Some early adopters were so excited about electric vehicles that they ordered them online, sight unseen, sometimes waiting up to a year for delivery.

But for many of us, moving to an electric vehicle (EV) is a big decision, not a simple, online purchase. That’s how it was for Howaida Hassan and her family. Their journey to going all-electric happened over the course of a few years.

Howaida and her husband Tim wanted to reduce their impact on the environment so they started by purchasing a tiny, fuel efficient Smart Car as a second car, along with their minivan.

Howaida is an engineer, but she’s definitely not your typical car enthusiast. She’s a hockey mom with an interest in clean transportation. She actually helped create Edmonton’s Electric Vehicle Strategy, and quickly learned all of the benefits of owning an EV.

When it came time to replace their Smart Car, they were ready to move to an EV. They scoured the used car ads, and eventually landed on a used BMW I3.

“I test drove it," Howaida said. "It was January, it was minus 20. It was cold. We drove it home to show the kids and they instantly fell in love and said, 'Of course this is the way to go.'”

They loved the I3, but the range was on the shorter side of the EVs on the market today—around 130 kilometers at full charge. So, when it came time to replace their minivan, they had to make the big decision whether to go all-electric.

Going all-electric

Their BMW I3 was good for getting around the city, but they knew they needed a longer range for their second EV. At the time, the only used long-range EVs they could find were Teslas, so they shopped around and eventually landed on one in Calgary.

With a factory rating of 370 kilometers, their Tesla’s range was enough for them to drive straight home from Calgary. For peace of mind, they always stop halfway in Red Deer for a quick charge.

In their experience, winter temperatures can reduce their EV range by as much as half when it’s really cold. Thanks to the Level II charger in their garage, Howaida pre-warms her car before winter drives, getting the most of the vehicle's range. No matter how cold it is, her EV always starts and heats up fast.

Charge it—Fill it up for a fifth of the cost

With soaring fuel costs, Howaida says she spends as little as one fifth on fuel costs to power her EV compared to gas cars. And with so few moving parts, there are fewer maintenance costs (and no oil changes!) associated with EV ownership.

Howaida and her husband installed two Level II chargers in their garage, one for each of their EVs, and every morning they leave home fully charged. Level II chargers are ideal for local trips, whereas Level III fast chargers are important for road trip planning.

Car buyers often say a lack of charging infrastructure is a factor holding them back from purchasing an EV, but in practice, Howaida’s experience has been that access to fast chargers along the highways is really important.

Get EV-ready

In the most recent Change for Climate Perceptions Survey, 21% of Edmontonians reported that they are likely to purchase an EV for their next vehicle purchase.

Whatever your motivation is for choosing electric, it’s important to do your research and understand your commuting needs, as well as charging availability.

According to Plug N’ Drive, there are over 70 different types of EVs, including both hybrid and battery electric models. And, right now, the federal government is offering point-of-sale incentives of up to $5,000 on new model EV purchases. Check to see if your EV match from the Plug N’ Drive webpage is on the list!

Changing For Climate is a series featuring everyday Edmontonians, businesses and organizations who are actively Changing for Climate—and getting us closer to our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

For more information, visit edmonton.ca/ChangingForClimateSeries.