From the Top with CEO Patrick Grace: All About EVs

Currently, we're hearing a lot of buzz in our industry around electric vehicles (EV). Are they really that economical? Would an EV be good for me if I live in the country? How safe are they? As your trusted energy advisor, we have purchased an EV of our own to help answer those questions for you.

When our EV first arrived in April, I drove it for about a week not knowing quite what to expect. I enjoyed the technology in it and thought it handled really well on the different terrains and weather conditions. I only had a level 1 charger at my house (a regular, 110-volt plug-in), but it proved to be enough for my commute.

While it's not the fanciest car you'll see on the road, it allows us to test its limits and educate ourselves so we can be a resource to our members who might be interested in purchasing an EV for themselves.

When it comes to charging an EV, we've found charging it overnight is most beneficial, especially when you consider peak rate options. Overnight is not only when power is the cheapest, but also when it’s the greenest because it’s dominated by wind power in the Southwest Power Pool. The board will be closely examining results from a pilot rate that was promoted in 2018.

When EVs were first being promoted, they got a bad rap because of their association of being powered by coal. As WFEC (Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, OEC's wholesale power supplier) incorporates more renewables into its mix, that argument is becoming more and more obsolete (see page 5 each month for WFEC's generation report).

We've posted reviews and recommendations about EVs in general on our website's blog to keep you updated on their evolving technology. Check it out if you're interested at www.okcoop.org/EV.