Arrange for the electrical work

A PRACTICAL SOLUTION

What do you get when you have three people, three dogs, lumber, tools and luggage to drive around the country for a month and still get 47 miles to the gallon? A Prius, said Drew Rutherford, Cass County Electric member, laughing as he unfolded his road map to owning an electric vehicle (EV).

Rutherford has always had a fascination for environmentally friendly concepts. He and his wife, Julie, started remodeling their house, so he toyed with creating solar panels and building wind turbines, and ended up installing geothermal energy for their home. He went as far as installing wiring for an electric vehicle charger, even though he did not own one at the time.

After crunching numbers and feeling the weight of his jaw touch the floor, Rutherford switched from a gas-guzzling monster to an environmentally friendly EV. “If you can save money and protect the Earth, why wouldn’t you do that?” he said.

The Rutherfords spend their morning commute driving from Horace, N.D., across the Red River to Moorhead, Minn. On average, they will easily drive a 25-mile round trip each day. They quickly realized a large SUV cost them $7 to drive to work and back. That adds up fast!

In 2013, the Rutherfords invested in their first plug-in electric vehicle – the Chevy Volt. “My wife drove the Volt the first 5,500 miles and only used two gallons of gas, and those two gallons of gas were used to drive it from the dealership in the middle of Minnesota. She never stopped for gas.”

There are many advantages to going electric. EVs don’t require oil changes, because no oil is used to run the engines. They don’t require air filters, spark plugs, timing belts or many other parts that need occasional replacement in a gasoline car. EV enthusiasts go as far as to say they drive like butter. Their acceleration is quick, and the ride is silent. “You have to get use to the fact they are so quiet you can hear people talking inside of their cars, especially at stoplights,” said Rutherford.

The Rutherfords’ love for EVs and their money-saving capabilities continued to grow. “My wife is a ruthless negotiator,” Rutherford said as he explained how his wife bought an all-electric Kia Soul for a ridiculous price as their second EV.

As members of Cass County Electric Cooperative, the Rutherfords signed up for the off-peak program (see page 7 for details) and have two EV chargers installed in their home. By simply plugging in at home and taking advantage of the low charging rates, they can drive the Kia Soul to and from work for $0.35 compared to the $7 with the Yukon XL.

A stop at the gas station will be few and far between as the Rutherfords are not looking in the rearview mirror. Their sights are set on the future - an electric future.