A new electric vehicle convert took to social media to share how switching from a gas-guzzling car helped them get back on their feet financially.
"Not having to pay for gas has literally changed my life," they wrote on Reddit, noting their "huge" Lincoln gobbled up $50 every four days to go 270 miles. With a 60-mile round-trip commute, "it was BRUTAL on my wallet," they added.
They kept at it for two years because they loved their job, and then they learned about EVs, started looking for one, and settled on a 2015 Chevrolet Spark for $5,500. The poster's electric bill was included in their rent, and they can also charge the car at work.
🗣️ Which of these features would most effectively convince you to buy an EV?
🔘 Massive battery range 🔋
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🔘 Elite performance 💪
🔘 Premium luxury 💅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"My range is about 67 miles on battery but … that's just enough for what I need the car to do," they wrote. "It's a such a relief to have extra money in my pocket. … For me at least it really is helping me get back on my feet with savings, and honestly just not throwing cash away at the pump. I gotta admit it feels good to just plug my car in and forget about it."
EVs are also good for the environment. Compared to gas-powered vehicles, they emit zero pollution while being driven. And if you charge them with renewable energy, those emissions reductions add up even more. You can save $1,500 per year on maintenance and fuel by making the change, and a $7,500 tax credit awaits U.S. buyers.
If you're worried about the impact of EV batteries, fret not. Though they do require the mining of metals, this is no contest compared to the extraction of dirty fuels. While EVs require millions of tons of lithium, nickel, cobalt, internal combustion engine automobiles contribute to the need for billions of tons of coal, gas, and oil every year.
Using public transit, riding a bike, and walking are ways to even further help reduce the production of planet-warming pollution, which is tied to major health problems, increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events, and widespread biodiversity loss.
All these things are worrisome, but we can work together to make change — while saving money and making our daily routines easier in the process.
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