BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The high price of gasoline has more people considering a car they can plug in rather than fill up.

Northwest Chevrolet and Bellingham Nissan owner Xavier Cortes says prospective buyers of electric cars have a lot of options to choose from.

“Before it was just a little car and now you have SUVs, now you have sedans, you have a lot of inventory to choose from,” said Cortes.

All-electric cars have carried a pretty high price tag but he says that’s changing.

“The manufacturers, they know that’s an issue, and they’re working really hard to bring cars in the mid-range so people can afford to go and buy an electric car,” said Cortes. “Giving you options and different tax benefits to be able to afford these cars.”

He expects all-electric cars to account for about 50% of sales in the next five years.

And he says the only thing slowing down sales right now is availability.

Gas prices in Bellingham have officially shattered a record set over a decade ago.

According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of gas is $4.61 for Bellingham drivers.

To listen to the full interview with Xavier Cortes, visit our Podcast page.