Initially, I had some trepidation about switching to an all-electric vehicle. I definitely had concerns about the limited range and my children were worried that I might be stuck if some sort of emergency unfolded. They thought I should buy a hybrid. However, I was determined to do my part for the environment and I also wanted to contribute to reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

Once I made the switch to all-electric, I found for 95% of my driving, things were the same or better. I will never switch back. I love the smooth quiet operation, fast acceleration and great handling. In addition, I never go to a gas station (except for the occasional car wash) so I don’t even waste any time filling up. My husband had a Level 2 charger installed in our garage, which allows me to charge at home. I always charge at night because PG&E offers me reduced rates between 11:00pm and 7:00am. The charger has a built-in timer, so I just hook it up when I get home in the evening and set it to begin charging at 11:00pm. Even if I’m very low on my battery, the Level II charger brings it back to 100% by the morning.

I drive my Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) everyday just like I did my gasoline vehicle. I can go as far as 80 miles (one way) and still get back without worry – that’s more than enough to cover most people’s daily driving. I understand the “range anxiety” issue, but once you experience the vehicle repeatedly getting you where you’re going and back – you get less worried about running out of range.

Overall, I love my BEV and what I’m doing for a sustainable future. I’ve really had to make very few changes to my lifestyle as a result of owning a BEV.