Has anybody done a cost analysis of the hydro monthly bill increases that will assuredly occur when charging these things at home? How does the increased electricity bill on one of these vehicles compare to monthly gas usage on a similar sized IC engine vehicle?
If you can come up with an estimate of your cost per KWh the math is pretty simple.
My cost per KWh is $0.15 US all-in except for the basic service charge independent of usage. My provider does not break it down by time of day so that's day-night blended.
The MX-30 battery is 35.5 KWh. From what I've read the battery range can be as low as 75 miles in cold weather highway driving and as high as 150 miles in warm weather city driving. So, lets split the difference at 112.5 miles.
35.5 KWh battery * 0.15 per KW = $5.33 US to go 112.5 miles in my example. In these parts, a good regular gas (Exxon in my case), runs about $3.25 / gallon currently. That's about a 70 mpg equivalence. Regardless, the savings may be quite substantial.
My cost per mile driven example is high compared to what Consumer Reports typically comes up with for EVs, around a 100 mpg equivalence, give or take. I believe they use a lower national average of 0.13 per KWh and maybe other variables. Time will tell what the EPA rating and CR estimate in the US turns out to be.
Then you have to factor lower maintenance costs with an EV, at least until the battery gives up the ghost, no doubt an expensive replacement item. I didn't see Mazda's Canadian warranty on the batter, but the UK warranty for 8 years / 100,000 miles is not terribly reassuring.
I think the small battery with limited range and the 140+ HP going 0-60 in around 10 seconds might be a show stopper for some. As just a daily commuter to recharge at night, evidently Mazda's target audience, it would be just fine by my lights. Forget road trips, obviously.