This post is part of a series of EV Driver Spotlights that shine a light on why people choose to drive electric. Drivers, want to be profiled? Tell us your EV story.
Cory is a UX professional, mom and LEAF driver sharing her EV experiences on Instagram. We loved her photos and wanted to know more. Check out her story below!
Where do you live? Do you see many other EVs around?
I’m from New Westminster, BC. It's about 30 minutes outside of downtown Vancouver, world-renowned for green thinking and living. We have beautiful mountains and beaches, and Vancouverites have a strong connection to the outdoors and promoting a green economy. So EV sightings are pretty common around here, especially Nissan LEAFs and Teslas. EV ownership continues to grow steadily in Vancouver thanks to our expanding EV charging network, incentives and rebates to make ownership more affordable and lower electricity rates compared to other cities in North America.
What do you do for work (and fun)?
I’m a senior UX/UI designer for autoTRADER.ca. I love to spend time with my husband and two boys. We enjoy weekends outdoors, going on mini road trips, taking in the local beaches and parks, and hanging with family and friends.
"We have beautiful mountains and beaches, and Vancouverites have a strong connection to the outdoors and promoting a green economy. So EV sightings are pretty common around here."
- Cory, Nissan LEAF driver
What made you decide to go electric? When did you make the switch?
We needed a second car—something basic to get us from A to B, reliable, low maintenance and fun to drive. It was my husband's idea to go electric. We joined the EV family in 2017, with our 2014 Nissan LEAF, and it's now our primary car. We’ve racked up more kilometres in two years of LEAF ownership than we have on the SUV that we’ve owned for three years. We still have our SUV and plan to get rid of it in a couple of years. We're just waiting to see what other EV options come out on the market, and then we'll become a fully electric family.
How did you decide which EV(s) to buy?
We were looking at used EVs and it came down to the Nissan LEAF and BMW i3. We ended up going with the LEAF because of its trunk capacity and roomy back seats. We were a family of three at the time and planned on having another baby, so we needed something we could grow into.
How does having an EV affect your family?
We’ve been exploring more of our city, because paying for gas isn’t a burden to us anymore. It’s freed up our budget. The money we save on gas and maintenance goes toward activities for our kids and saving for family vacation.
"Now that we’re mostly driving electric, we save about $3,600 on gas and $1,300 on maintenance a year, for annual savings of $4,900, which is pretty amazing!"
- Cory, Nissan LEAF driver
Do you have a favorite charging spot?
It’s so convenient to plug in at home. We plug in to a standard wall outlet every other night, and we like waking up to a fully charged car. We also like charging at our local park, Queens Park. It's perfect because they have an awesome playground, spray park and petting zoo, and it’s walking distance to our favorite restaurants and ice cream shop. Who doesn’t love to play while you charge?
How much do you estimate you’re saving on gas and maintenance?
Before owning our LEAF, we drove our SUV everywhere. Now that we’re mostly driving electric, we save about $3,600 on gas and $1,300 on maintenance a year, for annual savings of $4,900, which is pretty amazing!
Where’s the best place you’ve taken an electric road trip, or where would you like to take one?
The best place so far is our favorite beach, Boundary Bay Beach, and the Vancouver Aquarium at Stanley Park. We’re planning our first EV road trip to Seattle this year, a 2.5 hour drive from here. We’ve always gone to Seattle in our SUV without making any pit stops. This will be a different trip, with stops along the way to charge, but it’ll give us a chance to explore and discover new places in the Pacific Northwest.
Favorite thing about driving electric?
I have so many:
- It’s fun to drive, runs smoothly and picks up speed fast because of the instant torque!
- Coasting down hills to get a few extra km on the battery.
- Saving money on gas.
- Driving solo in the HOV lane when there's traffic.
- Getting good parking at the mall, grocery store, etc, because EV spots are often located near entrances.
- Meeting other EV owners!
"The money we save on gas and maintenance goes toward activities for our kids and saving for family vacation."
- Cory, Nissan LEAF driver
What’s one thing you think people should know about driving electric?
There are a lot of cool perks that come with EV driving. Range anxiety is real, but it will become a thing of the past with technology rapidly evolving. Automakers are coming out with longer-range EVs, and charging stations are becoming more available and accessible.
Anything you want to tell us?
I really appreciate the simplicity and usability of the ChargePoint app, and I especially love how user-friendly the newer charging stations are. Thanks for making the experience so pleasant!
Inspired by Cory's story? Find your own EV in our showroom.
