Jacob Puls – Runde’s Most Recent EV Owner

Major automakers are funneling millions of dollars into building electric vehicles and an infrastructure to charge them, but many drivers are still hesitant to make the switch from the traditional gas-powered vehicles they have driven all their lives to a battery-powered ride. They have questions about range, charging, and driving long distances, as well as confusion about EV concepts like regen paddles, one-pedal driving, and more.

Who better to ask these questions, than electric vehicle owners themselves?

In this series, we will be sharing the experiences of Runde customers who have made the transition to being an EV owner.

Jacob with his Bolt EUV

Meet Jacob Puls, of East Dubuque, who recently leased his first electric vehicle, a 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV.

As a salesperson at Runde Chevrolet, Jacob has sold his fair share of electric vehicles, but had yet to own one.

“In all honesty, I talked my brother into it (his twin brother is Jared Puls, whose EV story you can read here),” Jacob said. “Then I thought, this would be a really good deal to save on gas. Plus I feel like I’m in a spaceship, so that’s cool.”

Since Jacob lives and works in East Dubuque, he doesn’t have much range anxiety (the EUV gets 247 miles of range on a full charge). He uses the MyChevrolet app to plan routes and find charging stations when needed, but usually just charges twice a week at home.

“The charging issue is pretty easy to figure out and not a hassle – you just need to think before you go on a long trip,” Jacob said. “I would really consider having one vehicle in the household go electric.”

The DC Fast Charger is standard on all 2022 Bolt EV and Bolt EUV models, and GM covers the cost of a level 2 charger with the purchase of a 2022 EV or EUV.

Jacob has been pleased with the roominess of the EUV for his son’s convertible car seat and other day-to-day cargo.

“The back is cool because it has an area to place groceries lower so they don’t roll around, and a little divider,” he said. “Even though it looks like a smaller car, it honestly is bigger than you think.”

He also noted the vehicle’s quickness (0 to 60mph in 6.5 seconds), and how open it feels due to its large windows.

He uses both the one-pedal driving and Regen on Demand paddle.

“If people are with me, I use the paddle and when by myself I one-pedal drive,” he said. “The one-pedal option can be different for passengers not familiar, so I just use the paddle.”

One-pedal driving allows a driver to slow the vehicle or bring it to a complete stop without using the brake pedal. There is an on-off button to engage the feature, so brake lights will function as if the driver is using the traditional hydraulic brakes.

When a driver uses the Regen on Demand paddle rather than the brakes, the vehicle uses the electric motor as a generator to capture the energy from its momentum and put that energy back into the battery.

There is still a lot of curiosity about EVs, and Jacob enjoys the questions and comments about his new whip.

“I think people are still getting used to me being an EV owner, but I have had some comments like, ‘I like the large (infotainment) screen,’ ‘This is much bigger on the inside than I thought,’ ‘I feel like I’m in a spaceship,’ and ‘Holy cow this is fast!’ Also people love the color,” he said.

Here’s Jacob’s advice to someone considering purchasing an EV:

“The EV market is going to continue to get bigger and become more popular,” he said. “We are a long way from all EV vehicles on the road, but it is the future of the car business and I highly recommend looking into it!”

Interested in becoming an EV owner? Shop Runde Auto Group’s EV inventory here.

Read the other posts in this series here and here.