My savings with a 2015 Tesla Model S now top $11,000 in state and federal taxes

My 2015 Model S 60 backing out of my garage on its own after I hit the "Summon" function on my smart phone's Tesla app.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Let's clear the air on why just over a year ago I used $30,000 from my retirement fund to put down a deposit on the purchase of a Tesla Model S 60.

I didn't do it to save money on gas, for crying out loud; I owned Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrids for 11 years, and hardly noticed my spending on gas.

Yet, the media continue to report that sales of EVs and hybrids have been negatively affected by low gas prices.

That's because they refuse to recognize there are consumers like me who want to slow climate change by driving hybrids, having solar panels installed on their homes and putting an all-electric car in their garages.

Of course, the media aren't in the least bit interested in making the world a better place.

They're beholden to the oil companies, GM and other traditional automakers, and greedy auto dealers, who keep their publications or Web sites afloat by buying advertising -- lots of advertising to deceive consumers on just how harmful their products are.

In unveiling the Model 3, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said auto emissions kill 53,000 people a year, but any reporter who dared quote him risked being sacked. 

My Tesla Model S says good night, buenas noches and bonne nuit.

Plugged in for the night.

Tax savings

My purchase of a Tesla did take advantage of government green-car incentives, saving me more than $11,000 in state and federal taxes in the first year.

My Model S 60, the base model at the time, cost about $81,000 with such options as a tech package that enabled software downloads of autonomous-driving functions.

Immediately, I saved $5,670, because I didn't have to pay the 7% New Jersey sales tax when I took delivery in mid-April 2015.

And this month, an accountant filed my federal tax return, and took more than $5,700 of the $7,500 federal tax credit that came with the car.

Although I'm retired, the $30,000 I put down on the Tesla and other withdrawals from my IRA were taxable, but the Tesla tax credit helped reduce my federal taxes to zero.

Why wait for Tesla's Model 3? If you buy my Tesla Model S 60, you will save $4,550 in New Jersey sales tax. I plan to lease my next Model S.

Chevy Volt sales flop, VW diesel owners get crumbs, Mercedes controls from hell

A 2015 Chevrolet Volt, the plug-in gas-electric hybrid the news media insists on calling an electric car.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

What's all the shouting about?

Since 2011, Chevrolet has delivered about 85,000 Volt plug-in gas-electric hybrids in the United States and about 5,000 more in Canada.

That sounds like a sales flop to me, not a cause for celebration.

You'd have to add in sales in Europe and Australia through October to reach the 100,000-car milestone marked by the Gas2 blog and other media.

No one is saying how many hundreds of thousands of gallons of fossil fuel those cars burned or measuring how much pollution they poured into the atmosphere.

For a real success story, you have to look at Toyota, which sold more than 200,000 Prius gas-electric hybrids in each of the last three years.

From 2000 through December 2014, the Japanese automaker delivered nearly 1.5 million hybrids in the U.S. alone.

The Volt, including the redesigned 2016 model, represents the continuing failure of auto giant GM to answer Nissan and Tesla, leaders in all-electric cars.

A 2015 Volkswagen Beetle TDI powered by a turbodiesel, direct injection engine that is both peppy and far dirtier than the automaker acknowledged.

A real environmental disaster are the 11 million Volkswagen and Audi vehicles worldwide with the so-called clean-diesel engines that were rigged to cheat on government emissions test.

Now, Volkswagen of America is offering owners of 2009-15 vehicles in the U.S. two prepaid cards totaling $1,000.

That's just another way of saying, "Suckers."

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency said some Audi, Porsche and VW models powered by a bigger V-6 diesel engine also contained the emissions cheating software.

Back-up camera puzzle

I drove a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 sedan on Tuesday, but was puzzled why no back-up camera went on when I put the transmission into reverse.

I fished out the owner's manual and found the page on turning on and turning off the camera, only to be referred to another manual I couldn't find.

Why in heavens would you want to turn off the camera?

I've driven Toyotas from 1986 through April of this year, when I took delivery of a Tesla Model S, and found the C300's interior controls a true nightmare when compared to those cars.

The Mercedes rode roughly over North Jersey's deteriorated streets, and all of the tossing motions made me more uncomfortable than I was in my 2010 Toyota Prius.

I feel sorry for the elderly woman who owns the car, because its advanced technology is almost totally inaccessible to her.

And to think the MSRP of this piece of crap is close to $40,000.

