EV Ambassadors

Have you read about electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and still have questions?

Would you like to talk to a Williston resident who owns an EV or PHEV?

Ask Our EV/PHEV Ambassador Team!

A group of Williston EV and PHEV owners have come together to form our EV Ambassador Team. These Ambassadors have helped create the content on this website and many have offered to answer your questions as you consider which EV or PHEV is right for you. Below are comments from several Ambassadors about their EVs and a list of vehicles they own.

If you already own an EV and would like to join our Ambassador Team, please complete this form.

What are the Williston EV Ambassadors saying about their EVs?

I got excited about EV's in 2019 when I learned how they can offer new/novel car features and experiences. Hyundai had an amazingly cheap lease deal in 2019 on the Ioniq EV. My favorite feature is pre-heating the car IN THE GARAGE on winter mornings before driving to school.

We leased our car in October 2019. While I was fully convinced of the value of going electric, my husband was less so. The lease was a good way to try it out. We ended up loving it and just bought the car at the end of our three-year lease. We love that it's super cheap to charge (getting a free charger from GMP was also awesome), how there's almost no maintenance which saves us a ton of money, and how quiet it is. We were a bit worried about the lower range (152 max rating) but have never come close to running out of range. Most significantly though, we feel good about driving it, knowing that we aren't burning fossil fuels and by being one more EV on the road, perhaps influencing others to go EV!

We decided to buy a 2012 Volt last May after having two Priuses and wanting to drive an electric car that had a backup for longer distances. We love the car - it is well built and well appointed. What we dd not expect is the battery range being so low - from a 45mpch to 24 mpch and the effect of cool and cold weather on the use of the gas backup. We love being able to drive on our daily chores on the charge and not use any gas which we always had to use with the Priuses. Our average mpg is now at about 84 which is about double of the Prius. When we no longer drive to Florida for part of the winter, we will switch to an all-electric car.

I purchased my 2017 Chevy Bolt new using the federal tax incentive and my VW Diesel settlement money. I couldn’t afford a Tesla and the Bolt had 238-mile nominal range which could satisfy my normal trips to Maine and Massachusetts without charging on the road. I figured I would rent a vehicle for longer trips but have never had to. Charging on the road can be a hassle but for everything within range, charging at home overnight is a luxury compared to visiting service stations for diesel or gasoline. And… it is cheap. The Bolt had a major recall due to battery issues but in the end I received a new propulsion battery after five years of ownership, probably extending the useful life of the car. The level 2 charger in our garage was given to us by GMP and charges our son’s 2019 Nissan Leaf in addition to my Bolt. I’m happy to share experiences.

We got our Rav4 Prime in December 2021. We think it is important to drastically reduce use of fossil fuels. We like the firm and quiet acceleration of an electric vehicle. It feels quite smooth. I believe our Rav4 has among the best range for a plug-in hybrid. The vehicle is solid and sturdy, with a good amount of storage capacity.

We purchased our first EV, a Nissan LEAF, in 2017 and then a Tesla Model 3 in 2019. A year ago we traded in our last gas car and the LEAF for a Tesla Model Y and have driven all-electric since then. We use our EVs for everything; skiing all winter, all over the state, camping trips, carrying bikes and kayaks in the summer, and road trips throughout New England and as far away as MD (so far). We charge mostly at home and work and our "fuel" costs have worked out to less than half the cost of gas for the same mileage. We really appreciate the fact that we've eliminated emissions from our driving, the cost savings, how quiet the cars are, and how fun they are to drive.

I have owned my fully electric Mini since January 2022. At the time there was a 3 month wait time from order to delivery but as of October 2022 I’m told it’s up to six months. The range is 114 miles per EPA ratings but in my experience driving secondary roads around VT in GREEN+ mode (the most efficient) I estimate I could go about 145 miles per full charge. I have not yet taken it on an extended trip out of state but I look forward to trying it soon. The driving experience and performance of this car is exceptional.

Electric Vehicles Owned by EV Ambassadors

Contact us at energy@willistonvt.org to be connected to one of our EV ambassadors. Provide the vehicle make and model of interest from the list below and we'll connect you to the owner.

Williston EV Survey Highlights

In October 2022, the Williston Energy Committee conducted a survey of EV owners in town. The goal was to help obtain a census of EV/PHEV vehicles in town. An additional goal was to gauge the interest of EV/PHEV owners in sharing their purchase and ownership experience with their EV(s). The response was great and now we have the EV Ambassador program.

Additionally, we asked a few questions about their purchase and ownership experience. Below are the highlights from these questions.