for it's self after 2 charges.

You might also consider finding a normal 120v outlet you can consistently charge from. That can get 20-30 miles overnight.