Getting More Women Plugged in to EVs with Cara Clairman Plug 'n Drive

[@portiazwicker3986]

My family has been all-EV for almost 4 years now, with me making all the buying decisions. Also, I've been trying to get a job in the EV world for about two years (or anything in climate tech, really).

[@CAROLMALLETT-q8u]

We live on the West Coast of Vancouver Island in a small town called Sooke just outside Victoria. We have had 34 solar panels on our house roof since 2017 and bought a Tesla Model 3 in 2019. We have driven from Victoria to Winnipeg four times … there and back in 2019 and there and back in 2023. We now have a Model Y (a little taller car now that we are approaching 80 yrs of age)… and pay $6.50 on average per month for ALL electricity needed for our car and our home! Surplus energy feeds back into the BC Hydro grid when we have sun … We use them as our battery!!! Great system! I find your message a little off as many wives are the ones who want to drive electric but the cars are often registered in the husbands’ names. 2023 was a great year for EV purchases in BC … 20% of ALL new cars bought in BC were EVs! Ontario bought only about 4% EVs of all new cars sold last year.

[@ElectricVehicleSociety]

Congratulations for all that you've done to reduce your carbon footprint. You prove it can be done and that the benefits are substantial (financially and environmentally). Ontario lags behind BC and Quebec in EV adoption and the removal of its EV rebate was a large factor in the difference. EV Society is trying to help adoption in all provinces in part, by educating consumers about the benefits of EV ownership. Thank you for attending the webinar and for sharing your experience. You should enjoy next month's episode, when we will hear from Daniel Bretton, president of Electric Mobility Canada.

[@antoinepageau8336]

100 years from now this video will make people laugh. I’m sure we can find a similar book from the early 1900’s on how women can learn to operate horseless carriages. Ps we drive a Tesla, there is no learning curve. Tell the car where you want to go and you’re all set.

[@ElectricVehicleSociety]

We sure hope you are correct about the future (and we think you are). Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@madlucio70]

I own a full EV now and it has to be said that there are some significant cost considerations that people need to keep in mind. 1. The cost of good EV tires is sometimes double the price that people might be used to and this needs to be considered when purchasing. 2. The cost of insurance, at least right now, can be considerably more than what you paid for a petrol vehicle. One of the main reasons for this is that we do not have any small, cheap EVs in mass production right now. Most are larger sedans and SUVs at high price, so the insurance is higher. I had a long conversation with my insurance company about the high rates and their response was of course focused around new technology with a lack of long-term statistics to help bring the rates down. This will change over time, but it can be quite costly right now. These things being said, I love my EV and will not go back. But I bought it to reduce tailpipe emissions in my city. It does not start saving money until you can break even, which will vary greatly depending on your choice of EV and the other costs associated to the initial purchase and setup. It may seem like I am being negative, but I just want to be 100% realistic in that right now EVs are not easy to get into for everyone. The cost of even petrol vehicles is high and "most" of the current EVs on the market are targeting the smaller part of the population who can afford 65k + on a new vehicle. Yes, there are some EVs on "fire sale" because the companies that produce them are failing or already failed, but buying an EV without a support chain may not be the best option. On a related note to this great podcast, my partner was a big part of my decision to go full EV. She is contemplating an EV as well, but looking into the financials has shown that she will not save money since she just paid off her petrol vehicle and does not drive enough to save significantly on fuel. She prefers to wait a few years before making this leap.

[@CAROLMALLETT-q8u]

PS: My husband and I do annual presentations for our community about EVs. We love doing these and arrange to have “Show and Shine” events at least once a year! Also, our local Vic EVA has been very effective in helping governments make good decisions for the future … as the EVs spread. They have recommended that chargers should charge for the amount of energy received … not for the amount of time spent at the charger! Can you imagine paying for time spent to fill a gas tank?!!!

[@ElectricVehicleSociety]

Great of you two to be out there spreading the word about the benefits to EV ownership. There are still a vast number of people who don't understand how much better EVs are than ICE vehicles. Thanks for sharing your experience and informing your community about EVs!

[@Leneonlymph]

On your map of EV/Battery Production - AutomMaker Investments at ~27 min in, why doesn't Ingersoll have a red dot for the CAMI plant? Their first BrightDrop Electric delivery van rolled off the production line in Dec/2022. They had switched to completely electric production. Is it because they're only making delivery vans and not vehicles for the general population?