The real electric vehicle dilemma: Who gets to drive?

Written by Julie Stauffer. Coordinated by Rebecca Spring, Manager of Sustainable Transportation, WWF-Canada
“When you have an electric motor, you get all your torque at zero kilometres an hour,” Bill explains. “It’s very peppy.”
These days, their hybrid Prius sits idle in the garage, relegated to camping and other out-of-town trips. The couple, along with their five-year-old daughter, use the Leaf for their 50-km round-trip commute from Coquitlam to downtown Vancouver each day, as well as all their in-town shopping, errands and outings.

© WWF-Canada

“When I drive the Prius, I feel like I’m going back to the Stone Age,” says Bill. “As much as it’s efficient and we love that vehicle, we get more efficiency and more fun from the electric car.”
The Leaf cost them roughly $40,000 after taxes and with a $5,000 provincial tax credit. With the money they’re saving on gas, Bill figures the payback period will be less than four years.
Yes, he admits, he initially grappled with “range anxiety”, concern that the battery would run out before he reached his destination. However, charging stations are liberally sprinkled across B.C.’s Lower Mainland, and Nissan offers an excellent roadside assistance program to support early adopters. In eight months, Bill has only interrupted two trips to charge up outside their home.
The biggest challenge of ownership? Arguing with his wife over who gets to take the wheel. “It’s such a pleasure to drive,” he says.

Ontario Power Generation is a generous supporter of WWF’s EV program which helps make this blog series possible.