When Mack Hogan’s two-year Chevrolet Blazer EV lease neared its end, he planned to go back to gas. He told InsideEVs readers he set a ceiling of about $10,000 for his next vehicle, then concluded the opposite of where he started. In his InsideEVs essay published July 20, 2026, Hogan wrote, “I just couldn’t go back to gas.” The piece is trending again this week, and it lands in the middle of a messy year for US electric vehicle demand.
This is a small story with a large audience. Plenty of drivers will face the same lease-end choice in the coming years, and Hogan’s reasoning is a useful test case. He did not argue that EVs are cheaper or greener in a spreadsheet sense. He argued from experience, and that matters for anyone deciding what to drive next.
We break down what InsideEVs actually reported, what it left out, and how the numbers around it look. We also compare the realistic options a lease-end shopper faces, including the budget Chevrolet Bolt that Hogan rejected. For context on how that car performs on the highway today, see our look at the 2027 Bolt’s 75 mph range test. Our hardware coverage tracks the gear and vehicles behind the story.
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What InsideEVs Reported About Going Back to Gas
The essay’s author is Mack Hogan, and the publication is InsideEVs. The vehicle at the center is a Chevrolet Blazer EV that Hogan leased for two years. As the lease approached its end, he faced the usual fork: keep an EV or return to an internal-combustion car.
Hogan stated his budget plainly. “Ideally, I didn’t want to spend more than $10,000,” he wrote. That number shapes everything else in the essay, because it rules out most recent long-range electric vehicles and pushes a shopper toward older or cheaper options.
He considered the Chevrolet Bolt as the cheap electric route and rejected it. His stated reasons were the Bolt’s lack of fast charging and what he called “flimsy seats.” He then listed what he actually does with a vehicle: car camping, off-pavement driving, sleeping in it, and driving mountain roads without gasoline. He also said he could take “1,200-mile trips into rural Utah.”
The conclusion came in two lines. The first was the headline sentiment, “I just couldn’t go back to gas.” The second was broader: “I won’t ever buy a gas car as my daily driver ever again.” Those two quotes carry the whole piece. The rest is how he got there.
The Lease-End Math: A $10,000 Budget Meets the Used Market
A $10,000 ceiling is tight in any vehicle market. In the gas world it buys a high-mileage commuter. In the EV world it narrows the field further, which is why the Bolt entered the conversation at all. Hogan did not say in the material we could confirm what he finally bought, so we will not guess at it.
What we can say is how lease endings work in general. A lessee holds a contract that sets a purchase price at the end of the term, and that price can differ a lot from what the car would fetch on the open market. Hogan’s essay does not disclose his buyout figure or his monthly payment, and neither detail is confirmed here. Readers who want to run the same math should pull their own contract numbers and compare them with current local listings.
The wider market is shifting in the buyer’s favor in some respects. Automakers including Kia, Subaru and Hyundai are running overlapping 0% and sub-1% APR campaigns through early November 2026, according to our report on those EV financing deals, which cites Kelley Blue Book. A reported $15,325 in total savings on a 2026 Kia EV9 against a $54,900 sticker shows how aggressively dealers are moving new inventory. Those offers target new-car buyers, not $10,000 shoppers, but they pressure used prices too.
Why the Chevrolet Bolt Lost: Fast Charging and Flimsy Seats
On paper the Bolt looks like the obvious answer to a small budget. It carries a reputation as a budget EV, and it has a loyal owner base. Hogan still passed on it, and his reasons are specific. He pointed to the lack of fast charging and the seats.
Fast charging matters most to people who drive far from home. If you charge overnight and commute, a slower DC rate rarely bites. If you drive long distances into thin charging territory, as Hogan says he does, the gap between a car that tops up quickly and one that does not becomes a trip-planning problem. We do not have a confirmed charging rate, model year or battery size for the Bolt Hogan evaluated, so we treat his judgment as an opinion, not a spec comparison.
The seat complaint is subjective, but it echoes a pattern in owner feedback. In an August 2025 Torque News report, a 2023 Bolt EUV owner sold the car after 30,000 miles and moved to a Hyundai Kona EV. His reason was not range or price. He wanted rear-seat vents because his children were too hot. He reported a $23,000 trade-in offer from Carvana. Comfort details, it turns out, decide a lot of EV purchases.
The 1,200-Mile Test: Road Trips, Camping and Mountain Roads
The strongest part of Hogan’s case is the use case. He did not describe a short commute. He described 1,200-mile trips into rural Utah, camping, sleeping in the vehicle and driving mountain roads. Those are the situations critics usually say EVs handle badly.
