Wall Street Journal EV rental cars

[Bouldergramp]

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/electric-vehicle-rentals-tesla-hertz-38ecd430?st=q6oe98lsgolu835&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

 

[WetEV]

I rented two EV6's this summer from Hertz.

The first was 80% charged. The hotel had free 7kW charging. Supposedly for guests, but they were not checking and lots of other people were using the chargers. Charged up twice, once for local driving to 80%, and once for the run to the airport to 100%. I returned the car with 80%.


The second was 55% charged. This might have been a problem, but I could make it to the hotel that night, and had time and range the next day for a detour to a charging location. We were going into a EV desert. Very little public charging in Western Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Last two nights, in Maine and near airport had hotel charging. I should have charged to 100% for free in Maine, and skipped the second hotel's charging. The second hotel had 5 chargers, only one (maybe two) seemed to work. Two were powered down, one had Chademo only, one had a car-share driver plugged in, not charging and sleeping. I don't know, but speculate that he was plugged in so he could sleep in the hotel lot near Boston Logan Airport without being hassled. Or he plugged in to charge, and just fell asleep. I returned the car with 72%. Hertz only required 5% less that when I got the car, so return with 50% would have been allowed.


I liked the EV6. What I didn't like is having to wait an hour to talk to a person, as Hertz was checking to see if I really wanted an EV. And then getting 55% battery.

I never used to rent from Hertz, only started because they offer EVs.

There is a real learning curve with EV driving/charging. Tesla has the driving issue, as they have crazy bad ergonomics. Other EVs have charging issues. As this wasn't my first rodeo, I had no real problem with a road trip. But I can see how someone might.

The first trip shows a sweet spot for rental EVs: hotel charging, and close enough to airport to return with 75% or more. Nicer than ICE.

Road trips are less ideal. While I had the NE trip planned, I was expecting to start with 80%. Having to either stop the first night or go 10 miles out of my way for a charge were both bad choices. I chose to go out of my way. Charging stops in utility office parking lots, miles to anything, so wait in car. Other than this, and the last hotel charging, things went as smoothly as with an ICE.

 

[SpaceCadet]

I bet we see concierge hotel charging pretty soon. You don't really need a full-on charging station that's limited to reaching 1-2 parking spaces. Instead, you just need a 220V loop, a 10AWG (or better) 220V 150' extension cable, and a portable level-2 charger. The night clerk (or whomever) can plug in your car for a fee and add that and the electricty to your room bill. With one or two 220 outlets a motel could get 4 to 6 EV's charged overnight and make a couple hundred dollars more every day. I bet many EV owners would pay $50 + electricity to not have to get up at 4AM and unplug, or see if the charger is free.

 

[WetEV]

I bet we see concierge hotel charging pretty soon. You don't really need a full-on charging station that's limited to reaching 1-2 parking spaces. Instead, you just need a 220V loop, a 10AWG (or better) 220V 150' extension cable, and a portable level-2 charger. The night clerk (or whomever) can plug in your car for a fee and add that and the electricty to your room bill. With one or two 220 outlets a motel could get 4 to 6 EV's charged overnight and make a couple hundred dollars more every day. I bet many EV owners would pay $50 + electricity to not have to get up at 4AM and unplug, or see if the charger is free.

Would make more sense to just install a wall of charging stations. I've decided not to complain about paying more for hotel charging, as it is just so nice to start the day with a full battery...And the more money they are making the more likely it is that I get a charge.