One Tesla test drive and I went EV forever

I have cars in my blood

By Elaine Borseth: Vice President, Electric Auto Association and President, Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego

Just after I rode in this Tesla Roadster around the Circuit of the Americas track in Austin, Texas

I grew up in Detroit at a time when everyone in the country drove American and everything American came from the Motor City. My father was a college professor but he loved cars and tractors, especially Renaults and Hondas, which, to say the least, were very rare in Michigan back then. He also loved the Chevrolet Corvair, for which he had a bit of an obsession. He took the family to the Detroit auto show every year to see the new models and I loved it as much as he did.

Later on, I worked my way through college by making fenders and hoods for Chevrolet in Flint, Michigan. I drove a Honda 600 Coupe with 10-inch wheels, followed by two Toyota trucks, two Datsun 240Zs, a Triumph TR6, and then a Silver Anniversary Corvette that I kept for almost 40 years.

In 2014, I began to notice the Tesla Model S on the roads and found it sleek and sexy. I had no intention of purchasing a Tesla—I’d never spent more than $27,000 on a car before—but I went for a test drive just for grins. After just a mile and a half, I turned to the salesperson and said, “I have four words: I must have one.” 

Later, I test drove the Tesla S 85 and the P85, deciding on the latter. But just three days after I placed my order, I heard of Tesla’s plans to produce a P85D with a 0 to 60 acceleration of 3.2 seconds. When I was finally able to ride in that model, three months after I ordered the p85, I was even more blown away. I repeated the experience twice, and in all three launches I was thrown back so hard in my seat that my head slammed into the headrest.

Now, as an owner of the P85D, I tell all of my passengers to put their heads against the headrest... and off we go.

Just in time for my retirement

I took delivery on my Tesla on Valentine's Day, 2015, and wound down my practice as a chiropractor in September of that year. Seven days later, I left on my first all-electric cross country road trip. That adventure was so easy and so much fun that I crossed the U.S. again in 2016 and 2018. I’ve driven electric all over North America, from Puget Sound to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, New England, and the Florida Keys. Typically, I stop to see friends and family, but I also spend a lot of time exploring.

I’ve made destination choices around Tesla’s charging infrastructure. I chose a home exchange in Red Lodge, Montana specifically because the town had installed four 80-amp chargers. My sister joined me there, and we drove all over the Beartooth Highway to enjoy the absolutely gorgeous scenery. We would stop in town every day to shop or go to lunch, and we’d charge at the same time. 

On the road in Montana

There was never any wait for the chargers in Red Lodge. In fact, we only saw a couple of cars charging there that entire week. I made it a point, like I always do, to tell the shop owners and restaurateurs that I was spending money in their establishments because of the charging stations down the street. I also made a point of inserting cash into the contribution box the town had installed near the charger. At the end of the week, we wrote them a nice thank you card and let them know that the chargers were a great investment for their town.

From Red Lodge, we drove onto Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, and then to Banff in the Canadian Rockies, where another sister joined us from Colorado in her Tesla. 

Spreading the word

I love talking to people about driving electric, so when I volunteered with the Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego at the San Diego Auto Show for five days in 2016, I knew I'd found my people. I then connected with a company that hosts electric car test drives around the country. I had given numerous rides in my car, but now that I’ve worked with Electric Car Guest Drive,  over 500 people have test driven my Tesla. Seeing the reaction that comes from driving electric for the very first time never gets old.

Last year, when the Electric Auto Association (EAA) participated in Fully Charged Live in Austin, Texas, I coordinated nearly 100 EV owners from around the country who displayed their EVs and gave test rides. The highlight for me was on Sunday, when we drove five original Tesla Roadsters around the Circuit of the Americas track. So. Much. Fun.

So, while I didn't join the Electric Auto Association for any other reason than to help educate and advocate for the rapid adoption of EVs, I have met amazing people and have had truly incredible experiences. I encourage everybody to reach out and help locally or at the national level. The time to educate and advocate is now.