It's So Much More Than Just A New Car

By Pamela Frank

More than almost any other consumer good, the choice of what we drive is often bound up in the perception we have of ourselves. It’s a purchase that gives us the opportunity to say something to the world about who we are, about what we value.

Well, I got a new car this past week. It’s orange and I chose that color, not because I like orange, but for the singular reason that I want this car noticed. I’m writing this to communicate an important idea and so that I can be crystal clear about what I am saying by purchasing this car, a Chevy Bolt. I’ll keep it simple.

This technology will change the world. 

The Bolt is an all-electric car. No gas is ever required to propel this car. I’ll say that again. No gas is every required to propel this car. It has no gas tank, just a place for a plug. It goes 0-60 mph in 6 seconds, and with instant torque, I feel like I’m rocketing to the moon whenever I get the opportunity to “floor it.”

The Bolt gets over 240 miles to the charge (more on warmer days, less on colder days and influenced by how efficiently your drive). Given that most of us driving cars in New Jersey – 80% of us, in fact, drive under 40 miles a day, my car stores enough juice to get me back and forth to my office every day of the week, meaning I’d only have to charge it once a week!

It gets better still. I signed up with an electricity supplier that provides me with free electricity for charging on the weekends (Friday 7 p.m. until Monday 7 a.m.). So, conceivably, I could pull into my driveway on Friday after work, plug in, fill up and enjoy driving practically free much of the time. 

Think I’ll need an oil change? Not likely. Perhaps a timing belt replacement in my future? Not happening since I don’t have one. A valve replacement you ask? Nope, no valves. In fact, there are no moving parts under my hood. Just an electric motor, a 60 kwhr battery pack and a pretty sophisticated controller that acts as the floodgate between the batteries and the electric motor.  

I’ve thought about this car for a long, long time, almost 20 years, in fact. I realized a long time ago, that once this technology goes mainstream, petroleum will no longer be a global strategic asset. Just think about what that means.

And if that’s not enough of a game changer for you, carbon and other harmful emissions will decrease significantly as we migrate to electricity for transportation. Transportation represents about 40% of our greenhouse gas emissions. Note that even today, every electrically fueled mile I’m pulling from our existing grid is 70% cleaner then a mile fueled with gasoline. 

Funny thing - you don’t need to be on a world saving mission to want one of these cars. Trust me, you are going to want one because they are so friggin’ cool, simply awesome to drive and as prices come down, they will be more affordable to own and maintain. All of us EV enthusiasts know that Aston Martin, Audi, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Volkswagen, Volvo and of course Tesla all plan to introduce new electric cars within the next three years. We’re on the cusp of this happening. 

Perhaps most important, I managed to impress a car load of 14 year old boys this week by “flooring it” and having them experience instant torque and the associated power. “So cool Mrs. Frank.” Forget about global strategic assets, forget about zero emissions, forget lower costs to maintain. This really makes it all worthwhile.