Faces, Places & Voices Of PVREA: Jesse Dillon

Meet Jesse Dillon, PVREA Member, & DrivEV Smart Charging Rewards Participant

Poudre Valley REA supports member needs by providing the programs and services that fit your lifestyle. Our innovative DrivEV Smart Charging Rewards program helps members like Jesse who can now reap the benefits of charging their electric vehicle during off-peak energy use hours and receive bill credits in return.

Jesse and his family originally decided to purchase an EV after moving outside the city and realizing their driving habits had changed.

“We bought it because we moved out into the country,” Jesse said. “But our kids are still going to school in Fort Collins. Still playing with kids in Fort Collins. So, we were driving back and forth about 50 miles per day.”

They opted for a Kia Niro, an all-electric subcompact crossover SUV that has a range of more than 250 miles on a single charge.

“I think EVs have a purpose, especially for a town car,” explained Jesse.

As his driving habits had changed, Jesse and his family were able to recognize an opportunity to make the change and save on fuel costs.

“Shortly after we bought it, we hit a deer with it,” Jesse said. “We had to use our 4Runner to go in and out of town and we were spending eighty to one hundred bucks a week.”

Using their gas-powered vehicle for their normal commute was costing them up to $400 per month. Compare that to the $50 to $60 increase Jesse reported seeing in their monthly electric bill, and it’s easy to see the financial impact switching fuels can make.

Jesse searched for programs and incentives online and saw the available EV charger rebates offered by PVREA.

“The rebate paid for half of my charger,” Jesse said. “I got it, and the process was pretty easy to get reimbursed for that.”

After submitting his at-home EV charger rebate, Jesse was contacted by PVREA to explore other programs and incentives that could help him manage his energy and potentially save money.

DrivEV Smart Charging Rewards was an option that best fit their lifestyle and offered them an opportunity to save money on their electric bill each month.

By participating in DrivEV Smart Charging Rewards, Jesse now gets $0.02 off per kWh used to charge his EV during the program’s preferred charging times. Most members in the program see an average monthly savings of $8 to $10.

“We moved out of town. We needed something to drive back and forth to town. So, we got an EV. At the time, there were incentives both through the government and PVREA that made sense to us.”

While electric vehicles might not make sense for everyone, for some they can enhance your quality of life by providing alternative transportation means, reduced fuel costs, or lower carbon emissions.

Whatever the reason for owning or leasing an EV, always remember that Poudre Valley REA offers programs and services that allow you to easily manage your energy use and make smart decisions for your family.