Oh, just to add - for the Civic I kept comprehensive records of the cost of ownership. The number one cost by far was gas. We pay pennies to fuel the Bolt compared to that gas cost. Other posters have commented above about the comparative fueling costs which depend on your state, your home setup, your use or avoidance of charging networks, etc. But for us it’s not even close.
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Some insurers just don’t want to insure EV’s bcos they are new and there is no history on them. Other insurers, rate/price them in the same cost category as a mid-priced European car. (For example, when Tesla’s first came out, I read reports of some state GEICO’s rates being 150% other carriers. It was quickly clear that they just didn’t want that business.)
The point is to always shop around for insurance.
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Not true. Any qualified shop can work on Teslas, including tire shops. (Tire Rack/Americas tire are popular with Tesla owners.). That said, the issue with Tesla’s is that Elon is focusing on selling new cars, so it can be a wait for parts. (pro-tip: make sure you have rental reimbursement for accidents.)
Correct. While it depends on the model and the damage, some EVs can be extraordinarily more expensive to repair than similar traditional vehicles. This is for a few reasons. One is that some EV companies have used parts are more expensive to replace if damaged because those parts helped aerodynamics, reduced weight or were related to the structural support of the vehicle and its of battery storage. There are verified horror stories out there are relatively minor fender-benders that cost 5-figures to repair because of this. For example, a Rivian getting rear-ended may entail the need to disassemble a significant part of the vehicle not just the “bummer” and to check on any damage to the battery infrastructure. Another reason is that there aren’t as many placed qualified to do repairs to some of the EV vehicles yet so that creates a poor supply/demand curve.
Though its important to set expectations that insurance rates for new model EVs may rise substantially as the insurance companies get better data on repair costs. That’s what has happened with some models that have been in the market longer. I actually got a decent quote for insuring the Rivian, much lower than the Model Y (where they have more repair data) which costs far less. But that rate is likely to climb a lot.
I took the post to refer to repair, not maintenance. When the care is physical damaged by a collision, etc. And they absolutely can be more expensive to repair in that scenario, as least for now and the foreseeable short term. Eventually that should get better, bt probably never equal.
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Very good point.
We take our X to Les Schwab for all tire needs and to check the brakes (the latter are still going strong). Other than one set of new tires, the 12V battery, and one set of windshield wipers we did not have any maintenance in our 6 years of owning this car.
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My Bolt does cost more to insure than our Prius did. My understanding is that one issue is that they tend to total EVs if anything related to the battery pack is damaged. But I’m sure all the other things mentioned also impact it.
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Just looked at my insurance breakdown: it costs roughly the same to insure our X and the 23 yr old piece of junk truck! 
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I quoted the X with three companies and each were at least 2.5x any of our existing vehicles (2 SUV’s and a minivan ranging from 8.5-15.5 years old).
I wasn’t “planning” for an accident. Our insurance company said premiums (with them at least) were higher for EVs and I was wondering why - lack of trained mechanics, expensive parts, etc if there were an accident.
Insurance losses by make and model may give some general idea of insurance losses for various car models, although checking insurance company estimators for various car models will be more accurate for your specific situation.
But that general site does indicate that for 2019-2021:
- Chevrolet Bolt has low loss rates among small 4-door cars.
- Hyundai Ioniq (the old one, not the current Ioniq 5 or 6) has average loss rates, except low loss rates for comprehensive, among small 4-door cars.
- Nissan Leaf has average or below loss rates among small 4-door cars.
- Tesla Model 3 has high loss rates for collision but average or below loss rates for other aspects among medium luxury cars.
- Tesla Model S has high loss rates for collision but average for other aspects among large luxury cars.
- BMW i3 has average loss rates, except below average loss rates for comprehensive, among small luxury cars.
- Hyundai Kona electric has average to low loss rates among small SUVs.
However, it does not show data from newer than 2021, so newer EVs since then are not included. But note that many newer EVs are expensive luxury cars (Cadillac Lyriq, Rivian R1T and R1S, Lucid Air, BMW i4, Mercedes-Benz EQS and EQE sedan and SUV), so they are likely to be expensive to repair after crash damage.
Is your X 8.5-15 years old?
I just bought a brand spanking new ICE vehicle same model as my 12 year old one. My premiums are much higher for this brand new car…because the brand new car is worth more.
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Choosing between an electric or hybrid car depends on your personal needs and preferences. If you want zero emissions and have access to reliable charging infrastructure, an electric car is a great choice. If you prefer flexibility and longer range without worrying about charging stations, a hybrid might be better. Both options have their benefits, so it really comes down to what suits your lifestyle and driving habits.