Meet Alissa from Pittsburgh, PA. The only car she’s ever owned is a 2018 Nissan Leaf. There were no federal electric vehicle rebates available when she leased her electric vehicle (EV). She tells her mom, sister, and friends, “There are a lot more models and rebates now compared to when I went electric. Now is the time to buy an EV.”
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I named my Leaf Jane Fonda. She [Jane] is a badass and I felt very empowered with my first car purchase. It’s an EV — we’re going to kick butt together.
Alissa’s cute dogs in her EV.
When I bought my first car in 2018, the EV car and charging landscape looked a lot different. I had a pretty steep learning curve during the first 6-12 months of ownership — I got to know my car and its limits. A couple of times, I ended up having to stop at a garage or coffee shop to plug my car in and charge before I could continue. In my first apartment, I charged using a 110V outlet and extension cord out of my kitchen window. Now I charge using a regular outlet in my garage.
My favorite EV app is called A Better Routeplanner. It is very accurate and I feel confident when I’m planning new trips, with near-perfect predictions of remaining percentage points. It also teaches me where new charging stations have been installed. When I take a road trip, I sometimes take the back roads. I stop to charge, let the dogs out, have some snacks, and use the restroom. It feels like a road trip from my childhood days.
My favorite part of owning an EV is not giving more money to fossil fuels.
My favorite part of owning an EV is not giving more money to fossil fuels. There are lots of other benefits. It’s quiet, and when I have my dogs with me, I can leave the car set to heat or AC if I need to pop inside for something without polluting. EV maintenance is also less expensive. Other than the annual inspection (no more emissions testing!), I haven’t had to take my car to the mechanic for anything special.
If your next car isn’t an EV, you’re just not paying attention.
If your next car isn’t an EV, you’re just not paying attention. My car only has a 140-mile range. Many EVs on the market today average 300 miles, there are rebates and an improved charging network. I love pointing people to my local utility EV directory. It is kept up to date and shows what state/federal incentives are available for every vehicle.
During the pandemic, my friends were looking to buy a hybrid. Because of supply chain issues, they were put on a waitlist. I used that time to encourage them to check out EVs and answer their questions. They ended up buying a Hyundai Ioniq. I hope the next people I influence to become EV adopters are my mom and sister.
