About This EV Blog

 

Saturn of Danvers

A Personal Blog About EV Ownership

A Different Kind of Electric Journey

Back in the late ’90s, General Motors released the EV1 — the first modern electric car. Officially, it wore the GM badge, but it was leased through Saturn dealerships. And let’s be honest… to those of us who loved Saturn’s different, forward-thinking vibe, the EV1 felt like a Saturn, even if the badge didn’t say so.

I wanted one more than anything. The problem? They weren’t offered in Massachusetts, and I wasn’t in a place in life to lease one anyway. So, my electric dream got parked for… oh, about two decades.

Fast-forward to today: the EV1 is long gone, Saturn dealerships have vanished, and I’m finally driving electric — in a 2020 Chevy Bolt. One day, while poking around the internet, I discovered that the old Saturn of Danvers dealership’s domain name was just sitting there, unclaimed. I figured, why not? If I couldn’t drive off their lot back then, I could at least take the sign now.

This blog is where I share my journey of learning about EVs, living with my Bolt, and experiencing the electric life I’d been dreaming about since the Clinton administration. Expect a mix of tips, adventures, charging station tales, occasional EV history rabbit holes, and maybe even a few Saturn Easter eggs.

So, welcome. The road here was long, the plug was short, and the dream is very much alive.

A Bit of History of the Dealership's Domain We Stole Borrowed.

Saturn of Danvers opened its doors in December 1992 at 24 Commonwealth Avenue, Danvers, MA, serving the North Shore community with both new and certified used vehicle sales, plus full financing services. As part of the Clair Automotive Group, it played a role in a regional network that started with a single Buick dealership and grew across New England. 

In 2007, ownership transferred to Prime Motor Group (now under the umbrella of Group 1 Automotive) when Prime acquired the Clair network—which included five Massachusetts dealerships and locations in New Hampshire and Maine. Today, Group 1 is a Fortune 500 company operating nearly 200 dealerships.