Audi TV ad lampoons Toyota Prius, urges A3 e-tron owners to speed, 'take names'

An Audi TV ad for the A3 e-tron mocks the Toyota Prius, the world's best-selling gas-electric hybrid; people who grow their own food and use solar panels on their homes, and anyone who enjoys peace and quiet over the sound of screeching tires. 

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Speeding, screeching tires and a lurid slide are a contradiction in a plug-in hybrid car that is supposed to save gas and be easy on the environment.

But that's the theme of a new TV ad for the Audi A3 e-tron, the first plug-in hybrid from the luxury performance subsidiary of Volkswagen, the giant German automaker.

Especially puzzling is how the commercial ends:

"Plug in and take names."

The owner had just thrown the speeding red hybrid into a slide so he could back into his driveway -- the only way Audi's irresponsible advertising agency could show him plugging in the car (the socket is in the grille).

The man then looks at one of his shocked neighbors and nods his head as if to say, Take that.

Slave labor

Given Audi's dark past and the growing scandal over Volkswagen and Audi turbo-diesel engines that pollute far more than allowed, the "take names" admonition sounds ominous.

Just last year, Audi tried to come to terms with its dark dealings with the Nazis during World War II.

A report commissioned by the company found that its predecessor Auto Union is morally responsible for the deaths of 4,500 slaves who were forced to work in its factories.

And last week, the Obama administration ordered parent company Volkswagen to recall nearly 500,000 VWs and Audis with illegal diesel engines that allow the cars to pollute far more than allowed by the Clean Air Act.

On Tuesday, Volkswagen admitted 11 million diesel cars worldwide were equipped with software designed to cheat on emissions tests, and today, the company CEO resigned.

You might recall that Audi's aerodynamic 5000 sedan also was embroiled in a mid-1980s controversy over sudden unintended acceleration that depressed sales for many years.

'Sportback e-tron'

The 2016 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron, which looks like a station wagon, has an MSRP of $37,900, but other trim levels start at $42,000 and $46,800.

For another $30,000, you can get the environmentally friendly Tesla Model S, which combines blinding speed with zero emissions.

The A3 e-tron can travel about 30 miles in electric mode, but after that you'll have to rely on the dirtiest fuel around, gasoline.

And if you drive the e-tron like the moron in the TV ad, you'll waste a lot of gas and pollute far more than drivers who obey the law. See the ad:

TV commercial for Audi A3 Sportback e-tron

Diesel scandal

On Monday, The New York Times reported Volkswagen diesel owners feel betrayed by the company's deception.

"I feel totally ripped off," said John Decker, 55, a photographer who once worked for The Record when it was headquartered in Hackensack, N.J.

"It just reeks of fraud and that they intentionally misled the buyers of their vehicles into thinking they were clean diesels, environmentally good cars, that were fun to drive."

Decker, who owns a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta SportsWagen with a diesel engine, now lives in Sacramento, Calif.

Five U.S. diesel models are affected by the recall, according to the Los Angeles Times:

Jetta (2009-15), Beetle (2009-15), Audi A3 (2009-15), Golf (2009-15) and Passat (2012-15).

EPA: Volkswagen and Audi 'clean diesels' are an even bigger scam than we thought

Despite cheap gas, unsold Hyundais fill a dealer's lot near the ShopRite in Paramus, N.J., above and below. The dealer also has started renting spaces in another lot under the supermarket for more unsold cars.

In November 2014, Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia agreed to pay a combined $300 million as part of a settlement for overstating vehicle fuel-economy standards on 1.2 million cars -- in what is the largest penalty ever for a violation of the Clean Air Act. No fines have been announced in the new case against Volkswagen.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Now, here is really shocking car news:

Volkswagen, the German auto-making giant, deliberately installed software designed to conceal its diesel engine's emission of the pollutant nitrogen oxide, which contributes to the creation of ozone and smog.

"The pollutants are linked to a range of health problems, including asthma attacks, other respiratory diseases and premature death," according to The New York Times.

On Friday, the Obama administration ordered VW to recall nearly a half-million cars, "saying the automaker illegally installed software in its diesel-powered cars to evade standards for reducing smog."

The recall involves 4-cylinder Volkswagen and Audi vehicles from model years 2009-15.

The Environmental Protection Agency says the car maker admitted installing software that turned off the engines' full emissions-control systems during normal driving.

