by Eric Cohen
For some people, a car is something really special. For others, it’s a means to get from Point A to Point B.
Tina Dyer falls into the first camp. In fact, she was perfectly fine continuing to drive her Dale Earnhardt limited-edition 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo (with more than 230,000 miles) because it was so unique. That is, until she realized that it was now costing her more – and taking more time – to maintain the car than she wanted to expend. As a retired school attorney, Tina is busy volunteering with many arts organizations throughout her community and needed to be confident that her car would be there when she needed it. She is a passionate environmentalist, so when she began her search, her focus turned to electric vehicles. Wanting something unique at the time she made her purchase, Tina opted for a Tesla Model 3. She’s never looked back.
“The Tesla is very fun to drive. It’s comfortable and, although it took a bit of time to get the knack of charging, it’s easy to use,” commented Tina. “And I’m still driving a special car.” When presented with the idea of wireless charging, Tina was intrigued. “It would definitely be convenient, make the whole task of charging easier, and make my Tesla even more unique!”
“Charging was one of the biggest hurdles for me in purchasing an electric vehicle. Like most people, driving to the gas station and pumping gas is what I was used to. I’ve since gotten used to plug-in charging but think wireless charging will encourage more people to purchase an electric vehicle. Particularly for those who live in bad weather and have to deal with lots of rain, snow, and cold weather. I know it would have eased my charging concerns when I was purchasing.” As someone who is vertically challenged, Tina relies on her car’s cameras to help her with parking and charging. “I have to back in now to purposely line up with the charging plug,” Tina added. “It would certainly be easier to drive over a charging pad and begin charging than having to back in now, get out of the car, line up the plug … and all the other steps I have to go through to charge my car.”
Tina is aware that everyone is buying new cars – young and old alike. “Many seniors, like me, have difficulty adapting to new ways of doing things. From computers and cell phones to email and social media, a lot has changed during our lifetime. Wireless charging will certainly help older adults adapt to electric vehicles and all the differences that come with moving from a gas guzzling internal combustion engine to an EV. I look forward to it.”
