This is how it all started…
When you are driving in California you quickly realize EVs are everywhere. What was a novelty just ten years ago has gone mainstream. According to the California Energy Commission close to 350,000 zero emission vehicles have been sold in California this year alone1.
The early options
I attended an EV forum in 2011 where the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Roadster were the only EVs available for display. The owner of the Tesla Roadster was all excited about his pre-ordered Model S which wasn’t available for almost another year. I remember the little luggage space in his roadster was mostly used up by an assortment of adapters and charging cords, barely leaving space for a six pack and a snack. The Nissan Leaf offered an “astonishing” 89 mile range on a full charge! You can see yourself breaking out in cold sweat just driving to the grocery store, especially since the true mileage wasn’t close to what it said on the window sticker.
Fast forward to 2023 and things have changed a lot. There are now over 40 electric vehicle models for sale in the US . Space, affordability and range have improved to make you feel like this could be it. Finally, I feel like there is an EV available capable of replacing my current gas burning SUV without forcing me to make lifestyle changes to just to accommodate my new ride. No gas powered backup plan, this one is it.
Time to take the plunge
So, why did I do it? Why did I switch from gas to electric? I have spent the last twenty years in automotive retail, including twelve years of selling EVs. I have listened to many people telling me why they wanted in an EV. What they loved about them, what they hated and what they wished it would be like. This made me realize that even though EVs have been around for quite a while now, there are still a lot of questions and uncertainty. I wanted to find out for myself what it would be like to own an electric car and experience all the good and bad that comes with.
Want out find out how it went? Just follow along.
Cheers, Dre
