We all know that renting an electric vehicle while traveling can be very frustrating for those who don’t already own one. There are so many things to learn about the charging process for a novice that doing so while under stress from travel and being out of one’s personal charging area can be daunting. However, that’s not what this story is about. This article will examine the frustrations of EV owners and experts and the frustrations they also endure when they try to do “the right thing” and rent an EV while traveling.
DM was kind enough to grant us permission to highlight his post at a popular Facebook EV group. Here is DM’s full statement, which we paraphrased in our title block:
I'm currently traveling and renting a Bolt from Dollar (which is owned by Hertz). I should've realized that I would have to return the car fully charged. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been suckered by the low rate. Not wanting to sit around a charging station for hours, I paid an extra $35 to allow myself to return it less than fully recharged. Without the up-front $35, they would charge me $70 for any charge level below 100%. I understand the rental companies' problem. Having an uncharged car out of circulation costs them money. But for a lot of people, that's a deal breaker.
What DM has articulated is not a lack of knowledge about how frustrating it is to charge an EV, but rather a complete understanding of the process. DM knows that charging a Chevy Bolt - even on a DC charger - can easily span a timeframe of more than an hour. I’ve done it myself with Bolts I have tested. In addition, when driving a Chevy Bolt I have encountered out-of-service public Level 2 chargers, and I was one of many who experienced a failed mobile charger. The Bolt was the very first affordable EV in America that offered three viable charging options, and since it was a trailblazing model (if you will pardon the Chevy pun), it was also one that many of us learned about charging failures on and how to pivot when they happen.
Before we go too much further, let’s be crystal clear about one thing. I love the Bolt line of products. I named it the Best Overall EV for three years running at another publication. I sing the Bolt's praises as loudly as possible. It’s a great car, and I think GM did American and Chevy buyers a grave disservice in canceling it without a $30K replacement on lots.
Let’s take a look at some other members of the group who added their thoughts under DM’s post. SC added, “Hertz once tried to give me a Bolt...I was like, that is a big no.” TM said, “I love my EV, I could not imagine ever renting one unless I had access to overnight level II charging. How is anyone ever supposed to return the car at 100%? That's not possible unless the charger is in their parking lot.” GP typed, “Renting an EV is not good. I own 2 EVs and I don't think I would rent an EV unless I could charge at the place I was staying at.”
As you can see, these are EV enthusiasts who don’t want one when they rent a vehicle while traveling. But we should balance this story by saying that many of the members in the group commented that in their personal experience, the policy for returning EVs was not 100% SOC, but 70%.
If we could depart from the Bolt for a moment, I’d like to share with our readers a comment posted by a colleague of mine who I follow on LinkedIn. He gave us permission to share this. David Traver Adolphus wrote:
I rented a Pacifica (plug-in) hybrid, and it came with a hybrid battery at 1% charge. Shouldn't Enterprise treat that exactly like it does a tank of gas—if I'm paying for a car with x gallons of gas in it and I'm expected to return it with the same amount or pay an exorbitant refill fee, surely that should go for the battery as well. I have a long early morning trip to take tomorrow and I want all the range I can get, so I'm charging it at home.
What David says here is very interesting and also educational. It would seem as if some rental vehicle agencies don’t practice what they preach. In some cases, the electric or electrified vehicles are not fully energized when they are provided for rent. This was echoed in a comment by a Bolt club top contributor, who wrote, “I rented a Volvo EV from Hertz, and they just had me return it with the same SOC. I wasn't thrilled that I picked it up with 24% SOC, but I was glad it wasn't at 99%.”
Commenting under David’s post, one person shared their experience which we will paraphrase for anonymity. Their comment was along the lines of “I rented a Tesla from National. At pickup, it was at about 15% charge.” Can you imagine if that range was not enough range to get you to your first meeting? Or to the hotel? How would you feel if that happened?
Unlike with a liquid-fueled vehicle, being provided a rental plug-in vehicle with a low state of charge puts you in an immediate time crunch. You cannot simply turn any corner and add hundreds of miles of range in under two minutes as you can with a hybrid-electric or conventionally-powered vehicle. If you are a novice, you may need first to locate the nearest (available and working) DC charger, learn how it operates, and then download an app into which you will need to enter your credit card information. Some do have card swipe payment capability, but many we have used don’t. We have never seen a level 2 public charger with a card swipe payment system.
It is no longer current news that Hertz has been ditching its Tesla EVs for a long list of reasons. Charged EVs posted a detailed story on this topic that included,
“Unhappy campers have reported problems—cars delivered with low batteries, missing charging adapters, poorly functioning apps—that point to a lack of proper training on Hertz’s part.”
