Prime v. 2014 Plug-in. Also rebates in 2018?

Dear Prime and Plug-in enthusiasts,
[Posted in Prius Plug-in 2012-2015 too, and Gen. 4 by accident. Forgive multiples.]
Tomorrow, I have to trade in my 2014 PiP Advanced with 55K mi. (which I loved) because of mildew from water intrusion followed by dealer's chemical spray that made it worse. Dealership is working with me to take the car back for $14,200, which is probably more than it's worth, though I paid $18,500 for it last Feb.). With paying taxes twice, it's a big loss, but I need to move on, and this is the only dealership that will take such a malodorous car. The decision I need to make by tomorrow, the end of the Toyotathon deals:
1) Trade for 2014 Advanced PiP with 49K but not certified b/c already recalled for E/V fuse which, they say, will be no problem. It's the same car as my 2012 but lighter gray. I'm tired of gray, but $/warranty more important.
Cost: $4000 (inclusive) + my trade-in.
2) Trade for 2017 Prime Plus. Better drive, more $. Nice red exterior with moonstone interior.
Cost: $14,000 (inclusive) + my trade-in.

After buying a "new" car in Feb., it sucks to have another $ outlay so soon. Prefer not to go in debt, but am thinking of it this way: the Prime = better investment in long run; longer warranty; + hopeful rebates.
But I'd like to be more confident about rebates and benefits of a Prime.

Questions:
A) Does anyone know about status of Federal tax rebates for 2017 Primes bought in 2018? Or CA. rebates?
If the House Tax bill doesn't eliminate them (grrrr) and if CA. still has funding, the Prime could end up costing close to what the 2015 PiP does. But these are big ifs!

B) I don't have a home charging station and may never have one. I rent. They're pricey. Hoping to charge at work etc. Does the EV battery charge when you drive downhill or tap the breaks? Salesperson who sold me 2012 PiP said no need to charge for that reason. A new salesman just said that's incorrect. Another one said it's nuanced. Anyone know the answer? Nutshell: is it worth buying a Prime if you don't have your own charging station, or can you still get better mileage than normal Prius?

C) Aside from Prime being a 4-seater and less room in back (both are bummers but not deal killers), any reason not to go with the Prime (other than the cost) and to stick with older Gen for a bit?

Thanks!

 

Apologies for the error, and thank you, @Tideland Prius!

 

Thanks, @bisco and @Washingtonian. Yeah, driveway is further than 25' from home outlet. We live in a forest in crispy CA., so wouldn't want to risk an extension cord. I'll probably bite the bullet and have another dedicated outlet installed by driveway when I can afford. Given the rebates ($4502 Federal and $1500 CA.), the HOV sticker, and probable gas savings from charging when I can, I agree with @bisco that the Prime is probably a better deal in the long run. I normally go for used cars for environmental/economic reasons (not mining more ore for new car, etc.), it's a good idea to take advantage of the rebates before they get phased out.

One other consideration: I want to install an electric bike rack that will require a hitch assembly. Anyone know whether the installation will be problematic in terms of location close to the Prime's battery? Toyota told me I couldn't do it with the PiP. Some metal that would need to be bent might heat up and cause problems with the battery. I found someone in town who rebuilds e-bikes and installs racks, and he says he could do it (with the PiP). Oddly, Toyota service & sales don't seem to know things like this. And sales was hopeless about rebate knowledge, so again, appreciate all the support from the smart folks in PriusChat!

 

Good points. If they were giving away the PiP, I'd probably go for that, but the sticker is $19,750 for a 2014 with 49K which is pretty steep IMHO.

 

Yep, you were right--as usual--@bisco. The guy in parts was super serious about *never ever ever* attaching a hitch to a Prime or my battery warranty would be voided. No place to attach, he said, other than the battery casing or thereabouts. I'm going to look into this further... I got the Prime. You're thinking about getting one too, right? Or are you holding out for a later model with 5 seats and more room in the back? I'll keep you posted about issues.

 

Like you, I traded my 2012 PiP for 2017 Prime. So far, so good! It's a great ride. @bisco is right that decreased hatch space is not a plus. Looking forward to discovering all the exciting features.