Finding out you're a trendsetter can provide a little self-esteem boost. But unlike some trends, this one also boosted the health of our planet.
One Redditor described how when they first started their job, they were the only person who came to work in an electric vehicle. Soon after, they were joined by four others who decided to ditch their gas-guzzlers.
After chatting with their fellow EV-owning coworkers about their machines, the original poster came to an interesting conclusion.
"I think it's funny how many news stories talk about the issues EVs have when so far I've never seen any of them actually occur," they said, noting that a lack of charging stations, winter weather, and high electric bills have been cited by the anti-EV establishment and individuals as reasons to not invest in the technology.
The OP and their coworkers observed that there was a lot of misinformation surrounding EVs, but it seems all were happy with their cars after making the switch.
It's not unusual that the advent of new technology can breed suspicion, with some assuming it might be a phase that will die out as quickly as it began. But it looks like EVs are here to stay. According to data from Motor Intelligence shared by CNBC, EV and hybrid vehicle sales made up 20% of the U.S. auto market in 2024, with 1.3 million EVs among the 3.2 million total.
The Redditor's story demonstrates how personal testimony can make a big difference in encouraging positive lifestyle changes, so speaking to friends and family about the many benefits of EVs — including cheaper refueling and maintenance costs — can help to increase take-up as we try to reduce our production of planet-warming pollution.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, one gallon of gasoline burned creates 19 pounds of carbon dioxide pollution.
Extrapolate that over the 1.3 million new EVs sold in 2024, and that's a whole lot of polluting gases saved from reaching Earth's atmosphere. In 2022, the American Petroleum Institute estimated that 489 gallons of gasoline a year were used per vehicle. Assuming that figure remained roughly the same in 2024, that's 635.7 million gallons of gasoline a year saved thanks to those EV sales, cutting over 12 billion pounds of carbon dioxide pollution.
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Cost 💰 Commenters also had good things to say about EVs.
"All the disinformation may slow down the conversion for some, but a test drive will show the lies to most folks," someone said. "And a gradual adoption is not all bad; it gives time to build out the charging network and strengthen the grid. I really love my Lightning and will not go back to an ICE unless coerced."
"I really think most of the news about fear/uncertainty/doubt/dislike for EV's is from companies trying to slow the transition," added another. "From my perspective, the 'battle' between ICE or EV is already over and EV's won — there's just no question which is a better vehicle."
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