That framing flips the common argument. The usual story says EVs suit city drivers and gas cars suit adventurers. Hogan, who lists off-pavement driving and car camping among his habits, says he wanted to stay electric anyway. We cannot verify how many charging stops those trips needed, and InsideEVs’ retrieved text does not provide that count. What the essay does establish is that a heavy-use owner reached a firm preference.
Charging infrastructure is the variable that decides whether his experience generalizes. Federal funding for chargers has been uneven. In Arizona, the state transportation department is administering $76.5 million through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, and its first three federally funded fast chargers recently opened along I-10, I-19 and I-8 after a stall that began with a February 2025 federal funding freeze, per Electrek. Rural corridors like the ones Hogan drives still depend on that kind of build-out.
13 or 14 Gas Cars in Seven Years: What That History Signals
Hogan’s most telling line is about his own track record. He wrote that he had owned “13 or 14 internal-combustion cars in the last seven years.” That is a car enthusiast’s churn, and it gives his verdict weight. He is not a first-time EV buyer who fell for novelty. He has tried plenty of gas cars and compared them against the Blazer EV from direct experience.
It also explains why the essay reads as a conclusion, not a pitch. A driver who cycles through that many vehicles tends to know what he values. Hogan values the way an electric powertrain drives and the freedom of not buying fuel on the road. Those are experiential reasons, and InsideEVs offers no cost comparison to back them up.
That distinction is the main caution for readers. Experience-driven choices are real, but they are not savings claims. The retrieved details contain no verified fuel-cost figures, maintenance savings, emissions numbers or total ownership cost comparison. We will not manufacture them.
What We Can Confirm and What We Cannot
Because this story travels fast on social feeds, details tend to drift. The table below separates what the fact sheet confirms from what it does not.
| Detail | What InsideEVs reports | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Author and outlet | Mack Hogan, InsideEVs, July 20, 2026 | Confirmed |
| Vehicle | Chevrolet Blazer EV on a two-year lease nearing its end | Confirmed |
| Budget | Ideally no more than $10,000 | Confirmed (author’s words) |
| Alternative | Chevrolet Bolt, rejected for lack of fast charging and flimsy seats | Confirmed (author’s words) |
| Trip range | 1,200-mile trips into rural Utah | Confirmed (author’s words) |
| Gas-car history | 13 or 14 internal-combustion cars in seven years | Confirmed (author’s words) |
| Bolt model year, battery, range, charge rate | Not in retrieved text | Unconfirmed |
| Purchase price, lease payment, final replacement | Not in retrieved text | Unconfirmed |
| Fuel, maintenance, emissions savings | No independently verified figures | Unconfirmed |
Two rows deserve emphasis. First, anyone quoting a specific Bolt range or charging speed in connection with this essay is adding information InsideEVs did not supply in the retrieved text. Second, anyone claiming Hogan saved a specific dollar amount is doing the same. Stick to what he said.
The Market Backdrop: EV Sales Fell 23.8% in the First Half
Hogan’s decision arrives in an awkward market. According to Cox Automotive figures reported by Automotive News and CarBuzz, Americans bought 462,892 all-electric vehicles in the first half of 2026, down 23.8% from a year earlier. EVs made up about 6% of new-vehicle sales in the latest quarter, compared with a reported high of 11% the previous year. Our coverage of the fall model wave from Rivian, Toyota and Subaru details the new products meant to reverse that slide.
Analysts cited by Automotive News and CarBuzz point to the expired federal tax credits, high auto-loan rates and the price gap with gas models as the main drags. When a $7,500 purchase incentive disappears, the same car costs thousands more overnight. That is the climate in which a $10,000 budget and a lease return get compared with a gas car.
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US all-electric sales, first half of 2026 | 462,892 units | Cox Automotive, via Automotive News and CarBuzz |
| Change versus first half of 2025 | Down 23.8% | Cox Automotive, via Automotive News and CarBuzz |
| EV share of latest-quarter new sales | About 6%, versus a reported 11% high | Automotive News and CarBuzz |
| California zero-emission share of cars and pickups | Roughly 1 in 12 | Los Angeles Times, Sept. 21, 2026 |
| California new cars sold that are fully electric | Nearly 1 in 6 | Los Angeles Times, Sept. 21, 2026 |
| California incentive for new and used EVs | $3,500 new, $1,750 used | Los Angeles Times, Sept. 21, 2026 |
| Kia EV9 0% APR deal, total reported savings | $15,325 on a $54,900 sticker | Kelley Blue Book, via our report |
Used EV Supply: California Incentives and a Global Pattern
The used market is where a $10,000 buyer actually shops. California offers a clear data point. The Los Angeles Times reported on September 21, 2026 that zero-emission vehicles make up roughly 1 in 12 cars and pickups on the state’s roads, and nearly 1 in 6 new cars sold there are fully electric. The state offers $3,500 off new EVs and $1,750 off used ones, and the paper noted these incentives give an instant discount, unlike the federal credits that expired in September.