Author's Thoughts On Renting an EV
You may be curious about how your author personally feels about renting EVs, and my answer may surprise you. I find EVs to be among the best vehicles to drive of any type I test. When I was an on-the-road salesperson traveling full-time, I would always try to rent a different vehicle when possible. It’s how I came to respect Asian and European brands. In fact, I rented a Toyota Highlander shortly before buying one. I even bought the same trim and color! If you are traveling in an area that has ample charger coverage and your schedule is wide open, I’d suggest trying an EV. See if you like not just the car, but the time you spend charging it in public. If you live in a shared space like an apartment, multifamily, or condo and don’t have your own charger to use, this is an experience you will be faced with a couple times each week.
Here are some EV rental tips from a ten-year EV testing veteran:
- Look at Google Maps near your destination. Search for DC chargers.
- Note how many are free and how many are occupied. This will help you understand if you will need to wait to charge in that area.
- Download about 12 individual apps and create payment credentials on them. Here are my apps.
- Read over some articles about charging in public. Learn the etiquette.
Electric vehicles come with challenges and renting one can help to uncover these. Unfortunately, the time pressures and uncertainties around travel can amplify some of the difficulties around living electric. That doesn’t mean it’s not for you. Just be aware of the challenges and have plans to overcome them.
What’s your opinion on renting a plug-in car when you travel to a strange location? Would you see the issues as challenges or roadblocks?
If you have rented an EV, tell us how much experience you had with EVs before renting. How did it go? Your comments may help a fellow traveler.
John Goreham is a credentialed New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work on his personal X channel or on our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ grammar and punctuation software when proofreading and he also uses image generation tools.
Top of page photo and image inside of story by John Goreham.
Comments
Driving EVs exclusively…
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Driving EVs exclusively since 2011, I prefer renting EVs when I travel. I've found the rental company staff completely ignorant about EVs, no mobile connector in the cars and usually no DC chargers at the reantal location.
A first-timer to EVs renting one would be a nightmare and the rental companies put in zero effort to educate their staff. As private EV ownership increases, the situation will improve.
Thank you, Brian. I believe…
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In reply to Driving EVs exclusively… by Brian Keez (not verified)
Thank you, Brian. I believe you are right about the situation improving over time.
Interesting points about…
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Interesting points about rental EVs. I recently benefited from this reality by picking up a less than 1 yr old Bolt from Hertz for less than ½ cost new. As noted, while the Bolt may have some shortcomings, it’s a fantastic EV! Affordable, many advanced features and a hoot to drive as long as you’re not road tripping, which is a challenge with all EV’s IMO.
Anyway, I think Hertz recognizes the issues with rental EV fleets & is backing off.
Lucky! The Bolt is a great…
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In reply to Interesting points about… by Groff Gordon (not verified)
Lucky! The Bolt is a great deal, even at sticker price. Half off is amazing. Best of luck!
I would agree for the most…
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In reply to Interesting points about… by Groff Gordon (not verified)
I would agree for the most part. My Honda Prologue is easy to drive and is great on the road. Finding quick charging stations near my destinations can be a problem. Traveling no more than 100 miles from home is my choice and charging at home works for me.
National Grid promised a discount. A myth for my vehicle. Still, I enjoy it.
Thank you for your first…
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In reply to I would agree for the most… by Norman Immerman (not verified)
Thank you for your first-hand insights, Norman. My own experience matches what you describe.
Wow, your hotel is over 200…
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Wow, your hotel is over 200 miles from the rental. that would really suck. even with a gasoline car.
Indeed, Madcrew. However,…
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In reply to Wow, your hotel is over 200… by Madcrew Trader (not verified)
Indeed, Madcrew. However, the issue is not that the vehicle would have a full charge and be far away, but as multiple EV owner/renters pointed out, the vehicle is often provided with very low state of charge. Meaning one may have to immediately charge before heading to one's first destination after the airport.
No. They will tell you when…
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No. They will tell you when you sign about the charging.
They are almost saying it…
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They are almost saying it out loud. Earlier this week they said they won’t make future cars with stainless steel. Now they will cover the stainless for free. Hope they offer it to existing owners.
Now they need to take the last step and say “Elon made a mistake”.
Rented a Bolt from Hertz our…
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Rented a Bolt from Hertz our last trip to LA. The price was half of an ICE car. It was a huge PITA. Charge stations were either out of order, full, or once connected, would not sync and start charging.
My wife threatened divorce if I ever rented an electric car again. Lol
I have been driving an EV…
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I have been driving an EV for 5+ years. I was offered an EV for a recent Hertz rental in FL but declined for one reason: After carefully checking the vehicle, a L1 / L2 charging cord was NOT provided. I was staying at a friend's house where I could have charged overnight. Note that the Hertz web site infers that this cable should be in the car. The Hertz attendant explained the cords are frequently stolen. Maybe Hertz needs to make these cords optional requiring a deposit that is refunded when returned. At any rate, no L1 / L2 cable was a deal breaker for me.