That allows "the cars to spew as much as 40 times as much pollution as allowed under the Clean Air Act," The Times reported. 

Disengaging the controls can yield better performance in a normally sluggish diesel engine, "including increased torque and acceleration."

The software turned on full controls only when it detected "the car is undergoing its periodic state emissions testing," the newspaper said.

Dog and pony show

In March, Volkswagen executive Marcel Zirwes spoke to writers, public relations people and industry members of the International Motor Press Association in Manhattan.

After cocktails and a lunch of farmed salmon and oysters on the half shell, paid for by Bosch, members heard thousands of words praising a new generation of so-called clean diesel engines.

But none of the executives who spoke claimed "clean diesel" technology was better for the environment than such gas-electric hybrids as the Toyota Prius.

And they said the appeal of diesels over hybrids is that the former is more profitable to automakers while yielding comparable mileage.

See:

Free lunch, hard sell on 'clean diesel'

Free lunch for auto writers comes with hard sell on so-called clean diesel engines

Volkswagen executive Marcel Zirwes addressing the monthly meeting of the International Motor Press Association in Manhattan. An executive from Bosch, which paid for lunch, was a no-show.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Members of the International Motor Press Association heard thousands of words praising "clean diesel" at their monthly meeting today in Manhattan.

But none of the executives who spoke claimed a new generation of diesel engines are cleaner than such gas-electric hybrids as the Toyota Prius.

Bosch paid for cocktails and a lunch of farmed salmon, oysters on the half shell, salad and fruit, but a representative was said to be unable to attend because of illness.

Executives of Diesel Technology Forum, Volkswagen and General Motors spoke to the automobile writers and public relations people.

In answer to questions, executives indicated hybrids with diesel engines would cost too much to produce.

And the appeal of diesel engines over hybrid technology is that the former is more profitable to automakers while yielding comparable mileage.

Consumer Reports Auto Issue: Prius is best Green Car, Tesla Model S Best Overall

Tesla Motors' Model S on display at the Time Warner Center in Manhattan.

The Model S plugged in at the Tesla Showroom and Service Center on Route 17 north in Paramus, N.J.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Consumer Reports has anointed the Toyota Prius as the magazine's top pick for Green Car nearly 15 years after the gas-electric hybrid was introduced in the United States.

"The purity of the Prius' functional excellence dictates that -- although almost at the end of its model cycle -- it remains atop our list as the best green car," the editors wrote in the April 2015 Annual Auto Issue.

And Tesla Motors' Model S was crowned Best Overall:

"For all of the impressive new vehicles released in 2014, none was able to eclipse the innovation, magnificence, and sheer technological arrogance of the Tesla.

"That's why it's our best overall pick for the second consecutive year.... The Model S is a ... high-performance electric vehicle with usable real-world range, wrapped in a luxury package."

Does the opinion of anyone else matter? Consumer Reports is the only publication evaluating cars that does not accept advertising.

Consumer Reports praises the Prius for "affordability, stellar fuel economy, smart packaging, and blue-chip reliability."

I'd agree, but point out the four Priuses we've owned have been the subject of more service campaigns and recalls than any of our previous cars.

And my Toyota dealer could never find the source of some annoying squeaks and rattles from the dashboard and cargo area of my 2010 Prius.

The 2010 Toyota Prius I drive has an engine-braking gear.

The Prius is the best-selling hybrid in the world.

From Prius to Model S

After driving a Prius for more than 10 years, I expect to take delivery of a Tesla Model S in May.

I put down a $2,500 deposit on the base model, with a 60 kWh battery and an EPA range of 208 miles, plenty for my retired lifestyle.

I've received emails from Tesla Motors staff on financing options, service packages and the need to have a 240-volt outlet installed in my garage, allowing a recharge of 29 miles per hour.

The Model S is bigger and more luxurious than my 2010 Prius, but they are both hatchbacks.

And the Model S' quiet operation is similar to when my gas-electric hybrid operates only on the battery and electric motor or when the gasoline engine goes off when stopped at lights. 

You won't have to deal with any fast-talking car salesmen in a Tesla showroom

A Tesla Model S at Costco Wholesale in Hackensack, N.J., where owners of the all-electric luxury hatchback spend the thousands of dollars a year they save on gasoline.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The contrast between buying a Tesla Model S and a Toyota or any other car couldn't be starker.

Even more remarkable, you rarely read about the many high-pressure car salesmen that give a black eye to all of the major automakers.

