What started as a family agreement turned into my lifelong love for electric vehicles and a commitment to share that with others.
Back in 2019, while I was attending grad school and living at home, I began to think more critically about what it means to live a climate-conscious life. My parents were too. So when the time came for them to help me purchase a car as an early graduation gift, they had one condition – it had to be electric.
At that point, there were only a handful of models even available for sale in Wisconsin. Teslas were off the list as there were none available to test drive in my area. The Nissan Leaf couldn’t quite fit the whole family comfortably. But when we showed up to test-drive a Chevy Bolt, something clicked.
The salesman actually knew about the car – and explained all of the ins and outs, from one pedal driving down to the secret spot to put the key if the remote fob is out of battery. And despite swearing I’d never own a red car, I fell in love with it and immediately decided to buy it.
The red Bolt quickly became more than just a graduation gift, it was a shared family vehicle. My dad installed a Level 2 charger in the garage himself and the whole household became fluent in working with public charging. When my sister got into grad school, my family struck the same deal: she’d get help with a car, as long as it was electric. A bright blue Chevy Bolt soon joined the red one in the driveway.
Even our church got pulled in. My family talked a member of our church—who is “a real car ”buff”—into a test drive. From the moment he felt the acceleration, he was sold and ended up purchasing an EV.
Even our church got pulled in. My family talked a member of our church—who is “a real car ”buff”—into a test drive.. From the moment he felt the acceleration, he was sold and ended up purchasing an EV.
Then came the pandemic. Locked down but still determined to celebrate Earth Day, our family dreamed up a new kind of parade, one built for distancing, but also with a purpose: an EV parade.
We all got busy recruiting, and a couple dozen EVs showed up with signs and balloons, circling the state capital to celebrate driving on sunshine. But the most powerful moment wasn’t during the parade. It was before it even started, during the lineup. Dozens and dozens of cars, all pulling away from the curb to get in line for the parade, all silent with not a single gas engine anywhere to be heard.
After graduation, I got a job and moved out, taking the red Bolt with me. My parents? To my joy, they bought an identical red one to replace it – making quite the lineup when all three Bolts were parked next to each other in the driveway!
Despite my move and new job, I continue to be an EV resource anywhere I can be. From friends to coworkers, I’ve offered up my car for a test drive to anyone who wanted a spin, in hopes that I’ll convince more people to switch to EVs.
I’ll readily admit there are still some challenges in being an EV owner, including the way the range can drop during Wisconsin winters. One time in a snowstorm, my boss was worried on my behalf she insisted I take a gas-powered fleet car, but that just reminded me of just how far I’ve come. I hadn’t realized just how badly I’d miss regenerative braking and one-pedal driving when I had to go without them for a day!
Living in an apartment building for the last few years without a Level 2 charger hasn’t stopped me either. I’ve found that using a standard outlet has worked for the majority of the time, with the back-up option of parking at a public charger overnight and making the short journey to retrieve the car the next morning. It’s also incredible how charging solutions are getting more convenient by the week as new chargers go up everywhere.
Six years later, my passion for the red Chevy Bolt and EVs has not diminished. I love the affordability of charging it, and things as simple as enjoying heated seats or playing music without having to worry about idling emissions. I’m already planning for my next electrification chapter, to include a new home with solar panels, so I can really drive off sunshine. In the meantime, I pay extra for renewable electricity through my utility and keep spreading the word – one test drive, one conversation, and one parade at a time.
I’m proud to be doing my part – lessening my carbon footprint, advocating for better EV infrastructure, and being an ambassador for EVs wherever I go.
