Real-time exposure of the challenges of EV use

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JHZR2

JHZR2

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Took a late flight to Seattle, going to a location about 70 miles away. I had Hertz, and the only vehicle they had was a Chevy bolt.

I’ve rented teslas many times before, so I didn’t think much of it. Big mistake. Literally sitting at a Walmart charging the thing for 48c/kWh as we speak.

They had no other cars. Line was super long. I took it not fearing EV based upon multiple good experiences with rental teslas. I asked how I can find a charger and they said the car will tell me. It doesn’t.

The car has 25% SOC when I got it. No big deal I thought. The car will show me where. It doesn’t.

My iPhone map will show me… Well, the chargers at the cell phone lot were out of order. I don’t have some app, and are relying on apple and Google maps and some random website.

Most chargers around here are 10kW convenience chargers at a store. I need to travel nearly 70 miles. It’s 3am according to my body.

Found a Walmart that had chargers that could go up to 350kW. Better, huh?!? Go there. Found the charge operational…

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So I’m pretty much stuck. The place I’m going has no charger. The place I’m at tomorrow doesn’t either.

So I guess I get to nap in the car and then drive.

Real-time idiocy of trying to run an EV…

To go from my house to the grocery store, or in a small circle, ok. For this? Just plain stupid. I should be sleeping now. Instead…

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At this time in my life, I can only see me/us driving an EV as a 2nd vehicle where we could charge at home and run the EV most of the day around town or a bit further. However, I don't want to pay $30K-$40K for a run-a-bout and we aren't yet ready to lease. I'd want what doesn't exist any longer!

If I were to buy, I'd want that < $15K subcompact hatchback for our 2nd vehicle for those errands of grocery shopping/big box or auto parts store, meeting the boys for coffee, jumping in a car to run out quickly and come back home. And those instances where parking is only in those less desirable parking spots.

I've said it many times. I love a little $#!+box car/hatch. I loved'ed in the '70s-'80s for what they were. They're perfect for that go to work and park the car for 8-12 hours just sitting there in a parking lot full of vehicles that are doing the same hourly shift/shift work. I have only had a few of these little cars in my life but not many, mainly due to needing vehicles that more suited our family & life style. But, I have always had a fondness for them. But as-far-as EV's? I'm not ready yet. We did however just purchase our first hybrid.
 
Torrid said:
Absolutely stupid they gave you a car with 25% charge.
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Here I agree. But again, compare this to a ICE vehicle rented out with a 1/4 tankfull. It would be nothing more than a minor inconvenience. That would take 5 minutes to rectify with a fill up, and be on your way.

And more than likely if you got and kept a receipt, they would have credited you with a refund when you returned it. No big deal. But with the EV, a "no big deal" was turned into a major, time consuming, real world inconvenience.
 
billt460 said:
Ahh yes, the ACTUAL REALITY of EV operation, while trying to get somewhere in the real world. It's always enlightening when reality and common sense rears it's ugly head.
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Or it's tail because it's simply a coin toss . 😊
 
billt460 said:
Here I agree. But again, compare this to a ICE vehicle rented out with a 1/4 tankfull. It would be nothing more than a minor inconvenience. That would take 5 minutes to rectify with a fill up, and be on your way.

And more than likely if you got and kept a receipt, they would have credited you with a refund when you returned it. No big deal. But with the EV, a "no big deal" was turned into a major, time consuming, real world inconvenience.
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I hope the rental place doesn't pull that stunt on me when we go to SC next month. I was emphatic not to rent an EV, and will go ballistic if they try and switch us to one. If I want an EV rental I'll ask for one. I value my vacation time and don't want to be jerking around with the hassle @JHZR2 had, I don't have that kind of patience. Even if they provided the car with a full charge, I'm not going to shop at WMT waiting for the car to charge after using it. What would make it even worse is if it has to returned fully charged, or there's some rip off rate for them to charge it. Call me the odd man out, they'd have to pay me to rent an EV, even then I'd pass. Flame suit on. ;)
 
This article is over a year old but it tells about the big EV push that the car rental companies are going through right now. You are not the only one going through this.

SeaTac airport is not the most convenient airport either. It doesn’t surprise me that the charger lot was out of service. That along with getting a 25% charged car put you in the hole from the beginning. Then there are the fees from renting at the airport. 😳


https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/18/how...n-is-starting-in-the-car-rental-industry.html
 
BMWTurboDzl said:
Back in the day this would be akin to giving you an ICE with 1/4 tank and all the gas stations along your route would be closed. Remember those days? I sure do.

The issue isn't the EV in itself, but giving you an EV which hasn't been fully charged.
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That is not the case today though. Lots of gas stations are open.

The other part if this is that the car couldn’t tell him where the chargers were as the counter person told him.

I believe there are chargers in downtown Seattle in the stadium district and Chinatown. Someone from out of town might use them. Those of us that are familiar with the area would not.
 
PimTac said:
That is not the case today though. Lots of gas stations are open.

The other part if this is that the car couldn’t tell him where the chargers were as the counter person told him.

I believe there are chargers in downtown Seattle in the stadium district and Chinatown. Someone from out of town might use them. Those of us that are familiar with the area would not.
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True but it took decades for that to happen no?

PimTac said:
The other part if this is that the car couldn’t tell him where the chargers were as the counter person told him.
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That's another problem as well, as well as having only 1 car available, If Hertz had no cars what would the OP have done?
 
BMWTurboDzl said:
True but it took decades for that to happen no?



That's another problem as well, as well as having only 1 car available, If Hertz had no cars what would the OP have done?
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Goto the next counter or walk? I always book ahead for a car, but realize maybe that wasn't possible.
 
BMWTurboDzl said:
True but it took decades for that to happen no?



That's another problem as well, as well as having only 1 car available, If Hertz had no cars what would the OP have done?
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There is always a what if or a but. What the OP went through is reality. In another thread members commented that nobody should be charging at night in a public place yet the OP was pushed into this scenario. Is it a one time instance? I’ll say it is not.
 
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