We bought four Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrids between 2004 and 2009, and paid list for each one. 

I guess I should be thankful I wasn't hit with "added dealer markup" for models that are in high demand and short supply.

I'll be paying list for my Tesla Model S 60, but was able to pick options and place a $2,500 deposit online, using a credit card.

My car will be delivered in late April.

California-based Tesla Motors sells its cars directly to the public, and doesn't employ any fast-talking car salesmen or women.

What you will find are product specialists whose patience appears to be infinite when addressing all of the questions and concerns you might have.

If they have to meet the end-of-the month quotas so common at car dealers, I never heard about them.

I had many discussions with Tesla employees at a boutique in Garden State Plaza and the new showroom on Route 17, both in Paramus. 

I recall the nail-biting negotiations in October 2009 at Hackensack Toyota, where I traded in my 2007 Prius and purchased a 2010 model.

Despite its efficiency and environmental benefits, the Prius is a hard sell on the private market, and dealers always pay you less on a trade-in to leave room for their big profit.

Behind the wheel of a Tesla Model S 60 demonstrator at a showroom at 530 Route 17 north in Paramus, N.J., below.

Cheap gas, hybrid discounts

The April 2015 issue of Consumer Reports says, "Today's low gas prices could actually benefit hybrid buyers."

"Hybrids aren't selling as quickly as dealers would like, so they're offering big discounts on them."

The magazine reports, "At press time, you could easily find a $2,500 discount off a $25,o25 Toyota Prius or a $3,500 incentive on a loaded $32,950 Kia Optima Hybrid."

In April 2004, when I bought my first Prius, a gallon of Mobil regular was selling for $163.9 a gallon. I still paid MSRP.

By February 2007, when I replaced that car with a new Prius, Citgo regular was going for $209.9. Again, I paid list.

Tesla's one-price policy

At Tesla, there are no discounts and no incentives. Consumer Reports' invoice service and Costco Wholesale's buying club can't help you.

You don't get a better deal if you are a college student, and you don't have to worry that the salesman is hiding factory-to-dealer incentives.

Everyone pays the same price. What a concept.

Now for some real EV news: I've put down a $2,500 deposit on a Tesla Model S 60

On Monday, I test drove an all-electric Tesla Model S 60, the base model, from the company owned showroom and service center on Route 17 in Paramus, N.J., above and below.

Today, I logged onto the TeslaMotors.com site and placed a $2,500 deposit on the Model S 60 I had configured a few weeks ago. My luxurious four-door hatchback is scheduled to be delivered in late April.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

After I take delivery of my Tesla Model S in late April, the only reason I'll have to visit a gas station is to adjust tire pressures.

With several options, my 60 kWh Model S will cost $79,120, including a "destination and regulatory documentation fee" of $1,170.

I won't have to pay New Jersey's 7% sales tax (take that, Governor Christie, you're no friend of the environment).

And in a year or so, when my accountant prepares our 2015 tax return, I will able to claim part or all of a $7,500 federal tax credit.*

*The caveat is that I have to have a tax liability that meets or exceeds the $7,500, and I have to use the credit in the 2015 tax year or lose it.

The Model S is the most expensive car I have ever bought, and might very well be this retired senior citizen's last car.

We'll be keeping our 2007 and 2010 Toyota Prius hybrids, our stepping stones to the all-electric Model S.

On Monday, I visited Tesla's showroom and service center on Route 17 north in Paramus, and spoke to Andrew, a product specialist, about battery warranties and other concerns.

Then, I went for a test drive on Route 17 north and took an exit to experience the quiet Model S on some of Bergen County's winding two-lane roads.

Tesla Motors has eliminated most of the buttons and switches found in conventional cars with this 17-inch touch screen in the Model S.

One option I chose is Red Multi-Coat Paint ($1,500) as seen on this Model S on display at the Time Warner Center in Manhattan.

Red paint, other options

The Model S 60 has a base price of $69,900.

The options I chose are Red Multi-Coat Paint, $1,500; Tan Leather Seats, also $1,500; Carbon Fiber Decor, $800; and Tech Package with Autopilot, $4,250.

My Model S 60 has an EPA range of 208 miles on a full charge, a 380-horsepower electric motor and a 120 mph top speed, and will go 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds.

But I'm part of the cruise-control generation, and often use that aid in local driving and on highways, where I set my speed about 5 mph over the limit and watch lead-footed drivers pass me on both sides.

