When there is something Liv feels strongly about, she shares it and goes all in. For the past five years, Liv has been “all in” on electric vehicles – co-founding the Mustang Mach-E Club of America and FordEVClubs, and creating YouTube videos of her EV journey with husband Patrick. Liv loves sharing her perspective as a woman and as an adaptive driver with others, fostering a welcoming EV community where all are welcome, and helping people find the right EV solution for their situation. 

My EV journey began six years ago when Patrick and I attended the LA International Auto Show. Up until that point, EV’s felt like a dream for the future – inaccessible and expensive. That all changed when we were able to see and experience the Ford Mustang Mach-E. 

In college, I studied industrial design. I have always been impressed with everyday items that serve a function and also look good. No other car appealed to me aesthetically as the Mach-E. It also included a number of features that are really important for me. Accessibility is key, I am missing my right leg, so I drive with my left. The Mach-E’s ergonomic design, compact SUV with room for my trike, upright seating, and a single button to push that opens the door all reduce my barriers to driving. 

During the LA auto show, we put our name on the reservation list for a Mach-E. And while we waited for delivery, we continued doing more EV research. Patrick crunched the numbers and said, “we can afford this, it’s economical over its lifetime, and is better for the world.” In June 2020, even before we were EV owners, we started making videos and sharing our research online. It turns out we weren’t the only ones wondering about EV costs, charging, functionality, and maintenance. During this time we also test drove some other EVs, attended seminars, and joined Drive Electric Colorado, where we were living at the time. Through this research, we felt more sure than ever that the Mustang Mach-E was the right choice for us. In March 2021, we took possession of our Grabber Blue Mach-E. Since that time, we have saved $6,800 in gas costs alone, and haven’t looked back. 

I love helping people find the right EV for them. Women are often underserved in the automotive industry though 84% of car buying purchases are influenced by women and women also influence other women about what they will buy. So as a woman with a disability, I wanted to share my EV experience and provide a welcoming space for others to ask every question they have. When women ask me about the switch to electric, my top question is where will you charge? If they have a lot of dwell time – at home or at work and can charge at one of those places – that’s great. If someone is a renter and charging at home and/or work is not an option, I work with them to figure out what public chargers are near where they live or spend time. I ask if there’s a safe, well-lit place they have access to. After we’ve figured that out, we move on to what EV meets their needs and price range. 

My favorite part about owning an EV is the silence – it’s so enjoyable, so lovely compared to a traditional internal combustion engine. My second favorite thing is the instant torque and regenerative braking EVs just provide an upgraded driving experience. And third, I love being able to charge at home using energy from the sun. Now that we’re in California, we have a solar array on our roof. It’s so great to never think about filling up or going to the gas station. 

The Mach-E was my first EV. I also drove a Nissan Leaf with a 50 mile range when we moved and needed a second car. At the end of last year, I leased a Chevy Equinox EV for two years. The federal incentives passed along at the dealership at the time of purchase were amazing. 

Jeep drivers have claimed rubber ducks as their mascot, so I had been thinking about what the equivalent might be for Mach-E’s. A few years ago we were charging at the Baker Electrify America charging station and I found a pack of pink and purple Fancy Ponies. At the end of the day, a Mustang Mach-E is really a fancy pony, so I’ve started giving them out to other Mach-E drivers. It’s a fun way to connect with other Mustang Mach-E drivers and continue building our EV community.

Learn more about Liv and her EV journey at MachEVLOG and on her website. Liv is also a contributing writer for A Girls Guide to Cars.