Gary Zhou 
Way, way back in 2019, which seems like about seven years ago at least, I interviewed a woman living in Europe about her Tesla Model 3. That time was obviously pre-Covid-19; the world today is quite different in many ways. In parallel to the pandemic, the presence of electric vehicles continues to expand in our lives, fortunately. Generally, electric vehicles, like motorcycles, seem to be viewed as a man’s game or domain. However, another trend that has grown recently is that of greater diversity and inclusion. In that spirit, it appears to add value to public sentiment and life to have more women represented in EV coverage. There are a number of female Tesla owner groups on Facebook and I was fortunate recently to contact a Texas-based woman, Carrell Grigsby, a Model S owner and driver, who agreed to answer some questions about her experiences with two Model S’s for CleanTechnica.
When and why did you become interested in Tesla electric vehicles?
I first heard of a Tesla in 2014, the same year I first saw one. I was immediately interested. I had used motorcycles and scooters for decades, enjoying the gas efficiency. The most appealing aspect was the zero emissions.
What was your first Tesla and why did you choose that model?
My first one was a 2016 Model S. The choices then were only the Model S or Model X. I only saw an older Roadster after becoming a Tesla owner. I came from having my last 3 cars being Mercedes sedans, so the Model S was an easy choice.
You have your second Model S now. What do you like about this Tesla vs. the other Tesla models and the other EVs available?
I love the luxury and size of the Model S. It has a huge amount of space for traveling. (We went on an almost 5,000 mile road trip in October.) I would not trade my Model S for any other car, gas or electric. Some EV owners, after driving their all-electric cars, say they would never go back to owning a gas-powered vehicle.
Will you stick with electric vehicles?
Yes, definitely.
What are some of the key benefits you have experienced as an EV owner?
Not having bought gas since July of 2016, except for a few gallons for a scooter, is really amazing. I love going to Costco and seeing the long lines waiting to get gas. That’s about $50 I don’t spend every single time. It’s also about 30 minutes I don’t spend every time! During the pandemic, I’ve appreciated that I did not have to worry about interacting with people or pumps at gas stations.
Do you do most of your charging at home and does that meet your needs for daily driving?
I have lifetime free Supercharging, so I occasionally charge while shopping or dining near a Supercharger. Most often, I enjoy simply plugging in at night in my garage.
Have you taken any long-distance road trips and used the Tesla charger network, and if so, how were those trips?
With my first S, I drove from Austin to Savannah, Georgia, using the Tesla network. That went beautifully, but would be even easier now due to so many more Superchargers and a hundred miles more range on the newer S. I drove a loaner Model X to Columbia, Missouri, to see the total solar eclipse with a group of North Texas Tesla Owners. None of us had any trouble charging along the way. Over the last year, I’ve been to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, and all over Wisconsin on the long trip mentioned above. These trips were wonderful and we used the Tesla Superchargers all but a couple of times when we were too far away and used Tesla Destination chargers.
Are your female friends, family, and/or community members interested in your Tesla and your EV driving experiences?
Yes, they all love hearing about it and a few have gotten their own Teslas. One has the refreshed S, two have Y’s, and my daughter has a new Model 3 LR.
Do you also have home solar and a home battery system you can use to charge your Tesla, or do you charge with electricity from a local utility?
I have an older solar panel system that contributes to the grid. I get to have the smug knowledge that my solar panels generate more electricity than I use to drive. I would get the Tesla batteries, but they are not available to work with the solar system in place.
Image credit: Carrell Grigsby
