I own two EV’s, a 2013 Nissan Leaf and a Tesla Model 3. I no longer own a gasoline or diesel vehicle. I bought EV’s in order to become part of the solution to greenhouse gas pollution caused by internal combustion vehicles.
I use my Leaf for city driving primarily for daily errands like trips to the grocery store and to my local library branch. I use my Tesla for out-of-town driving. With a range of 250 miles and a supercharging network along freeways throughout the USA, I have access to most destinations except to the most remote ones. I didn’t have to change how I drive. I did have to get used to many idiosyncrasies in the Tesla, for example, it will brake hard if it thinks I’m about to hit a car. Or another example: my Tesla will automatically steer back into my lane if I accidentally cross a lane line. Never in my many years of driving has one of my cars made decisions by itself, corrections in how I drive.
My longest trip was in late March of this year, a trip with my wife in my Tesla to Seattle and back. Surprises? How calming my EV’s are. Sometimes I have to be careful to stay awake. They are quiet and very low in vibrations. I am happy with my decision to buy EV’s. I love my Leaf and I deeply appreciate my Tesla Model 3. They are fun to drive, cheap to operate, and cheap to maintain. -Reed Burkholder, Boise
I own a beautiful blue Tesla Model 3, LR (long-range), RWD (rear-wheel drive) with FSD (full self-driving). I purchased it to cut my carbon footprint and keep the air in my garage and community clean, to reduce maintenance and upkeep, to add an extra layer of protection to my driving via cameras, radar, and intelligence/automation. It’s the safest car in its class ever tested by the NHTSA. And because it’s beautiful and quiet, with awesome, smooth acceleration. I use it for everything—errands, cross-country trips, even camping. I didn’t really have to change how I drive, driving basics were easy, but it took me a little while to find some features on the touchscreen. I’m always learning more about all the awesome things it can do, and each upgrade adds more cool features. I’ve driven from Boise to the Milwaukee area twice; once via the southern I-80 route, and once via the northern route through North Dakota and back through South Dakota. The incredibly low-maintenance needs of the Tesla have surprised me. In three years, I’ve just rotated tires and had the AC flushed once. Regenerative braking not only adds miles to the battery, but vastly reduces wear on the brakes. I can really depend on this car to be ready to go! It’s so nice to be able to idle with no gas fumes! I’m thrilled! I can’t imagine ever wanting to go back to a gas-guzzler. I absolutely love my Tesla! -Lisa Hecht, Boise