[Escape PHEV "Beginner's EV"?]

Harley Lover, lead time is going to be variable and unpredictable due to chip and supply shortages. I put my order in on an Escape PHEV the first week of January thinking the wait might be 3-4 months like the people who ordered last fall. However, I was told a month later than lead times could now be up to a year. That projected lead time of course is subject to change too lol.

 

If you're sold on the Escape PHEV I think you should consider finding a dealership that will let you put a refundable deposit on a factory order and put the order in now. My dealer hasn't even cashed the deposit check.

At worst, when it arrives you decide it's not the right time to buy a car or just this car and get a refund. The dealer's not going to care because they get an extra car to sell above their allocation.

[Escape PHEV "Beginner's EV"?]

For some consumers that assessment is rooted in truth. People who don't regularly make long drives have unfounded range anxiety about BEVs but it's also true that for long, multi-day road trips the batteries and the infrastructure have not progressed to a level where finding an open, working charger and then still waiting around a couple hours is not a major inconvenience. Plus a lot of national parks are pretty remote with even fewer charging options and given the demographic of visitors more competition for spots.

 

Like akirby said, at least 5 years for solid state batteries and fast-charging infrastructure to make road trips convenient again. Imagine the nightmare Christmas/Thanksgiving traffic or hurricane evacuation would be right now if all of the cars on the road were a BEV.

 

For most people who have a place to plug in a vehicle at home, PHEVs today make the most sense from a purchase cost, fuel cost, maintenance cost and convenience perspective. But if you really, really want a BEV then get one and rent an ICE vehicle for national parks road trips.