Just arrived to Florida for a 2 week stint. Prior to arriving we had booked a compact car rental through Dollar (via Expedia). Didn’t know we were getting an EV, but that’s what we got without paying more (scummy tactics, but that’s an aside).
So we have this Chevy Bolt, which is actually kinda cool and enjoyable to drive. However, we’re definitely not going to go far on a charge and will need to refill at least a few times.
Downloaded Plugshare, and looked for charging stations close to our hotel (which unfortunately does not have charging). OMG I feel sick to my stomach at what charging is going to cost us. Nearby chargers are “$5 fee plus $0.50/minute” or even “$10 per hour”.
Any advice for how to make this EV rental at least as cost effective as a gas car?
It’s only fun until you need to charge, if you’ve been slammed into a rental EV.
I urge you: Get into full Incredible Hulk angry and return the car to the nearest location and take a gas car. You’re just going to repeat all the same novice mistakes. Just return the car now before it poisons you for EVs forever.
No. That does not work. This is the root of your pain. Charging at the hotel is absolutely critical to travel success with an EV. It brings the car to 100% while you sleep and is typically free. Every single non-consensual renter who’s come on here has been “I can’t (don’t want to) change hotels”. Of course you don’t, but refusal will be costly.
But on the bright side, you don’t have to change hotels! LOL! Seriously. This mentality “I won’t change hotel” is corrosive. It’s going to force you to chunk out 2-3 hours out of every day to go deal with charging. You might be able to parley it into a family outing to a restaurant, but it’ll take planning and luck. Better to use PlugShare and its reviews (and a phone) to pick a better hotel.
Those private charge stations - e.g. who intend it for internal or customer use, but will begrudgingly help a traveler in a jam. Thus the price is deterrent mode. Treat these stations as if they do not exist.
Set a few filters in PlugShare: Turn off plugs you can’t use - Tesla(fast), and Tesla if a Tesla Tap wasn’t provided. Also go “Hide restricted access” to cross off many private sites.
As far as stations that really want to be players in public charging, look for many stalls - I see City Mattress at 2421 Tarpon Bay Blvd in the Target parking lot near Chilis and Panera (and more restaurants on the wrong side of a non-crossable road) – and Electrify America at 9885 Collier Blvd in the Walmart parking lot near another Chilis and a few other restaurants. These are both DC fast chargers, going 50 kW on a Bolt, so ~1 hour to charge. These are orange in PlugShare. “Walmart and Target are too far, I don’t want to spend an hour there” -> but again, think of the money you’re saving on hotels! Seriously, carefully research what is nearby and find a way to include activities. Do not sit there at or in the vehicle, go do something!
In Palm Beach they’re all over the place. Look for the orange in Plugshare.
And these stations are going to be pretty much break-even with the cost of gasoline.
A warning about Electrify America: they’re owned by Volkswagen, and they convinced several automakers to give away X years of free electricity with new cars. As such, EA stations tend to be choked with locals only there for the free juice. Don’t go “there’s a queue of 8 cars at the EA station, surely all will be the same” - nope, only EA.
Thank you!