My Family & Friends Go Electric

This is one family's personal account of switching to electric vehicles over the past 12 years, not a policy or rebate story, but it touches on a few real numbers worth noting if you're weighing an EV for your own driveway. The writer's son bought a used 2018 Tesla Model 3 for $11,000 after a $4,200 government subsidy for used EVs knocked down the price. A Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) in the family gets 52 miles of all-electric range before switching to gas, and the owner reports driving on gas only about 10 percent of the time because she plugs in at home after most trips. Another family member charges a Hyundai IONIQ 5 at work and no longer pays for gas at all.

The piece also makes the case for home charging as a convenience, not just a cost-saver: installing a level 2 charger (a faster home charging setup than a standard outlet) in your garage means no more gas-station stops and no oil changes for local driving. For longer trips, the family says they've never had trouble finding a working Tesla Supercharger along major highways.

There's no new program, deadline, or rebate announcement here. If the $4,200 used-EV subsidy mentioned is something you want to look into, check current federal and state rules, since used-EV incentives have changed over time and eligibility can depend on the vehicle, price, and buyer's income.