. . .  but worth it.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/17/tesla-whitestar-electric-sedan-to-debut-this-year/

This car is gorgeous (yes, I have a ‘thing’ for muscle cars and sports cars, have for years) and since it is 100% electric it is incredibly low cost to maintain. 0-60 in less than 4 seconds, 135 mpg equivalent and 222 miles per charge. What’s not to like?

The price: $50k-$60k. OUCH.

But then I think about how much gas and maintenance costs and I start doing the math. Our car (a 2001 Nissan Sentra) hit the 100k mile mark last year, so we are planning on a) increased maintenance and repair costs and b) that it will go about five years more before *needing* to be replaced. We currently spend about $45/week on gas and another $100 for oil etc. changes every 3 months.

A new car would reduce our gas consumption a bit, but not dramatically (unless we get a hybrid, of course); it will also cost us a monthly payment that we currently don’t have to make. Say a new (non-Tesla) car costs $30k, that’s a $20k difference. Presuming our maintenance is the same, and our car payments the same (not likely, but it makes the math easier), at $45/week savings, it will take 8.5 years to make up the difference. That’s too long. If the Tesla only cost $40k, however, it would only be 4.3 years. THAT is a number I can appreciate and support.