For Ryan Shaw, an electric vehicle is the best way to go

Ryan Shaw is the proud owner of a 2022 Electric Vehicle (EV) – the Chevrolet Bolt, and he loves it! 

“When it came time to get a new car, I started doing the research,” he said. “The cost of gas was a big factor for me. I was spending $100 a week on gas, and I knew it was only going to get higher.”

But then Ryan discovered that with the federal and provincial rebates on EVs, which amounted to over $10,000, plus the money from his trade-in, a free level 2 charger from government, and free installation from the car company - the cost of his new EV was virtually the same price as a gas-powered vehicle. 

“With my EV I have no oil changes, no maintenance to speak of, except to get my tires changed, and if I need to charge up my vehicle at a public charger, it costs me $20.”

“For me, that’s a pretty good deal!”

Ryan, a provincial government employee, said he understands the reservation some people might have. “A lot of people have range anxiety.”

“Range anxiety occurs when an EV owner wonders if they will have enough power to get to and from a destination. 

“I recently took a trip to Halifax and it went even better than I had expected.”

He left Charlottetown and stopped in Aulac, New Brunswick, “to have a bite to eat and get charged up.”

With the vehicle charged he headed to Halifax. “We needed to recharge when we got to the city, but no issues finding a charger.”

He said they followed the same route back and it was smooth driving all the way home. 

Ryan said it does involve more planning. “It’s a mind set about how you travel. It just takes a bit more planning.”

There are tricks to EV driving, he said. “In winter, the EV draws power to operate the heater, so expect to lose about 20 per cent of your range. But when you know that, and can plan for it, it’s not a problem.”

Right now, if Ryan had an issue with his EV he would take it back to the dealer.

“I know shops are starting to invest in repairs to EVs, but to be honest, except for getting my tires changed, the car has not needed anything in the way of maintenance.” 

So, when asked if he likes his new car, his response was, “What’s not to love?”