Driver Profile
Jon Stephens
EV MODEL
Chevy Volt
Biggest Surprise
No compromises to drive a battery-powered vehicle
Electric cars are for everyone. I look at all the different models, the infrastructure, the longer ranges and the faster charging times. We’ve reached the tipping point where there’s a vehicle for everyone and every lifestyle.
“My family has always felt it important to live sustainably, so an electric car had long been on our minds,” he says. But he worried an EV wouldn’t be able to handle kids, dogs and all the accoutrements of a hectic family life — plus his 6-foot, 6 inches frame — within their budget.
When it came time to trade in his gas-powered vehicle, Jon’s research quickly put him at ease. “It ended up being an incredibly simple decision. An electric vehicle met every single one of our needs, with the added benefit for the environment.”
Jon’s typical day includes driving the kids to school, his commute to work (plus meetings and lunch), then running the kids to activities in the evenings. “On any given day, most of my charging happens at home,” he says. “But when I need it, there are charging stations everywhere — and that infrastructure means I don’t ever have to think about range.”
He’s found the transition to electric unexpectedly simple and intuitive. “It’s still just driving a car, only better. It’s a vehicle that is functional, but that I also genuinely enjoy driving,” he says.
He learns more every day about the premium tech a typical EV offers, from the ability to precondition the car from your phone to auto-stopping to avoid obstacles. His younger son loves that all four seats in the vehicle are heated. For his older son, Jon can choose the teen driver setting, which can track speed, swerves and emergency stops, among other elements.
With his family’s busy schedule, Jon definitely doesn’t miss oil changes and other maintenance needs. “We were at the dealership listening to them explain the car’s features and they said, ‘See you in a year.’ It took me aback; I’m used to that every 3,000 miles thing,” he says.
Jon is excited to see more EVs on the roadways every day. “Electric cars are for everyone,” he says. “I look at all the different models, the infrastructure, the longer ranges and the faster charging times. We’ve reached the tipping point where there’s a vehicle for everyone and every lifestyle.”