While this particular story is not tied directly to electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle programs, I think it is still an important story to share during “EV October.” And that story is one that I am sure many people can relate to, searching for and purchasing a new car.
For context, I had been driving the same car for nearly ten years- a 2007 Nissan Sentra. While it was not a luxurious vehicle on paper, it definitely was to me! This car got me through college and the years following without breaking my bank account. The issues were minor and affordable, and most importantly, my Sentra was reliable. Well, until it wasn’t. As 2024 started, I knew that this would be the year I would need to put the Nissan to rest and invest in a new car- the problem was, I had no idea what I wanted! Did I want a 2024 Nissan Sentra? A Toyota Camry? Did I want to make the jump to an electric vehicle? Or even a plug-in hybrid? I spent a few months researching, test-driving, and asking questions to countless people. I knew that whatever I purchased needed to be reliable, affordable, and suitable to my lifestyle.
The Diary of the Dealership: The journey began with spending countless Saturday afternoons in the heat of the summer at various car dealerships throughout Fresno. (I truly do not know how people purchase cars online nowadays- I knew I would have to see it in person, test drive it, and then repeat those multiple times). While every dealership differed, one thing remained consistent with nearly every place I went:
EVs/Hybrids were never brought up as a viable option unless prompted by me
Dealerships shared that while many types of EVs/Hybrids were on lots/available to order, the interest from customers was at an all-time low
Sales folks did not have vast knowledge of EV options (models, preowned, etc), benefits, or incentives available
As someone who works in the clean energy industry, this SHOCKED me! I was fully prepared to have fruitful and meaningful conversations with salespeople about the benefits of EVs and their increasing presence on the roads of the SJV and was met with the exact opposite. In all honesty, my desire to purchase an electric vehicle (new or pre-owned) went down exponentially after having this experience nearly four times in a row. Were EVs not as popular as I initially thought? Why aren’t they being promoted heavily at dealerships? Was it just the timing?
Level of Convenience: Now, let me be clear, I was not dead set on purchasing a hybrid or ev, but after my searching experience took that turn; there were some additional things I needed to consider if I truly wanted to make the switch to electric. First comes the car, then comes charging, right? Well, that was another barrier that I would need to tackle. I currently live in an apartment complex, with over 200 units that was built roughly 6 years ago; and there are not electric vehicle charging stations on the property. Additionally, my fiancé does not have any charging stations available at his workplace. Seeing that charging stations are not available to us at work or at home, it pushed us further away from purchasing an electric vehicle. Yes, there are charging stations in the local grocery store parking lot a couple of miles away, but their availability is not guaranteed.
The End Result: After many considerations and months of searching, I ended up purchasing a pre-owned Honda CRV AWD! At the time of purchase, it met all three of the criteria that I had initially set for myself: reliable, affordable, and suitable for my lifestyle. This is not to say that I will never purchase an EV or hybrid in the future, but for now, I am extremely happy with my current purchase. I can’t help but think about my experience purchasing a vehicle and how that may compare to folks throughout the San Joaquin Valley. What about cities in the most rural parts of the Valley? Is charging available to them at their homes or workplaces? How many miles would they have to travel to access charging? These are the questions I ponder and will continue to ask myself and others as electrification initiatives continue to rise throughout the state.
IOU Support: If you are closer to approaching your EV journey, there are plenty of resources available to you. Whether you are a SCE customer or a PG&E customer, check out the available rebates that can help supplement the cost of purchasing a vehicle!
SCE Pre-Owned EV Rebate Program: https://evrebates.sce.com/
PG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate Program : https://www.sjvceo.com/pge
