Tanya Pierce, a Director on the National EV Association Board, is ready to accelerate EV adoption in New Mexico.

Tanya Pierce, a Director on the National EV Association Board, used to drive a 1966 Mustang in Albuquerque not too long ago. The car “drank” gas, according to Tanya, but she didn’t mind the cost to fill the tank years ago when gas was cheaper. Fast forward ten years, and she is in the process of creating a New Mexico Electric Vehicle Association chapter in Albuquerque to spur greater EV adoption. Also, she’s replaced the Mustang for everyday driving and now enjoys a sleek KiA EV 6 – a Kia EV 6 won the “Best EV” at the recent Route 66 Fun Run.

Currently, Tanya is serving as a Doctoral Project Controller intern with Sandia National Labs, and she’s responsible for managing multiple projects and ensuring successful completion. Tanya has been a Director at the National EVA Association since January 2023. Below is our interview with Tanya, and we cover a variety of topics, including tactics to start a new chapter in New Mexico, her Route Zero Relay experience, and how to add more EV infrastructure.

National Electric Vehicle Association (EVA): Tell us about your current EV? 

Tanya Pierce: I drive a 2022 Kia EV 6, and it’s a lot of fun. The EV 6 gets about 275 to 300 miles per charge and receives a lot of attention at ride-and-drive events. I did a lot of research on the EV 6 since this was our first electric car. My husband and I have been long-time ICE car owners, and so we did a lot of research for our driving needs. 

One thing that stood out was the automotive warranty. My background includes being an automotive service manager and service is extremely important. And, EVs are a relatively new technology, so what is covered? With Kia, the automaker has a 10-year/100,000 mile warranty and, for an additional $3,000, you can add bumper-to-bumper coverage, which includes the electric powertrain (charging/battery/motor). 

EVA: With your automotive background, it seems like curiosity led you to EV technology?

Tanya Pierce:  I loved my Mustang and never thought I would buy an electric vehicle. However, we had an open mind to all things autos and kept researching the subject, including test drives. When my husband had work trips, we would rent a Tesla on Turo and see what it's like to drive a Tesla for a little while. We started to realize an EV would be a smart buy since we live on one side of town and we work on the other side of town. So, our commute is 45 minutes, and we drive a Chevy Traverse. So that's like $600 a month in gas. And now we don't pay that because we charge at home — New Mexico residents paid 14.49 cents per kilowatt hour in July 2021.

Also, my husband learned about all the utility incentives in New Mexico and signed up for those. We received a parking sticker as EV owners and you can park for two hours at a meter for free in downtown Albuquerque. 

EV Home Charging - Electricity Cost Use Case:

• Fuel costs are lower than those for conventional vehicles; assuming a use case with an electricity cost of 12.3 cents/kWh, adding 100 miles of range to an EV battery will cost $2.46

• An average all-electric vehicle traveling 15,000 miles in a year would use around 5,000 kWh, which can be compared to average energy used by central air between 1,000 and 4,500 kWh. (*From the Alternative Fuel Data Center - DoE)

Plus, no-emission driving is important. I want the environment to be protected for my children, grandchildren, and my heritage, you know. My daughter worked with us at a ride-and-drive event, and she will be buying a car soon. After the event, she said that she wanted an electric vehicle to be her first car purchase. 

EVA: So what’s new with the new EVA Chapter in New Mexico? 

Tanya Pierce: We have formalized and submitted our chapter paperwork, so we’re officially an EVA chapter. And we started spreading the word out at recent ride-and-drive events and handing out cards. 

We have talked with NM Solar’s marketing manager, and they are inviting us to different events. Also, there’s a community garage in Albuquerque and they have a technician on site who can answer questions about EVs and work on the equipment. We’re also talking to breweries in the area, since they’re always looking for events and they have ample parking lots. We’re hoping to reach a much younger audience at the breweries. 

EVA: So tell us about your involvement in the Route Zero Relay and thoughts around the event? 

Tanya Pierce: Jacob Martinez from the Scottsdale EVA chapter drove from Flagstaff to beautiful Santa Fe, NM. The handoff was at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, the legislative building.  We thought it would be perfect with Route Zero Relay’s focus on clean air standards. As mentioned before, the environment is a huge priority for me, and the transportation sector accounts for 27% of greenhouse gas emissions—more than any other sector in the US—and is the fastest-growing emitter of GHG emissions. 

The handoff spot was very visible and an excellent meeting place for people interested in electric vehicle driving; we answered questions from the public during the event. EV driving could be more visible in New Mexico. The bottom line is we need more EV education and more help from the legislature to increase EV infrastructure in our state. And things are slowly moving forward with more  EV charging stations via highways.