From Diesel to Kilowatts: Our Road to an EV - Part 2

Electric? Never thought so.

For a long time, the idea of owning an electric car seemed completely out of the question. Spending that much money on a vehicle that could barely go 120–130 km (75–80 miles) on a charge? No thanks. It just didn’t seem practical. I had concerns about charging, battery degradation, winter performance, and of course—range anxiety.

From repair bills to rethinking

But over the past few years, we’d poured a small fortune into keeping our diesel cars on the road. Hours at the garage went into replacing clutches, flywheels, head gaskets, turbos, all sorts of electronic modules, and EGR valves—just to name a few. In total, we’d spent over 100,000 NOK on repairs in just 4–5 years. It was starting to feel hopeless.

A listing that changed everything

We still had a relatively new diesel car at the time—a Subaru built at the Toyota factory—and it was still under warranty. It worked well, and we were generally happy with it. But then I came across a listing from a dealership in Oslo: used electric cars at surprisingly low prices. Not just one model, but several within our budget. I reached out out of pure curiosity—and suddenly, the idea that had once felt impossible began to seem very real.

When the numbers add up

The dealership offered a better trade-in price for our Subaru than expected. That alone was a surprise, but when I crunched the numbers, things got really interesting. We could lower our monthly loan payments by about 1,000 NOK—and save nearly the same amount on fuel. Suddenly, an EV no longer felt like a futuristic gamble, but a financially smart decision.

We mainly used the car for short trips—groceries, school runs, errands. Exactly the kind of driving electric vehicles are perfect for. And the more I read, the more obvious it became that the world is moving in one direction: electric.

Goodbye diesel, hello future

We had a lot of conversations at home before deciding. We liked our current car, after all. But the idea of making a smart, forward-thinking choice weighed heavier.

Two weeks after seeing the listing, my eldest daughter and I were driving south to trade in the Subaru. That day marked the beginning of a new chapter—not just in terms of car ownership, but how we viewed mobility and everyday travel.