Supply is building elsewhere too. In Australia, The Driven reported on October 25, 2026 that Carsales.com.au carries more than 11,000 battery-electric listings, with about 6,500 marked used or demo. That is roughly 4% of the site’s 160,000-plus used and demo vehicles, as we outlined in our analysis of Australia’s second-hand EV market. The share is small, but the direction matters. Every new EV sold today becomes a used one tomorrow.
For a lease-end shopper, more used supply means more comparison data and more dealer competition. It does not guarantee a $10,000 EV exists in a given zip code. It does suggest the entry points are multiplying, and Hogan’s conclusion looks less like an outlier each quarter.
Charging Is Still the Reason People Quit
Hogan’s story is one side of a real split. People do go back to gas, and their reasons cluster around charging access, power reliability and local costs. The cases below come from named outlets and show both directions.
| Case | Outcome | Stated reason | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mack Hogan, Blazer EV lessee | Stays electric | Could not go back to gas, even on a $10,000 budget | InsideEVs |
| Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, Ford Lightning | Swapped to a hybrid | Hard to find charging stations on the road | WCAX |
| 2023 Bolt EUV owner | Moved to Hyundai Kona EV | Rear-seat vents for his children | Torque News |
| Reddit EV owner, first gas stop in 2 months | Stays electric | Home charging beats pump stops | The Cool Down |
| Los Angeles Times reader with a BMW i3 | Left EVs | Rolling blackouts and a high power bill | Los Angeles Times |
The Vermont case is the sharpest counterpoint. WCAX reported on October 8, 2026 that Gov. Phil Scott, who made headlines four years earlier as the first governor to use an electric vehicle as his official state-issued vehicle, ditched his Ford Lightning last fall. He had put about 70,000 miles on it and found charging stations hard to locate on the road. He now drives a hybrid, remains an EV advocate, and said he would get another EV once the technology and infrastructure improve.
The LA Times readers add texture. One reader who owned a BMW i3 said rolling blackouts and a $750 power bill pushed her out of EVs. Another reader described a Chevy Bolt EV as the most satisfying object they had ever purchased, citing quiet driving, quick acceleration and simple maintenance. Both accounts come from a newsletter roundup of about 30 responses, so they illustrate sentiment instead of measuring it.
Rural reach is the common thread. The Cool Down’s write-up of the Reddit thread shows commenters split along familiar lines. Fans praised home charging and skipping the pump. Skeptics cited winter charging slowdowns, road-trip planning and limited rural charging. Hogan’s Utah trips sit squarely in the skeptics’ territory, which is why his verdict stands out.
Even Defectors Often Stay Electric
The Bolt EUV owner who left for a Kona EV did not leave electric driving. He swapped one EV for another over a comfort feature. In his own post, as quoted by Torque News, he said his first Bolt in 2020 convinced him he was never going back to gas or hybrid. That sentiment echoes Hogan almost word for word.
This pattern matters for the market. Industry talk often frames EV churn as people abandoning the technology. Many of the individual stories point to something narrower: owners switching models, trims or brands while staying plugged in. Gov. Scott’s move to a hybrid is the exception that proves how much charging access shapes the decision.
We cannot size this effect. No survey in our verified sources measures the share of owners who return to gas versus those who switch EVs. Anecdotes from InsideEVs, Torque News and the LA Times support the pattern without proving it.
What Owners and Executives Say About Never Going Back
Hogan is not alone in using this language. Several drivers and executives have said versions of the same thing in public. We limit this section to quotes from our verified quotes file, and we name each speaker and outlet.
Automotive writer Daniel Golson, writing on InsideEVs, said after driving numerous gas-powered cars that he no longer wanted to drive them. His summary: “The power and serenity offered by an electric powertrain is unmatched.”
Peter Faricy, CEO of Slate Auto, made a similar argument from the seller’s side while discussing his company’s low-cost EV strategy, in remarks reported by Yahoo Finance. He said: “Once they have an EV, they’re never going to go back to an internal combustion engine vehicle.” Faricy has a commercial interest in that view, so read it as a business bet and not a neutral finding.
Early adopter Darell Dickey, quoted in a CleanTechnica roundup of long-term EV drivers, offered the oldest version. Dickey described moving from the GM EV1 to a Nissan Leaf and said: “Started driving EV as our main car in 2001 with the EV1, and will never go back to a gasoline car.” That roundup dates to 2015, so treat it as history, not current market data. It does show how long the never-go-back sentiment has existed.
All three statements share a trait with Hogan’s essay. They are testimonials, not measurements. They tell you what drivers feel, and they come from people who chose electric in the first place. That selection effect is worth keeping in mind.
