One of the most surprising things that first-time electric vehicle drivers experience is how much money they save compared to driving a gas-powered car.
In a TikTok video, actuary and financial expert Jon Chen (@jonchenmoney) shared details about how much money he saved while driving his Tesla 10,000 miles.
In the video, he explained how he saves significantly by frequently charging his Tesla for free at work. While he’s had to pay for some superchargers outside of work, he’s found other free chargers at hotels and malls to offset those costs.
Over the course of driving 10,000 miles, he only paid $184 for supercharging. Since he doesn’t have to buy gas, he’s saved about $1,206 by driving an EV.
Jon reported that he saved approximately $100 by not having to get an oil change for his EV as well.
“Pretty happy I got the car a year ago,” Jon said. “The savings do add up.”
Jon’s accounting review of his Tesla savings is helpful because it demonstrates the real-world cost savings of EV ownership. You can also help reduce pollution in your community and support a cleaner, greener world by driving an EV.
In addition to using free charging stations whenever possible, you can reduce your EV driving costs by installing a home charger and powering it with solar panels.
TCD’s Solar Explorer can help you narrow down your solar options and find a trusted local installer. There are $0-down subscriptions to go solar on a budget as well.
Through the Solar Explorer, you can connect with reliable partners like EnergySage, which curates competitive installation bids, and Palmetto, which offers a solar panel leasing program. Palmetto’s free Home app can connect you to up to thousands of dollars in rewards that you can spend on home efficiency upgrades.
If you’re ready to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle and upgrade to an EV, TikTok videos like Jon’s can provide excellent motivation.
“Must be nice charging at home,” one TikTok user commented on Jon’s video.
“If my job offered free charging, I too would have an EV,” another TikToker wrote.
“I’m in the Northeast, usually big malls have them, grocery stores too,” Jon shared about where he finds free charging stations.
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