Editor’s Note: This article comes to us from Carolyn Fortuna, who has written about electric vehicles for CleanTechnica. Below is an approved recap of her EV experience for Generation180.

For Carolyn Fortuna, the decision to switch to electric vehicles wasn’t just about driving a cleaner car; it was about making a greater impact. 

Over 10 years ago, she traded in her summer sports car for a used Nissan Leaf and hasn’t looked back. It was practical, yes, at a low cost and with low maintenance, but also ideal for her lifestyle. The Leaf made for “a great additional car in our family’s fleet,” she writes. “It was a fine entrée into the world of EVs.”

Today, Carolyn has gone electric and stayed there. She currently owns a Chevy Bolt and a Tesla Model Y and can’t imagine going back to a gas-powered car. But her story isn’t just about a personal lifestyle change. It’s about making space for other women to follow. 

“Women especially perceive EVs to be too expensive and the charging infrastructure to be too elusive. Importantly, a lack of awareness and confusion about what it means to drive all-electric is still prevalent for lots of women today.”

In her recent story for CleanTechnica, “I Took The Pledge To Help Other Women Switch To Electric Vehicles”, Carolyn reflects on what keeps many women from making the leap to electric. The reasons are real: “Women especially perceive EVs to be too expensive and the charging infrastructure to be too elusive.” She writes, “Importantly, a lack of awareness and confusion about what it means to drive all-electric is still prevalent for lots of women today.”

That’s why Carolyn signed on as EV ambassador with Generation180 as part of a growing national network of everyday drivers helping others go electric. Over 6,000 people across the country have joined the effort, sharing stories, hosting test drives, and mentoring new EV-curious drivers in their neighborhoods.

For Carolyn, that decision was simple: “I signed on, agreeing ‘to help accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy.’ That’s easy – I can’t ever see myself buying another internal combustion engine vehicle. ”

And this work matters. While women own half of all vehicles in the U.S., they only represent 30% of EV owners. As Carolyn puts it: “Wouldn’t you think that women, who play a pivotal role in environmental matters and are essential in improving environmental standards, would have a greater interest in EVs?”

They do, but they need support, stories, and space to see themselves in the clean energy transition. Which is where Generation180’s I’ll Drive What She’s Driving campaign comes in. The campaign highlights stories and videos of women EV owners across the U.S, why they switched to electric, and what they love about the experience. 

Carolyn’s journey mirrors that of many EV Ambassadors across the country, that peer-to-peer outreach has a unique and persuasive power. Offering a friend a ride. Showing someone how you plug in while at the grocery store. Answering a quick question about how to charge at home. These moments are what help people move from ‘maybe to ready’ in their EV journeys. 

That’s why Carolyn’s work, and the work of other women taking the pledge, is so important. “Climate action can take on a variety of forms,” She writes. “Sometimes it’s about changing consumption and mobility patterns. At other times, it is about everyday living habits.”