Climate Conscience Man Went Electric - And He’s Not Looking Back

After three years driving electric, Climate Conscience Man reckons he’ll never go back to petrol. Not because he wants a sticker on the back of his car. Not because he’s trying to virtue signal. Honestly, it’s because EVs are better. Smoother. Cheaper. Easier.

Still, he’s lost count of how many times people hit him with the same five myths. Often well-meaning. Sometimes repeated straight from Facebook. Occasionally shouted across a BBQ. And the interesting thing is, they’re almost always from people who’ve never driven an EV.

Here’s how he sees it - from lived experience, not the comment section.

“EVs are too expensive”

They used to be. But the price tag isn’t what it used to be - especially when you look beyond the sticker.

His teenagers have clocked over 50,000km in his Nissan Leaf. It’s been charged almost entirely from the solar panels on his roof. Total cost to charge? Under $30.

Upkeep is also minimal. The Leaf’s had two services in three years. His IONIQ5? Just one.

He knows someone in Canberra who picked up a second-hand Leaf with only $21,000km on the clock for $5,000 thanks to the ACT’s interest-free EV loans. That’s less than some pushbikes.

“EVs lack performance and personality”

Depends what you mean by personality. If you love loud engines and gear shifts, an EV might feel a bit… Zen. But the instant torque? The quiet? The ability to pre-heat the car from the kitchen while making toast? Or pre-cool it while you’re pushing a trolley up the aisles at Aldi when it’s baking in a hot car park?

That’s a kind of personality too.

When friends try his IONIQ5, the response is usually the same: “Oh wow - I didn’t expect it to feel like this.” Even his mate who’s always driven Holden HSVs loves it.

“EVs are complicated to drive”

He gets this one a lot. Then he explains there’s no gears. No clutch. No revs to manage.

If you can drive a dodgem car at the Easter Show, you can drive an EV.

“Charging is a nightmare”

This one is persistent. But not true. Climate Conscience Man charges at home 99% of the time. It’s like plugging in your phone. Battery’s full next time you need it.

On road trips, yes - you plan ahead a little. But he’s only had two hiccups in three years: a short wait on a public holiday and one Tesla driver who’d gone walkabout.

He doesn’t miss standing around at dirty and smelly petrol stations.

“EVs aren’t that green”

Fair question. He’s read the studies too. Yes, battery production has a footprint. Yes, the grid still burns coal in parts of Australia. But even on today’s grid, EVs emit less over their lifetime than petrol or diesel cars - and that gap grows every year as the grid gets cleaner.

He’s also heartened by how quickly battery recycling and mining reforms are evolving. Has anyone seen EV batteries lying around at the dump? No. That’s because the materials in them are valuable and worth recycling. Not like soft plastics.

What changed his mind?

Honestly? Driving one.

Every time he puts someone behind the wheel for a spin, the myths melt away quicker than the range does. The quiet. The response. The ease.

Climate Conscience Man doesn’t think EVs are magic. They won’t fix everything. But they’re a solid step in the right direction - especially when they run on sunshine like his do.

And if you’re still unsure? Don’t listen to Climate Conscience Man. Just drive one.

Climate Conscience Man had range anxiety until he realised the benefits of EVs.