'I tried an electric car with a family of 5, and now I'm never going back.'

Thanks to our brand partner, Origin

When it comes to the car I drive, I am — like so many other mums I know — picky. It has to be spacious, easy to drive and above all, convenient.

But my family has been building our home off the grid for a while now, and our ultimate goal is to run it entirely on solar power. Sustainability is important to us, and the cars we drive are part of that, so we decided that an electric vehicle should be part of the plan.

However, committing to an electric vehicle is a big step, and it was one I was initially hesitant to take, despite knowing that I ultimately wanted to end up driving one. And, it turns out there's so much to love about driving an EV that I didn't expect.

1. There's more choice now than you could have imagined.

Until recently, there were limited EV models available in Australia. But that's all changed now, as the EV market has grown and become more competitive. And Origin's subscription offering is a fantastic opportunity to test out different EVs and see which one suits your lifestyle.

Trying Origin's EV subscription over the past couple of weeks has changed everything. This plan lets you subscribe to an EV month-to-month with an all-inclusive package.

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It's the ultimate try-before-you-buy experience, as you can switch between models during the subscription with just 30 days' notice. And if you find one you love, you can offer to purchase it after subscribing to the same EV for three consecutive years.

As the unofficial Uber driver for my kids, driving everywhere, it was important to me to give a potential car a proper trial to see how it fits with our needs. We ended up with an electric SUV, which was the perfect size for our family.

2. It's more convenient than you'd think. 

The convenience of being able to charge at home is a factor I can't go past, especially as a mum. There's nothing worse than having to wake a baby and pull them out of the car at a petrol station — literally the last thing I want to do.

I know a major concern for families who do a lot of driving is that the battery range of an EV could be an issue.

But for us, this hasn't been a problem.

We plug the car into a standard power point in our garage at home every few nights, but honestly, you can charge here, there and everywhere these days — with apps like PlugShare and the car's navigation service letting us know where we need to charge on a longer road trip, so we can plan ahead of time.

And we'd be stopping on a road trip anyway — whether to fill up with petrol, have a snack or take a toilet break — so we don't find it adds any travel time.

Because they don't have an engine, EVs have so much more storage space than I expected, which is a win for any family.

The juggle is real. Image: Instagram/adele_barbaro.

With many having a trunk and a "frunk" (the "front trunk" where an engine would be in a petrol car), even smaller EVs have more space than I imagined.

3. The potential cost savings.

For our family and with our travel needs, switching to an EV has saved us money.

It sounds silly, but I honestly wouldn't know what petrol costs these days. It's so freeing to escape the mental load of constantly checking petrol prices, only wanting to fill up on a "cheap" day, or feeling the looming pressure of an empty tank when you don't want to spend a huge amount that week.

One of the things I love about the subscription is the fixed weekly costs. There's honestly nothing worse than an unexpected expense — it can wreak havoc on your monthly budget.

Your subscription payments will cover most things, including the right to use the EV as well as insurance, roadside assistance, maintenance, registration and tyres.

And because EVs don't run on petrol, the biggest thing you need to budget for now is the electricity costs if you're charging your EV at home. This takes away most of the costs and admin associated with running a car, and as a busy person, there's nothing I value more.

And of course, there may be tax benefits if you salary-package your EV through work or subscribe through your business which are definitely worth investigating if you're interested.

4. There's an opportunity to be genuinely flexible. 

An Origin EV subscription allows you to return your car with just 30 days' notice, which makes it a genuinely flexible alternative to longer-term arrangements like financing a car or a novated lease.

That flexibility also has major added benefits, like when you need an extra car temporarily.

Over Christmas, we had ten people visiting our home and realised we urgently needed an extra car. We used our Origin EV subscription so that we could have an extra EV to use during that period, and it was fantastic. My sister and brother-in-law drove an EV for the first time and got confident enough to have their own independence.

They loved the car too, which was a bonus.

5. They're amazing to drive. 

What really surprised me too is that I genuinely enjoy driving an EV. The smooth, quieter ride makes it feel like a modern, hassle-free way to get around.

Make the switch to an EV and subscribe with Origin this summer.

The content provided is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Origin recommends that you seek your own independent legal, financial and tax advice when making any decisions in respect of the appropriateness of an EV subscription salary packaging for your circumstances.

Origin's EV subscription plans come with registration, comprehensive insurance, maintenance and servicing, 24/7 roadside assistance, and tyre replacement for fair wear and tear. You also have the freedom to switch, return or upgrade to a different vehicle with 30 days' notice. Home EV charging or public charging costs, and electricity used for electric vehicle charging are not included. However, we have lots of ways to help make it easier and more affordable for you. Learn more about EV charging. 

You can make an offer to purchase the vehicle outright after subscribing to the same vehicle for a minimum of 3 years. We'll include an indicative price in your subscription quote. The 3 year period will be calculated from the delivery date of your vehicle. Prices include GST. Origin is under no obligation to accept your offer and has full discretion to reject your offer for any reason.

Feature Image: Supplied.

Origin is one of Australia's leading energy companies with the ambition to lead the energy transition through cleaner energy and customer solutions, including increasing electric vehicle adoption. To find out more, head to www.originenergy.com.au/electric-vehicles/