My brothers and I have had a life-long love-affair with the motor car.  We even raced various cars in the UK & Europe: production sports cars & touring cars (I also raced in the British Formula 4 championship in the late 1990’s).  So you could accurately call us Petrol-Heads!  It was a logical progression, especially as our father was into cars, and we had an uncle who designed many of the post-war Jaguars (C,D & E types, plus the XJ6 & XJS as well as saloon cars between 1949 & 1975).

Over the past 30 years or so, my priorities changed: as an avid environmentalist and keen amateur biologist, I began to pay more interest in alternative fuel sources and radical designs.  I became fascinated in the concept of hybrid technology, and even pure electric vehicles.

My focus moved from power to economy.  I bought progressively more economical vehicles, and eventually, in 2017, I bought my first hybrid:  A Kia Niro.  This performed faultlessly over a 4-year period, delivering in excess of 45 mpg average over 50,000 + miles. I might add that I also owned and drove a 21 year-old Porsche Boxster, which only ran on ethanol-free Hi-Test fuel (at $5+ a gallon), although this was most definitely a “fair weather car,” used for weekends and joy rides.  In September 2020, a friend of mine offered my what I had paid for the Porsche (2 years previously) so I sold it to them, and used the money to “dip my toe” in the EV (Electric Vehicle) market and bought a 2014 BMW i3.

The i3 was a major awakening for me.  Apart from minimal maintenance (once a year at the local BMW dealership, to check brake wear -almost none- and rotate tires), this car cost me an estimated 2.4¢ a mile to run, charging almost exclusively from home. It had a range of around 100 miles, and was perfect for in-town trips.

Following such a positive introduction to the world of EVs, I traded my Kia Niro in for a 2-year lease on a new Tesla Model Y in May 2021.  In doing so, I became 100% Electric.

Since then I’ve enjoyed a massive saving in travel costs.  In this blog, I hope to be able to impart some of the knowledge & expertise I’ve gained in my 3 years as an EV owner:  I’ll try to dispel some of the “naysayer” B-S that’s on line (mostly posted by the Petroleum Industry trying to discourage people), and I’ll cover the pros and cons of owning & driving an Electric Vehicle.