My Year with an Electric Car

The Truth About EV Ownership in 2025

Okay, full disclosure – I’m writing this from my car, parked at a charging station outside Target. And you know what? I’m actually enjoying this 20-minute break with my coffee and laptop. A year ago, I would’ve called this a waste of time. Now? It’s my peaceful “me time” between running errands.

The Day I Cracked

I’m stuck at a gas station on the coldest day of 2024, watching the numbers tick up past $80, fingers freezing, when my old college roommate Ben pulls up in his EV. He’s looking annoyingly smug. “Still feeding the dinosaur?” he jokes.

I flipped him off (friendly-like, we go way back), but that moment stuck with me.

The Money Stuff – My Actual Numbers

Let me pull up my budget app real quick. Here’s what changed when I switched:

Before (My trusty old Camry):

Gas: $245/month (I commute 40 miles daily)
Oil changes: $60-ish every few months
Random stuff breaking: about $800 last year
That weird noise I kept ignoring: priceless

Now (My new electric ride):

Charging at home: $70/month
Public charging: maybe $30 when I’m lazy
Maintenance so far: windshield washer fluid… that’s it
Peace of mind: honestly worth every penny

The Home Charging Thing

Real talk – getting a charger installed was a pain. My electrician, Mike, took one look at my garage and laughed. “Your 1970s wiring isn’t gonna cut it.” $1,200 later (oof), I had a shiny new setup. But here’s the thing – I haven’t visited a gas station in months except for snacks. Worth it.

Road Trip Reality Check

Last month, I drove to my sister’s wedding two states over. Was I nervous? You bet. Did I plan my stops obsessively? Absolutely. How did it go?

Actually… pretty smooth. Found this amazing diner I never would’ve stopped at otherwise. The owner installed chargers last year and now gets half her business from EV drivers. Her apple pie alone was worth the detour.

The Stuff That Still Bugs Me

That one time I forgot to plug in and had a morning meeting… stressful
My friend’s apartment complex still hasn’t installed chargers
The charging apps… why do I need five different ones?
That guy who keeps parking his non-EV in the charging spot at Whole Foods (Steve, if you’re reading this, come on man)

Winter? Yeah, Let’s Talk About That

December was… interesting. Nobody told me the range would drop by 30% in cold weather. Learned that one the hard way on a ski trip. Now I just plan for it, like wearing a heavier coat when it’s cold.

What My Family Says

My dad: “It’s not a real car” (He also said this about my first iPhone)
My mom: “But what if you run out of battery?” (Called me every day for two weeks to check)
My brother: “Can I borrow it?” (Suddenly very interested after seeing the acceleration)
My kid: “Our car doesn’t make dinosaur noises” (Still working on explaining electric motors to a 5-year-old)

The Actual Day-to-Day

Most days, I plug in at night like my phone. Wake up, full battery. That’s it. No checking gas prices, no detours to fill up. Sometimes I forget cars even need fuel until I smell gas at the mall parking lot.

Should You Do It?

Honestly? It depends. If you’re like my old neighbor Carol with the 5-minute commute, maybe wait. But if you’re burning through gas like I was, do the math. Then do it again. It might surprise you.

Here’s the Truth

I’m not going back to gas. Not because I’m saving the planet (though that’s nice), or because Elon said something inspiring (eye roll), but because it just… works. For my life, my budget, my daily chaos – it works.

This isn’t the future anymore. It’s just… now.

P.S. My coffee’s done, and so is my charging. Time to head home. Drop a comment if you want to know something specific – like that time I accidentally scared a cyclist with the instant torque. Sorry again, dude in the yellow helmet!