This year, I won't be able to drive my Model S 60 the 350 miles to Montreal for the International Jazz Festival, because there is only one Tesla Supercharger on the New York State Thruway.

In 2016, a second Supercharger will make that trip possible in one day.

The rest of the year, I drive locally and probably won't have to charge the car at home but once a week.

A new and a used Bugatti at Manhattan Motorcars on 11th Avenue.

Bugattis and black cars

California-based Tesla Motors is selling more and more all-electric cars at a time when conventional manufacturers still indulge in such excesses as a 1,200-horsepower Bugatti and increasingly larger SUVs that often are used as black cars and limousines.

At Manhattan Motorcars on Saturday, I stared in disbelief at the sticker on a new Bugatti.

MSRP is $2,790,000. Top speed is listed as 256 mph.

The two-seater gets 8 mpg (combined city/highway), and the federal gas-guzzler tax is $6,400 -- hardly a disincentive to anyone who can afford this technological relic.

Then you'll have to deal with a young saleswoman who wears tight jeans and too much make-up.

You might hear her talking loudly on the telephone to a customer, instructing him to wire her $10,000 as a deposit on a sports car, which, of course, is such a "great deal."

More gas guzzlers in the showroom of Manhattan Motorcars, above and below.

On the streets of Manhattan, new, bigger models of the Chevrolet Suburban and Cadillac Escalade are being pressed into service as black cars and limousines.

All of them carry New York plates beginning with "T" and ending in "C."

Their drivers, along with those in smaller, black Toyota Camrys used by car services, can be seen parked and double-parked near expensive restaurants and party venues into the wee hours.

Scurrying through the city's darkened streets, they resemble hundreds of oversized cockroaches. 

Toll discounts for green cars and carpools are a little less attractive starting Sunday

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey toll discounts for drivers of the Tesla Model S and other green cars will be less generous, starting on Sunday.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

I'm planning to drive my Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid across the George Washington Bridge and into midtown Manhattan on Sunday, the first day of a toll increase.

Under the Port Authority's restrictive toll-discount plans, I will be denied the reward given drivers of low- and zero-emissions cars, but will qualify for the even better "carpool" discount.

Go figure.

Owners of all-electric cars and gas-electric hybrids get a break only during off-peak hours -- and that's before 11 a.m. and after 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

On weekdays, off-peak hours are before 6 a.m., between 10:01 a.m. and 3:59 p.m., and after 9 p.m.

The carpool discount, on the other hand, is available 24/7, as long as you have a total of three people in the car.

Both plans require you to have an E-ZPass, register it ahead of time and for the carpool discount, you also have to stop in a cash lane so that a toll collector can verify the number of people in your car.

Owners of green cars also need to obtain a special green E-ZPass to get their special discount (Green Pass).

During off-peak hours, the driver of a Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid, right, pays less to cross the George Washington Bridge than the driver of a late-model Lexus.

What you save

On Sunday, the off-peak toll discount for green cars is going up to $6.25 from $5.50. 

Other drivers will pay an off-peak toll of $9.75, up from $9. The peak toll will go up on Sunday to $11.75 from $11.

The 24/7 carpool discount is going up on Sunday to $5.75, from $5.

This is the fourth annual and next-to-last scheduled toll hike on Port Authority crossings. 

See: Tolls effective Dec. 7, 2014, at 3 a.m.

BMW i3: Silent, one-pedal operation with a security blanket hidden in the trunk

The 2014 BMW i3 is available as an all-electric vehicle or as a plug-in hybrid. The grille and hood badge are familiar, above, but the carbon-fiber passenger compartment over an all-aluminum platform and battery set it apart from the German automaker's other cars.

The production car, new this year, looks much like the concept that was shown in 2011. The rear doors on the four-door hatchback can be opened and closed only when the front doors are open, below.

The silver latch for the rear passenger-side door. This was the same system used in the Honda Element, a boxy SUV that went out of production in 2011. In fact, when you see an Element on the road, the styling will remind you of the sleeker BMW i3.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

You don't have to drive the new BMW i3 very far before you discover several remarkable features in this all-electric car, which is also available as a plug-in hybrid.

The one I like best is the possibility of one-pedal operation: 

When you lift off of the gas pedal completely, the car slows to a stop, generating energy that recharges the battery.

And, yes, the brake lights do come on, even though you might never touch the brake pedal. 

Another great feature is the silence -- a complete absence of mechanical noise and transmission shifts.

