Teresa Keller

Teresa calls her choice to buy a Tesla Model 3 a no-brainer. “I’m a researcher when it comes to car buying, so I explored every option out there,” she says. “When I looked at performance, technology and safety for the cost, there wasn’t anything that really compared. And I get the bonus of driving electric and the sustainable benefits that come along with it.”

Even though she had read up extensively on EVs, the driving experience still took her by surprise. “When I first put my foot on the pedal, I wasn’t expecting that instant acceleration,” she says. “I’m used to the lag you feel with a gas car. There’s no rocking or shifting now — you just go.” (And Teresa loves to go; there’s a reason why her youngest son chose “fast car” as the EV’s nickname.)

Her EV is miles away from the 14-year-old sports-utility vehicle it replaced. “My old car didn’t have many creature comforts and got about 13 miles a gallon, so the technology and range I have now is pretty mind-blowing,” she says. Teresa went from spending about $350 a month in gas to a minor increase in her electricity bill. And to someone used to a CD changer and no Bluetooth, the streaming internet radio service and headset-free calls are a massive improvement.  

It’s on her 50-mile round-trip commute that Teresa feels the biggest differences. “My car has autopilot, which does half the work for me on the highway. I don’t really have to worry about stop-and-go traffic because my car literally stops and goes by itself as traffic allows,” she says. “It’s more relaxing on my commute. I’m smiling and singing during traffic jams these days.”

Teresa’s family is looking to replace a second car — and another EV is at the top of their list. “Once you get into an EV, you'll never want to go back,” she says. “When you are in my car and you see the technology available, how well it drives, the fuel savings and the environmental benefits? Everything is first class. Buying a gas-powered car would feel like going backward.”

Teresa tends to keep her cars around for a long time — ten years or more — and is confident her Model 3 will serve her during that time and beyond. And when she’s eventually ready to replace this EV, she wonders if gas cars will still be manufactured outside of niche models. “Word continues to get out about EVs — and people are learning what I’ve learned,” she says. “I’m really excited for the future of electric transportation.”

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