When it came time for Dalton Rhadans to buy a new car in July, his number one rule was simple: do your homework. The 25-year-old had just moved to Mobile, Alabama, for a travel-heavy job that would wear on his gas-guzzling 2013 Toyota 4Runner – and reveal that it may not be the sleekest way to drive clients to a business dinner.
Dalton set upon creating a list of new cars that could work for him and his budget – and the search led him to a 2026 Tesla Model Y. Now, with over 3,000 miles on his EV, Dalton tells us – while sitting in the comfort of his new EV – about his unlikely decision to go electric while he could still save thousands with the federal EV tax credit.
When did you decide to buy a new EV, and what was that process like?
My old 4Runner was super reliable, but I knew it was reaching the end of its life since I travel so much for work. I needed something more fuel-efficient and that looks professional.
I had a few cars in mind based on lifespan, price, dependability, and durability – everything from diesel trucks, to Toyota Camrys, to Teslas. I put a lot of thought and research into it, but the process of finding a car did not go as expected.
There was a used truck – not electric – that I really liked. I was ready to buy it, but that’s when I found out I had really young credit history, being 25 years old, so my rates for this truck at the dealership were ridiculously high. I know people who are hooked into high interest rates and car payments, and I didn’t want to be in the hole each month just to drive a big, flashy truck or even an upgraded Camry.
I went back to looking around and remembered reading about the $7,500 tax credit for EVs. That sounded pretty good. I’d been going to manufacturers’ websites and “building” cars – adding all my specs and my credit score to get a rough estimated rate. The estimated rate for the Tesla I “built” was much lower than any other.
Once I actually got in the car, it all matched up with what I wanted from a luxury standpoint, and from a mileage standpoint since Teslas get better mileage than I thought originally. And I obviously wanted to capitalize on the tax credit. I test drove the Tesla three times before I ended up buying it, so I knew it was the right fit for me.
In the end, it wasn’t really an “EV thing” – it was more that compared to other cars, even other EVs and hybrids, that one I chose felt like the best fit for me.
I also found out that my car insurance is actually cheaper for the new Tesla than for my old 4Runner. And, in addition to the $7,500 federal tax credit, Tesla shows you a lot of other incentives, like local utility incentives that other EV manufacturers take, too.
As someone who had never driven an EV, what was the test drive like?
I was very skeptical going into my first test drive, but they were really good about teaching me. You fill out your information, they scan your ID, they walk you to the car, show you how it works, and you’re good to go. It’s not a long, tedious process, and driving the car felt easier than I thought it would, which was probably one of the leading factors in me going there and driving it again and again.
The Tesla employee that took me on the first test drive said, “Your first drive is never going to be the best. It’s probably going to be the worst.” I said, “That’s good to know,” and it wasn’t even too bad.
How do you charge your EV, and is charging easy to find where you live?
I’ve always liked the way Teslas look, but with how much I drive, I was worried about how long I could go on a single charge, and if there would be enough chargers around. But during my test drive, I looked up on the touch pad in the car all the superchargers and regular chargers around me and found that there are chargers that are very easy to get to near my work routes and my house.
I use those to charge when I need to charge. I’m renting currently, but I will probably install a home charger whenever I move after my lease is up in March. My car also came with a mobile charger, which charges very slowly, but is good to have.
Has charging been a hassle with the long drives you make for work?
Charging hasn’t been as big of an issue as I assumed because the EV is super technologically advanced. You can look anywhere – I could look in Boston, Massachusetts, right now to see all the chargers there.
What’s cool is that when I drive home to visit family in Georgia, I put in my address five hours away and the car maps out where to stop to charge – not, “you need to stop here and charge for 20 minutes,” but more, “you can charge here for three minutes, then keep driving, and then stop here for eight minutes, and then make it home.”
The car shows you what your arrival charge will be once you get to your destination, right down to the percent, like on a [smart]phone. You can choose if stopping to charge is worth it, like with gas.
On a fun note, my dad actually bought a Tesla today, so once he installs a home charger, I’ll be able to charge less on the way there. It seems I influenced him.
You’ve had to have some maintenance done on your EV – how did that go?
After a work trip, the car told me it needed to be serviced for the cabin overheating. At the dealership a couple towns over, they gave me a loaner vehicle to have something to drive in the meantime. Then, my car was ready for pickup the same evening.
The service department was closed but you can handle everything from your phone [in the Tesla app] anyway. I dropped the loaner off and picked up my car without anybody there. When I got in, I was still getting the service notification, so I spoke to a salesperson inside who was so knowledgeable: we sat in the car, tried to figure out the issue and why it had not been fixed, and when we couldn’t, she put me first on the service list for the next day.
In the end, the repair was very minor. While obviously having to drive back and forth to the dealership was inconvenient, it’s normal growing pains – it’s innovative technology, and humans aren’t perfect. The experience was similar to how it is with a regular [internal combustion engine] car.
Plus, the warranty on the car is great since EVs often offer longer coverage to account for the battery. That warranty was a big pro for me in the buying process, and I’ve now experienced it firsthand.
What would you tell those who are skeptical about driving an EV?
This thing is so easy and fun to drive. It feels good to drive it. I’ve gotten used to it quickly – it’s very easy just to jump in and go, even with the technology that is really advanced compared to my 2013 4Runner.
I know from the health care industry I work in that new things will never be perfect right at the beginning. Any car manufacturer, and America as a whole, is always innovating, making their products better, and when something like an EV emerges into the market, competing with other types of engines and transmissions that have been around forever, there will be people who don’t like it.
The bottom line is that change is hard, but change is also good. I know that with every trial there’s a skewed line. After doing my research, I believed in this EV, so I bought it.
I try to take everything at face value. There are a lot of different opinions out there, and a lot of opposition to EVs – but then someone will get to drive one and think it’s the coolest thing. It’s just about being open-minded.
Join the Clean Energy Generation
Electrifying the transportation sector not only plays a huge role in mitigating the worst effects of the climate crisis – it also can help families, communities, and people like Dalton save money. Learn more about the state of transportation electrification and the work SACE does to accelerate it here.
We invite you to join us in the Clean Energy Generation movement to find your role in the fight to protect our environment and transform our economy for a safer, better future for all. No matter your age, income, or abilities, let’s choose action – together.
