The ultimate way to conclude a weekend road trip is certainly not by struggling to find an EV charger at a Sheetz gas station in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Picture this: it’s Memorial Day, and I find myself in a lackluster rental car, desperately trying to outmaneuver a Ford F-150 Lightning for that coveted charging spot. After a grueling half-hour wait, I finally swoop in like an eagle securing its prey, parking my sleek black Chevy Bolt EUV triumphantly. However, the joy of victory quickly fades as I realize my car needs a full hour to recharge before hitting the road again.
Frankly, this situation was quite unexpected. When I booked Hertz’s cheapest option, known as the “Manager’s Special,” I was anticipating a forgettable sedan, not an electric car. With no prior experience or guidance, my peaceful trip upstate quickly turned into a chaotic quest for public chargers in desolate parking lots, garages, and exclusive hotel outlets. It became an impromptu crash course in EVs for myself and my friends, who had no knowledge of CCS versus CHAdemo, the 80/20 rule, or Level 3 chargers. Perhaps you’ve also found yourself in a similar predicament, or maybe you will in the future.
After my disastrous weekend, I sought the advice of three rental-car experts. They were well aware of the surprise EV phenomenon, a consequence of the increasing prevalence of electric cars in the industry. While only a small percentage of Americans currently own an EV, Hertz plans to make a quarter of its fleet electric by the end of next year. These vehicles hold great potential for saving the planet, but my personal ordeal left me with an inexplicable urge to denounce them. Unexpectedly renting an EV tends to amplify the downsides of electric cars, particularly for those new to the concept. “You know, it’s really not smart,” commented Loren McDonald, an EV consultant. “If they’re out of gas cars, they’ve got to eliminate the surprise thing.” The intended transition away from gas vehicles can only succeed if people genuinely want to purchase EVs, as evident from government tax incentives and popular advertisements featuring Will Ferrell. Yet, for many, their first experience with an electric car will be during a rental-car trip rather than a traditional dealership visit.
EVs may work wonderfully for business travelers shuttling between the airport, hotel, and client meetings in their Teslas. However, the situation becomes significantly more complicated for road-trippers. The struggle lies in the fact that rental EVs rely on public charging infrastructure, unlike the majority of EV owners who conveniently charge their cars at home. Unless you’re fortunate enough to have access to overnight charging at your accommodations, you’ll be at the mercy of America’s limited public EV chargers.
Finding available chargers is a challenge, and even when you do, they may be occupied or faulty, often offering slower charging speeds than desired. When my Chevy Bolt neared empty during my trip through the Finger Lakes, the closest charger was blocked by a Tesla driver lingering after refueling. The next best option provided such slow charging that after four hours, my car gained a meager 70 miles of range—equivalent to what a gas pump could provide in less than 30 seconds for a similar-sized vehicle. While plenty of Tesla Superchargers appeared on Google Maps, none were compatible with my unfortunate Bolt.
Had I known in advance that I would be driving an EV, I would have meticulously planned my charging strategy instead of stewing in frustration at a Sheetz parking lot. Gasoline-powered car owners typically seek out the nearest fuel pump when running low, but for EV owners, every parking spot could potentially be a missed opportunity for a quick recharge. Due to the peculiarities of lithium-ion batteries, charging in small bursts can prove more time-efficient than charging in one lengthy session. Therefore, EV drivers compulsively check charging apps like Plugshare, Chargehub, and Chargeway for nearby stations. Compared to the convenience of refueling with gas, Ellen Kennedy, an expert on carbon-free transportation, emphasizes that “it’s just a completely different experience.”
Naturally, some guidance on these matters would have been helpful. However, all Hertz provided was a list of three nearby EV chargers, which did not suit my out-of-town journey. Loren McDonald insightfully compared this situation to a businessperson visiting an office-rental store in the late ’80s to find an IBM Selectric, only to be offered a Macintosh computer due to the lack of availability. Laura Smith, Hertz’s executive vice president of global sales and customer experience, mentioned that the company emails an online EV guide to every customer specifically renting an electric car. Unfortunately, as I received my EV as a surprise, I did not have access to this resource. Smith assures that Hertz has taken steps to address this issue by including QR codes on all EV keychains, leading to the online guide.
Currently, Hertz boasts one of the largest fleets of EVs worldwide, equipped with thousands of Teslas, Polestars, and GMs, with many more on order. It’s possible that Hertz may be excessively stocked with electric cars, as suggested by Jonthan Weinberg, the CEO of rental-car site AutoSlash. Consequently, if the desired car is unavailable, chances are high that you may end up with an EV instead. Browsing Hertz’s website confirms the prevalence of EVs across the nation. At New York’s JFK airport, the three most affordable rental-car choices are all EVs. At LAX, the cheapest option is an EV priced at $40 a day, compared to $88 for the Manager’s Special. Similarly, at Chicago’s Midway airport, all available cars are EVs.
Other industry leaders, including Avis and Enterprise, have not yet reached Hertz’s EV numbers. They offer EVs too, but in smaller quantities, typically as luxury vehicles. Lisa Martini, a spokesperson for Enterprise Holdings, which owns Enterprise, National, and Alamo, stated that they will not introduce a large number of EVs into their fleet until the customer experience aligns with their standards. It’s safe to assume this stance will change rapidly. Rental-car companies play a significant role in the purchase of new cars, accounting for about one-tenth of all new car sales in the United States. EVs present an enticing option due to their simpler maintenance requirements and significantly fewer moving parts. Furthermore, EVs demonstrate favorable residual value, a crucial factor when rental-car companies sell off their vehicles within a year or two. Sharky Laguana, the president of the American Rental Car Association, confirms that companies like his won’t wait until the eleventh hour to embrace EVs. “I think that we would want to be way ahead of it,” he asserts.
The automotive industry believes that an increase in EV rentals will convince individuals that continuing to rely on gasoline is not the way forward while preventing them from purchasing conventional cars that emit carbon for the next decade or more. After all, a car rental serves as an extended test drive. Hertz considers its EV adoption a critical step toward encouraging wider acceptance. Likewise, the CEO of GM views their partnership with Hertz as “a huge step forward for emissions reduction and EV adoption that will help create thousands of new EV customers for GM.” However, for this all to hold true, renting an EV must be a pleasant experience, not a last-minute surprise disrupting your entire trip.
It could have been different…
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