How the Options Compare for a Lease-End Shopper
A driver at the end of a two-year EV lease has four realistic paths. None of them is free of trade-offs, and the right one depends on how far you drive and where you charge. We compare them using only what our sources establish.
Buy Out the Lease or Return It
Buying out the lease keeps a car you already know. The risk is overpaying if the contract’s buyout price exceeds market value. Returning the car gives you freedom but puts you back in the market, which is where Hogan found himself. His budget cap suggests the buyout did not fit, though the retrieved text does not say so directly.
Buy a Budget EV Like the Bolt
The Bolt is the budget standard-bearer, and owners praise it. One LA Times reader who owns a Bolt EV loves it. Hogan, by contrast, rejected it over fast charging and seats. For highway behavior on the newest version, our 2027 Bolt range analysis reports that InsideEVs saw 197 miles on one charge at a steady 75 mph with side-street driving added, against a 262-mile EPA combined estimate, while Car and Driver logged 230 miles in a Bolt RS. That is a different model year from whatever Hogan weighed, so do not read it as a verdict on his choice.
Go Hybrid or Back to Gas
A hybrid answers the charging-anxiety problem. Gov. Scott chose it for exactly that reason. Gas vehicles keep the lowest friction for long rural trips, which is the case for going back. The cost is the experience Hogan says he could not give up, plus the trade-offs an LA Times reader raised about finding mechanics trained on hybrids in areas like Palm Springs.
Historical Context: From the EV1 to a $10,000 Budget
The never-go-back story is not new. Dickey’s 2001 EV1 reference shows early adopters made similar declarations a quarter century ago. What changed is the buyer. Back then, committed drivers were rare and often experimenting. Today, a lessee with a $10,000 budget can plausibly consider an EV as the practical choice.
The policy picture has also swung hard. A February 2025 federal freeze stalled charger funding in Arizona and elsewhere. Federal purchase credits expired in September, according to the LA Times, and California stepped in with its own instant discounts. The result is a patchwork where the same car can feel cheap in one state and expensive in another.
Seen against that history, Hogan’s essay marks a quiet shift. The argument for EVs used to lean on environmental motives or novelty. A driver with 13 or 14 gas cars behind him now makes it on driving feel and usability alone. Whether that holds as incentives fade is the open question.
Five Predictions for Lease-End EV Buyers
The following are our editorial judgments, not reported facts. We base them on the patterns above and attach no figures we cannot source.
- Fast charging becomes a standard used-buyer filter. Hogan rejected the Bolt partly over it, and shoppers who travel will do the same.
- Comfort details decide more purchases. Rear vents and seat quality moved owners in both the Torque News and InsideEVs stories.
- Charging reliability stays the top reason for defection. Gov. Scott’s switch and the Reddit skeptics point the same direction.
- Lease-return supply keeps widening used choice. The Australian and California data suggest more entry points, not fewer.
- Affordable new EVs get more attention. Falling sales and the Rivian, Toyota and Subaru launches suggest automakers will push lower-priced models to win buyers like Hogan.
The takeaway: the biggest uncertainty is not demand for EVs among people who already own one. It is whether the charging network and used prices make the switch easy for everyone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote the essay about not going back to gas?
Mack Hogan wrote it for InsideEVs, and the publication date was July 20, 2026. The essay follows his decision as his two-year Chevrolet Blazer EV lease neared its end.
What budget did Hogan set for his next vehicle?
He said he ideally did not want to spend more than $10,000. The retrieved details do not confirm a purchase price, lease payment or the vehicle he ended up with.
Why did he reject the Chevrolet Bolt?
He cited the Bolt’s lack of fast charging and what he called flimsy seats. We have no confirmed Bolt model year, battery size, range or charging rate tied to his evaluation.
Does the essay prove EVs cost less than gas cars?
No. The essay is experiential. Nothing in the retrieved information offers independently verified fuel-cost savings, maintenance savings, emissions figures or an ownership-cost comparison.
Do some EV owners go back to gas?
Yes. WCAX reported that Vermont Gov. Phil Scott swapped his Ford Lightning for a hybrid after finding charging stations hard to locate on the road. He still supports EVs and said he would buy another when charging and technology improve.
How are US EV sales doing in 2026?
Cox Automotive figures reported by Automotive News and CarBuzz show 462,892 all-electric vehicles sold in the first half of 2026, down 23.8% from the prior year. EVs held about 6% of new-vehicle sales in the latest quarter.
Can an EV owner switch models and still stay electric?
Many do. Torque News described a Bolt EUV owner who sold his car after 30,000 miles and moved to a Hyundai Kona EV for rear-seat vents, while saying he was never going back to gas or hybrid.
