Returning half-charged electric cars to rental agencies

[honoreitiscom]

From engaget.com.


Will rental car companies ding you for returning half-charged electric vehicles? Enterprise won't.

Here's a shocker in more ways than one. Earlier this month, Enterprise Rent-A-Car announced that it would soon be offering Chevrolet's Volt at the company's Mark Christopher Auto Center in Ontario, California, and we reasonably assumed that renters best watch out for any unforeseen charges that may arise from returning it with a dead (or near-dead) stash of batteries. For anyone who has rented a gasoline-powered automobile in the past score, you'll know that returning a whip with a fuel tank that's just 90 percent full won't quite cut it, and you'll be stuck ponying up for your oversight. Thankfully -- at least at Enterprise -- a similar surcharge setup will not be applied to electric vehicles. Lisa Martini, a spokesperson for Enterprise, got in touch with us to clarify the outfit's plans, and they're shockingly consumer-friendly:

"[Enterprise] does not plan to charge customers for bringing back EVs without a full charge. Enterprise is installing charging stations at locations that will offer EVs, and plans to charge the vehicles once they're returned."

That pretty much sums it up for at least one major rental company, and we can only hope that everyone else publishes similar intentions before their accountants publish something to the contrary.

Power to the people, eh?

volt-deliveries-1295106667.jpg

[scottf200]

That is a little surprising...but what would they charge an extra ~$1.50? After all that is what would cost them. 12kW*(their cost per kW) I think.

[Mark Z]

How could they charge? You can't drive the Volt and not use the battery. What Enterprise will expect is a full tank of fuel, and with the Volt there will be no fooling around since the gauge starts counting down the mileage right away. My display registered 300 miles after the last fill up, but that required some topping off.

Imagine how many more Volts will be ordered and sold once renters get behind the wheel of a Volt!

One warning to Enterprise. They better warn the drivers NOT to accidentally push the power button twice while driving! Teaching them how to use the parking brake would help, along with showing where the power door locks are and how to refuel. The waiting for refuel light and the single click gas cap are unique.

[hamchief]

If a Volt is returned with a depleted battery, then it'll have to sit for a few hours before they can rent it again.
If I can rent an Impala for $60/day, how much willa Volt cost?

[unplugged]

If a Volt is returned with a depleted battery, then it'll have to sit for a few hours before they can rent it again.
If I can rent an Impala for $60/day, how much willa Volt cost?

No doubt, the Volt will be rented out as a specialty car, and priced accordingly. Sitting around for a few hours, and the cost of charging will be included in the rental fee.

[chex]

Hi, I found this thread searching for info renting a Volt. I called Enterprise at LAX, and as of May 2012, they told me they no longer rent EV's from that location. I am looking at renting from MPG rentals in LA area, for $130/day + insurance. ouch.

From engaget.com.


Will rental car companies ding you for returning half-charged electric vehicles? Enterprise won't.


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[tboult]

Think of it as having a prepaid fuel option, which enterprise will provide with any car.. its just built into the cost.
The real cost for them is not the power, it the labor and time.

[Toasty]

i saw a leaf at my local hertzs service center, when i called and asked to rent it, they said they dont have one. they are clueless on the phone