As fuel prices soar, EV advocates say now's the time to consider electric

As costs for transportation fuel continue to rise, owners of electric vehiclessay now is the time to consider ditching gas-powered vehicles for good.

On Friday, Newfoundland and Labrador's Public Utilities Board posted record-high prices for gasoline and diesel, among other fuels.

The price per litre of regular unleaded self-serve is above $1.90 across the island. InRamea, Churchill Falls and Change Islands, that price topped $2.

But despite being insulated from rising costs for transportation fuel, Jon Seary, electric vehicle advocate and co-founder of Drive Electric N.L.,says now is not a time to gloat.

"It is a time to step back and make some serious plans," he said.

Fuel up on savings

Joe Butler, who co-founded Drive Electric N.L. with Seary, says cost stability is one of the main reasons he's sworn by EVsfor the past six years.

"I can predict roughly what my fuel will be," he said. "And currently it's probably one-fifth or one-sixth of the cost if I had gasoline for the equivalent car."

While the sticker price may be higher for EVs, Butler said, cheaper options exist: each of the three he's driven, including his current Tesla Model 3, were all purchased second-hand.

"Look at your car payments and your fuel bills together," Butler said. "The car payments are a little higher, but your fuel cost is so much lower. Their overall cost per month is lower."

While rates will likely go up as Muskrat Falls comes online, Butler said,a less volatile fuel source, lower operating costs and monetary incentives from provincial and federal governments make going electric a no-brainer.

Fossil fuels useful, just not for driving: Seary

From long-distance trips to pulling trailers, Seary says he's done it all with his EV.

For him,the benefits are as much environmental as economical, and the drawbacks are non-existent.

"They use an energy product that we produce right here and avoidimporting a fossil fuel into the province and watching that money go out of the province," he said.

Seary said moving away from gas-powered cars doesn't mean the province has to ditch the oil and gas industry completely.

"I don't see the adoption of electric vehicles having to compete against the validity of the oil and gas industry," he said.

"We will always have a need for hydrocarbons. [But] it's silly to burn them, and it's certainly wasteful just to burn them just for day-to-day commuting that we could do very easily with electric."

Nothing to fear, says EV owner

David Brake of St. John's said the reasons he swears by his fully electric Hyundai Ioniq5are less maintenance (EV motors havefewer moving parts)andmore peace of mind.

"I don't need to worry about potentially ballooning maintenance costs," he said. "So that's been a big benefit for me."

Brake said the fear of the unknown kept him from going electric for a long time, but with more and more EVs on the road, that's less of an issue now.

"People who are driving gas cars now and are worried about the future will know that they do have a realistic alternative now."

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