On a smooth road, the car, rated at 170 horsepower, accelerates quickly and quietly, and you might find yourself inadvertently driving over the speed limit. 

The BMW i3 in my garage, next to my wife's 2007 Toyota Prius. The i3 is shorter than my 2010 Prius, a gas-electric hybrid, but a few inches higher with a higher seating position, and I kept on hitting my shoes on the sill as I got in.

Two days with the i3

I've been trying without success to borrow an i3 from BMW's U.S. headquarters in Woodcliff Lake.

But Park Avenue BMW in Maywood offered me an extended test drive of the i3 with the optional "Range Extender" -- a 2-cylinder engine that uses premium fuel and recharges the battery, if you exceed the all-electric range of 81 miles.

With that option, you go from all-electric operation to an electric-gas hybrid.

BMW says the Range Extender adds up to 69 miles on 1.9 gallons of gasoline, and boosts the MSRP of the base model to $45,200 from $41,350.

I was told this security blanket is hidden below the floor of the rear hatch area, but it never kicked in while I had the car.

I put on only 55.4 purely electric miles in two days, doing the usual errands of a retiree, including food shopping in Paterson; meeting a friend for lunch at a Route 17 diner and taking him for a spin, and driving my wife and son to and from the dentist in Fair Lawn.

The bottom line

After 14 years of driving Toyota Prius hybrids, I plan to make the natural transition to an affordable zero-emissions, all-electric car.

The i3 can certainly be considered "affordable," but its limited range takes it out of the running, and the Range Extender defeats the whole purpose of wanting to kick the gasoline habit. 

We usually drive up to Montreal in late June for the International Jazz Festival, a round-trip of more than 700 miles.

In a BMW i3 without the Range Extender, that trip would take a lot of planning.

A full charge takes 3.5 hours at a special charging station or at one installed in your home.

I got another 33 miles of range by plugging the i3 into my 110-volt garage socket overnight.

You could joke the 2014 BMW i3 was born electric, but proved anemic and got an operation to graft on the optional Range Extender. The charging port is on the rear passenger side fender, above, and the gas cap in on the front passenger-side fender, below.

BMW i3 v. Toyota Prius

On Thursday, I drove my 2010 Prius to Park Avenue BMW's service department in South Hackensack, parked my Toyota and got the key to an i3 that turned out to be covered with lettering -- a rolling advertisement for the car and dealer.

Client Advisor Craig Cayetano gave me a quick tutorial and I was off. 

I had read about the strong regenerative-energy system and feared it would take a lot of getting used to, but it was a snap to operate and I loved how the car slowed and came to a stop when I lifted my foot off of the gas pedal.

The regenerative system is progressive -- release pressure on the gas pedal a little and the car slows a little, such as when you enter a curve.

The i3 is stiffly sprung and corners on proverbial rails, despite narrow tires.

The narrow 19-inch tires have low rolling resistance.

In front of you is the screen displaying your range in miles. The screen said 50 miles on electric, 44 miles on gasoline.

A second screen is devoted to navigation, media, radio and so forth. The base model I borrowed does not come with a touch-screen navigation system or a back-up camera, two optional features I have in my 2010 Prius.

The shift lever for the one-speed transmission is visible through the adjustable steering wheel, but you have to reach around the wheel to use the start-stop button, shift the car into gear and put the transmission into park. The parking brake is located on the console below.

This infernal dial is nowhere near as intuitive as the controls in a Toyota Prius or any other Japanese car. There are other controls on the steering wheel, such as cruise control and a button for answering a Bluetooth-connected mobile phone.

Three driving modes

There are three driving modes -- Comfort, Eco Pro and Eco Pro+, but you have to select one each time you start the car, in contrast to the Prius.

The most economical in the i3 is Eco Pro+, but that shuts off the climate system and limits the top speed to 56 mph -- not an option with outside temperatures in the 30s and 40s.

The interior of the base model (Mega World) is spartan, and employs recycled material. 

The seats aren't electrically adjustable, but they can be heated.

A nice touch is that when you unlock the car, the exterior door handles are illuminated.

The BMW i3 is fast and quiet.

The roomy rear seats.

Rubber straps under the hatch and security cover helped secure 3-liter glass bottles of extra-virgin olive oil -- for my kitchen, not the car. The Range Extender, a 2-cylinder gasoline engine that is the electric car's security blanket, is hidden out of view.