It’s that time of the season, with fall just around the corner, when you want to hop in the car, roll the windows down and enjoy the Indiana scenery with the radio as your soundtrack.

Unfortunately, the cost of gas usually determines how far you’re willing to go on such a road trip. 

That may not be the case for long, though, with electric vehicles becoming more and more attractive with longer-lasting charges and electricity remaining a great value. 

In an effort to always be at the forefront of new technology, LaGrange County REMC’s energy efficiency solutions partner, POWER MOVES®, has recently launched its own electric vehicle program: POWER MOVES GO. 

Providing everything from EV facts to answers for frequently asked questions, the program’s website shows you the newest options in EV models on the market (one you might remember seeing at our annual meeting), as well as estimates the savings you could earn in going electric. 

On the website, powermoves.com/electric-vehicles, simply put in your daily commute in its savings calculator and see the dollars add up. 

If you drive an estimated 50 miles each weekday and 100 miles over the weekend, you’re estimated to save $129 per month going electric, which totals more than $1,500 each year. That’s not including any additional savings you would see in reduced maintenance requirements (no oil changes!) and the available federal tax credit. 

We do have to provide a little bit of a disclaimer: If you do decide to purchase an EV, you could incur some additional upfront costs to have a charger installed in your garage. You should contact us first, so we can ensure your electrical service is large enough to handle the additional load. But the savings over the life of the vehicle should outweigh this initial investment. 

While saving money is a great incentive, you can also calculate how much of a decrease in CO2 emission you’ll see with an EV, an important factor in going green. 

Switching to an electric vehicle has the potential to reduce your carbon emission by nearly 5,000 pounds, if you drive about 15,000 miles each year, helping decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emitted in the United States. 

We understand there are logistical matters to consider when going electric. Where are you going to charge when you’re out and about, far from home? 

POWER MOVES has you covered. The website provides a map of where to find local public charging stations. Just input your ZIP code, and a list of businesses and addresses will pop up for you to choose from. 

As electric vehicles advance and allow rural customers with longer commutes to take advantage, LaGrange County REMC will continue to research and investigate solutions on how we can help to make the transition easier for you, our member.