EVgo Stories - Denise Sanchez

EVgo Stories - Denise Sanchez

Sometimes when you’re thinking about making a change it helps to hear from someone who’s already made it. If you’re considering making the shift from an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle to an electric vehicle (EV), Denise Sanchez’s story may help answer some of your questions and bring you some peace of mind. If you’re already driving an EV, we’d love to hear your story. Tell us about your experience driving electric on social media and tag #EVgonetwork.

After more than two years of careful consideration, Hawthorne resident Denise ditched her ICE vehicle and purchased an EV. With gas prices continuing to skyrocket, the decision to go electric was easy. She loves how her EV helps her live a healthier lifestyle and breathe cleaner air (the fumes from her former vehicle were giving her headaches), and by kicking the gas pump to the curb, she’s saving a ton of money every month. Denise did her research, using sites like Electric for All to calculate the biggest incentives and rebates for her buck, and ultimately decided on a Kia Niro.

As the mother of five children, Denise drives her Niro about 300 miles a week. In addition to driving to school, running errands, and commuting to other activities, she and her husband often make day trips to visit two of their kids at the University of California, Merced, and weekend getaways to places like Las Vegas and Mesa, Arizona are a regular thing.

Denise loves that her Niro can handle every stretch of road. With no clunky gears to shift, her EV maintains its speed no matter the terrain—zipping up even the steepest of hills! She also loves the time and money she’s saving on maintenance by never needing another oil change or expensive engine repair.

"My family has peace of mind using EVgo because no matter where we driver, there are always enough charging stations to enjoy our rides"

While EVgo’s easy-to-find chargers and access to roaming partner stations gives Denise and her family peace of mind, they did learn an important lesson as new EV drivers. The first month with their Niro, the Sanchez family ran their battery down too low on a road trip and scrambled to find a charger on their way home. They can laugh now about their mad dash to reach the nearest charger, but they spend a bit more time planning their stops to avoid that stress these days. And with more than 800 EVgo chargers in 35 states, there are plenty of options. With tools like the EVgo app and the trip planner in PlugShare, it’s easy to plan a road trip and view all the best charging stations along the way.

Since buying her Kia in May 2021, Denise and her family are thrilled with their experience and can’t wait to add another EV to their family.

Thinking of making the switch to electric? Check out our Charging Basics page to learn more about EVs. If you’re already driving an EV, we’d love to hear your story. Tell us about your experience driving electric via email, or tag #EVgonetwork on social media.