HAMPTON ROADS, Va. – With rising gas prices, some consumers are considering switching to electric vehicles.
Some analysts say they thought President Joe Biden would address renewable energy further in his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
“We’re really seeing the ramp up going on right now in the automatic industry toward electrification,” stated Michael Wood, General Manager of Jaguar, Land Rover Virginia Beach, and Checkered Flag Volkswagen.
Those looking at buying a new electric vehicle will need some patience, possibly waiting months for delivery.
“It depends on the brand, but I’d say you’re probably looking at the 120 to 240 day range,” said Wood who added that they’re trying to see it as a positive thing. “Consumers aren’t being forced into vehicles that are sitting on the lot. They’re actually being able to order the vehicle to their specifications.”
Jose Garriga, Jr. got lucky a few months ago, buying a 2022 bright blue Chevy Volt, when another buyer returned it after one day. Garriga said it was involved in a recall which changed the mind of the first buyer.
“I traded in my gas guzzling Silverado. So, it’s a big difference to go from a big truck to this and in my line of work, I’m going to people’s homes. So, all that driving was costing me $450 per month in gas, and when you’re working day to day for commissions, it’s something that you really feel it in your pocket,” explained Garriga.
Garriga said he does have to plan a bit more for charges and he often sits in the car and does e-mails while it charges for about an hour.
“It’s a trade-off versus seven minutes to fill up my tank with gas, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” he said.
Marin Jakawich loves her Tesla so much that they bought two for their family. She said she’s done a lot of research and is very happy with their decision.
“It’s found that because there’s minimal maintenance there’s not a lot of wear and tear on the car, you will save money over time, not just on gas but on maintenance and replacing your car with an electric vehicle with your standard SUV or car that’s not electric,” Jakawich said.
While one expert said Tesla is not offering a tax credit, some other brands will. Wood recommends checking with a tax professional and the dealership.
“It depends on each manufacturer whether they have availability of the credit left but it is up to $7,500 for an electric vehicle,” explained Wood. “Everybody was given up to a certain amount of vehicles that they would be able to apply for the credit for. Some brands have exhausted that availability and others just started to scrape the surface of it.”
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