John Carpenter has considered himself EV-curious for some time, but he had reservations about buying an all-electric vehicle. Like many people, John had the impression that EVs are expensive, complicated, and inconvenient. That is until his friend Liz Robinson, an EV owner and clean energy advocate, shared her experience and encouraged him to take her car out for a spin.

“I love the idea of driving a quiet, electrically powered car, especially in the city, shared John. “But the upfront cost has been a barrier for a long time.”

He was pleased to learn that purchasing an EV has become more affordable due to federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. Pennsylvanians who buy electric vehicles are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit. Many states, counties, and cities also offer incentives—such as rebates and reduced registration fees—when you buy an EV.

The federal government’s investments in clean energy and state-level initiatives are making EV ownership possible for more Pennsylvanians than ever before. In fact, EVs are now comparable in price to conventional cars and are much less expensive to operate because drivers save on fuel and maintenance.

Not Rocket Science

Liz admitted that before buying her EV, she felt somewhat intimidated by the technology. But after a short acclimation period to get used to the vehicle’s controls and features, she was comfortable and confident driving it.

“It took me about a week to get adjusted, and now I absolutely love it. I like it more than any car we’ve ever had.”

When John got behind the wheel of Liz’s EV, he found it simple to operate. “The car is still a car. It’s got a steering wheel, a brake, an accelerator…and everything else is quite intuitive about it. Probably more intuitive than my car.”

According to Liz, not only is her EV easy to drive, but it also provides convenience. She plugs it in at home and doesn’t have to go to a “smelly” gas station to fuel up.

Taking Charge

One of John’s concerns about replacing one of his existing hybrid cars with an EV was the fear it might not hold a sufficient charge for long-distance drives.

“We own a place in the mountains of north-central Pennsylvania, which is close to 200 miles from our home,” he said. “So, access to charging stations on long trips is important.”

Fortunately, charging stations have become—and continue to become—more plentiful. The Infrastructure and Jobs Act, which includes $7.5 billion dollars for the continued development of EV charging stations nationwide, has been a catalyst for their availability.

According to Liz, “It’s going to build out a national charging infrastructure so that everyone can charge comfortably without worry.”

Many convenience store chains, gas stations, and hotels have them or plan to have them in the near future. And municipalities across Pennsylvania are building out their EV charging infrastructures.

Using the map on Liz’s EV’s console, John could see lots of red dots pinpointing the location of dozens of charging stations near his home.

“The map is full of red dots. That’s really cool,” observed John. “The car finds the chargers for you, and it even gives you directions to them. That takes away a lot of anxiety for me.”