Behind the Wheel: Employee EV Stories

Sep 30, 2024

Ever wondered if the people behind the scenes of transportation electrification drive electric vehicles (EVs)? Well, wonder no more! For National Drive Electric Week, we're sharing testimonials from some of our very own EVgo employees who proudly drive an EV.

Find out which EVs our team members drive, what they like most about their electric rides, the longest distances they've traveled, and more. These EVgoers are living (and loving) the electric revolution. Whether you're curious about EVs, a self-proclaimed enthusiast, or on the fence, you'll be inspired by the testimonials from our team.

Hallie Green, Manager, Grants and Proposals

Hallie's EV at a Pilot travel center fast charging station operated by EVgo through its eXtend offeringWhat EV do you drive?

• Hyundai Ioniq 5

What do you like most about driving an EV?

• I love the feeling of being part of the climate solution. In addition, EVs are extremely fun to drive and a great conversation starter. Most people are curious about EVs. I love having the opportunity to give people a personal experience with an EV owner.

What adventures have you had with your EV?

• I love road trips. In 2023, I drove from Oklahoma to Colorado, through Kansas and New Mexico. There are some beautiful charging stations in CO and NM, but there were also some extremely long stretches between chargers on I-70 and I-40. Dozens of new stations have been built in the 18 months since I took that trip. So, it's time to do it again!

What is the longest distance traveled to date in your EV?

• The longest distance traveled to date in my EV is 787 miles, one way. It was my New Year's Eve road trip from Tulsa, OK to the first NEVI-funded charging station in London, OH. It was inspiring to see the first station built with funding from a program that I had been studying for more than a year. It's a great site and there are so many more NEVI sites coming soon.

Pratoom Khan, NOC Engineer

What EV do you drive?

• Tesla Model Y

What do you like most about driving an EV?

• I really enjoy the smooth ride, instant acceleration, and quietness compared to gas-powered vehicles. Additionally, I appreciate the lower maintenance costs and the environmentally friendly aspect of driving electric.

What adventures have you had with your EV?

• My Tesla Model Y has been my exclusive daily driver. Although we have a gas-powered car for backup, we rarely use it because the Tesla has been so reliable for most of our needs. Whether it's commuting, running errands, or going on trips, it has been a versatile and dependable car.

What is the longest distance traveled to date in your EV?

• The longest road trip was from Long Beach, CA, to Reno, NV. The journey included three stops to charge along the way. The breaks were a great opportunity to stretch, grab a bite to eat, and relax before continuing the drive.

Sara Rafalson, EVP, Policy and External Affairs

What EV do you drive?

• Chevy Bolt

What do you like most about driving an EV?

• I drive a zero-emission vehicle for the health of our planet and the future for my daughter. I love that her first experience in a car was an EV. It is important to me that I understand the EV driver's perspective in my position at EVgo - advocating for strong policies to support EV adoption and communicating about the benefits of EVs.

What adventures have you had with your EV?

• When I first started driving my EV, I lived in downtown Oakland in an apartment building and did not have access to home charging. I charged once a week at the grocery store. Nowadays, I mostly use public charging on road trips when experiencing some of the natural beauty that California has to offer.

What is the longest distance traveled to date in your EV?

• My furthest road trip was from Palm Springs to Oakland, CA. My favorite stop on that trip was a dog park. On a recent road trip from the Bay Area to LA and back, I noticed that many new stations had popped up since my Palm Springs road trip in 2022. The stations were even busier than before with many EV road trippers.

Tom Jones, National Senior Director, Site Development

What EV do you drive?

• Ford Mustang Mach-E.

What do you like most about driving an EV?

• Our family has loved every day and every adventure with our EV. We added our EV to the family the day after Christmas in 2022. The "grabber blue" paint caught my wife's attention before we even pulled into the lot to pick her up. My wife blurted out "Blueberry," when she saw the car, so I knew that would be the car's name forever. There was a tiny learning curve but after only a short drive home, I knew my dream car officially belonged to her. Since my wife and kids are all equestrians, it's only right for us to own a mustang.

What adventures have you had with your EV?

• I've driven to GenCon, the largest gaming convention in North America, in Indianapolis from Maryland.

What is the longest distance traveled to date in your EV?

• 1,500 miles round trip from the Annapolis, MD area to NYC to Indianapolis, IN and back to Maryland.

Jonah Eidus, VP, Strategic Partnerships

Jonah's second EV ("Saul") and third EV ("Fundo Bundo")What EV do you drive?

• Kia Niro

What do you like most about driving an EV?

• EVs are fun to drive with great acceleration and a smooth ride. I enjoy plugging in at home and charging at EVgo stations on road trips, especially when I can show my kids a station that I worked on building.

What adventures have you had with your EV?

• Many dawn patrol surf missions to Santa Cruz and up the north coast of California to Mendocino. I've also gone on adventures with my mountain bike up to Tahoe and around every corner of the Bay Area. In my early days at EVgo, I'd often travel 200 miles a day for in-person site assessments with my dog Pismo in the back.

What is the longest distance traveled to date in your EV?

• From Oakland to Santa Barbara, CA to visit family.

Driving an EV can be a rewarding and exciting journey. Not only are EVs environmentally friendly, but they also offer a smooth, quiet, and enjoyable driving experience. And with more than 70 EV models on the market today, consumers have more choice than ever before. With the growing number of charging stations and the availability of government rebates and incentives made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, now is a great time to make the switch to electric.