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What is the make, model, and year of your car?
Model Y - 2021.
How long have you been driving an EV?
I've been driving my EV for about 9 months.
What is your typical charging method? (home, public, etc.)
I typically charge at home, sometimes at Tesla superchargers.
How does your EV's range affect your driving habits?
Having an EV hasn't affected our driving habits at all. It's more convenient, and even when we travel, the charging times don't significantly impact our stops. We have young kids, so our stops are longer regardless.
Do you experience range anxiety? If so, how do you manage it?
At first, we did, but we quickly grew out of it once we saw how convenient EV charging is. It's also easy to manage since the Tesla automatically tells you where to stop and charge en route to your destination.
Do you find charging your EV at home to be cost-effective?
Absolutely! In Arizona, we spent $300+ per month on gas with the vehicle we replaced with our Tesla. A Level 2 home charger added a max of $100/month to our power bill. Now that we are in Indy, my wife would still need to fill a gas tank twice per week, which would be around $260/month for her commute. With the Tesla, we pay using the slowest charger (a Tesla mobile charger) and maybe use the supercharger 1-3 times/month, where it only costs $10 max. Overall, it's way better!
Do you have any tips or advice for those considering buying an EV?
- Always put your destination on the map, even if you know where you're going, so the vehicle gives accurate data for your route.
- Spend the money for a Level 2 charger - it's worth it over time! Especially somewhere like Indy, where the panel is inside your garage and will only cost $300-$500 for an electrician to install.
- Have a budgeted car fund for EV repairs, so you don't have to worry about it when it happens. Maintenance is expensive up front but significantly cheaper over time.
- When traveling, plan your route ahead of time. Tesla makes it easy, so I can't speak to other EVs, but it takes the range anxiety away when you already know where to stop.
- Don't skimp on EV tires. Buy quality. We still haven't replaced our tires since we bought them, and have already driven our vehicle 14,000 miles in 9 months. Those tires are still going strong!
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