The Nuts & Bolts of Owning an Electric Vehicle
We’ve been a two plug-in vehicle household since 2014.
In late 2013, I bought my first new car (ever) and it was a Chevrolet Volt. I knew I wanted some kind of electric vehicle, but at the time, I was still leery of going all electric. The only all-electric vehicles available in our region at that time were the Tesla Model S (way beyond my price range) and the Nissan Leaf (its then 80-mile battery out of my comfort range).
The Volt plug-in hybrid seemed like a great compromise with a 40-mile battery range and a gas backup engine. It proved to be a great choice. With my 20-mile daily commute, I was able to drive completely on electricity for nearly all my travel needs. If I wanted to head out of town, it was not a problem – just hop in my car and go. I never had to worry about finding a charging station. Once the battery ran out, the gas generator would kick in and I could drive it like any normal combustion-engine car. When I returned home, I simply plugged it into the charger in my garage overnight and it was ready to go with a full battery the next morning. Truly the best of both worlds.
My husband was so impressed with the Volt (more on what it’s like to drive and own an electric vehicle in upcoming posts), that he went out and bought a Cadillac ELR (the pimped-out version of the Volt) eleven months later.
Just one week ago, we traded in that ELR for an all-new, 100%-electric Chevrolet Bolt. Yes, we now own a “Volt” and a “Bolt,” and while they may sound the same, they are really completely different vehicles.
The intent of this blog is to discuss our experiences driving plug-in vehicles and to answer some of the questions that we are often asked, such as “How much do you pay in electricity? How does it drive in Minnesota winters? Where can you charge it?” And so on.
I hope that through sharing our experiences, we can dispel many of the concerns people have about plug-in electric vehicles, and discover how fun and great they are to drive.
In late 2013, I bought my first new car (ever) and it was a Chevrolet Volt. I knew I wanted some kind of electric vehicle, but at the time, I was still leery of going all electric. The only all-electric vehicles available in our region at that time were the Tesla Model S (way beyond my price range) and the Nissan Leaf (its then 80-mile battery out of my comfort range).
The Volt plug-in hybrid seemed like a great compromise with a 40-mile battery range and a gas backup engine. It proved to be a great choice. With my 20-mile daily commute, I was able to drive completely on electricity for nearly all my travel needs. If I wanted to head out of town, it was not a problem – just hop in my car and go. I never had to worry about finding a charging station. Once the battery ran out, the gas generator would kick in and I could drive it like any normal combustion-engine car. When I returned home, I simply plugged it into the charger in my garage overnight and it was ready to go with a full battery the next morning. Truly the best of both worlds.
My husband was so impressed with the Volt (more on what it’s like to drive and own an electric vehicle in upcoming posts), that he went out and bought a Cadillac ELR (the pimped-out version of the Volt) eleven months later.
Just one week ago, we traded in that ELR for an all-new, 100%-electric Chevrolet Bolt. Yes, we now own a “Volt” and a “Bolt,” and while they may sound the same, they are really completely different vehicles.
The intent of this blog is to discuss our experiences driving plug-in vehicles and to answer some of the questions that we are often asked, such as “How much do you pay in electricity? How does it drive in Minnesota winters? Where can you charge it?” And so on.
I hope that through sharing our experiences, we can dispel many of the concerns people have about plug-in electric vehicles, and discover how fun and great they are to drive.
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