While delirious with some kind of lurgy in June last year, my partner had managed to order this car online – while I was away in Sydney. I came back home and said “What?!  It’s not 4WD and we live in the northern rivers where the roads are all full of potholes and half our driving is on dirt roads? And…. It costs S-E-V-E-N-T-Y  T-W-O  T-H-O-U-S-AN-D dollars!!!”

Neither of us had EVER bought a new car before. He had a $5,000 old Triton ute. I had an 8-year-old second hand Subaru. We are both in our late sixties and living on our superannuation savings. I have been totally committed to getting an EV…at some point, but the cost just freaked me out.

But.

The deposit was only $300…. so the decision got put on hold….for months.

Also my partner (of 35 years) had never spent money on “stuff”. He always had the oldest computer, the bombiest car, the few clothes he owned became very old before being thrown out. But he is a scientist and loves new technologies.  We have 11kW of solar panels on our roof.

He didn’t keep trying to convince me, but he read everything available about EVs and the order remained.

I could see this was really really important to him. So in about September, I said “I think we should get this EV’. The smile!!!

So we have been EV owners for around six months. We power our car totally from the solar energy generated on our roof. We use an app called Charge HQ to ensure every bit of spare solar energy generated during the day goes into our car via the 7kW charger we had installed. We have taken one long trip to southern NSW and had no problem charging at Tesla superchargers every two or three hours.

In just the last six months it is getting easier to see how fast the transition to EVs will be. But the price will have to come down. A lot. And it will. Let’s hope government policy and initiatives speed up this process so that EVs will be affordable for many more people.

Ruth from Myocum

Featured image: Photo by Bridie Schmidt

Photo below of Ruth's Tesla:)

As climate change/climate collapse becomes a more pressing issue in our day to day lives, I wanted to do everything I could to minimise my impact on the planet and help other people reduce their impact. So I decided to research, learn and share everything I could about sustainability, reducing your carbon footprint and understanding the current climate and biodiversity situation.

This journey has led to some amazing experiences such as:

• Building my own Tiny House to reduce my energy consumption.

• Installing solar and batteries for all my power needs.

• Getting my ‘Cert 3 in Permaculture’ to learn how to grow food sustainably.

• Working with ‘Zero Emissions Byron’ to promote the different emissions reduction and draw-down projects that they are involved in, as well as managing their instagram account.

• Dramatically reducing my single-use plastic use.

• Getting involved with ‘Extinction Rebellion’ to document their protests and message.

• And much more.

And I figured the best way to share what I learn is through the platforms I know best, Youtube and Instagram.

I have started a youtube channel called ‘Sustainable Living’ where I am sharing sustainability tips, sustainable product reviews, and Tiny House videos.