With all the news around Hertz ditching their supply of electric vehicles (EVs), getting behind the wheel and experiencing an EV firsthand can have a big impact. Rental cars are a great opportunity to try something new. Here, Kate from North Carolina shares how renting an electric vehicle sparked her journey toward EV ownership. 
Inspiration at the Rental Car Counter
About a year ago I made the decision to go electric. It wasn’t a Super Bowl commercial that inspired me to make the switch, but a visit to the rental car counter.
We rented an EV while on vacation and really enjoyed the car. We were in the market for a new car and considered gas versus electric in our shopping. From our positive experience with the rental, discussions about the cost-savings of going electric, and the safety benefits of the car, it was an easy choice.
Since then, I’ve loved the savings and simplicity. No more stops at the gas station, or overly expensive road trips. I plug in at home to top off what energy was used, can easily see my monthly or annual savings in the app and know that while prices of daily living are up, we’ve been able to save on our traditional expenses of gas compared to previous years.
Getting to “test drive” the EV at the rental company helped address some of my initial concerns such as range, charging ability on trips, and adding time to charge extending total travel time. Owning an EV has addressed these concerns and misconceptions were never a real issue. We’ve had the ability to charge when and where we needed, and charging times haven’t been an issue.
I live in Eastern North Carolina and use my EV pretty much like I used my old gas car. Daily use is to and from home and school drop off and pick up with our kids, shopping, and local town travel. The majority of charging is done at home. If we’re traveling out of town, we’ve found charging stations easy to access and haven’t encountered any issues with accessibility.
If you have the opportunity to rent or test drive an EV, I highly suggest it. I was shocked to see how much luggage we could pack in the car’s storage spaces, amazed how comfortable and spacious the car was for our family, and loved every aspect of the drive.
I can’t see changing back to a gas car after having had such a great experience with our EV. — Kate, North Carolina
My advice to someone considering an EV is to talk to owners of the EV you’re considering about the pros and cons and go for a drive. I have several friends and neighbors ready to switch soon! I can’t see changing back to a gas car after having had such a great experience with our EV.
