Electric rental car breaks down, traps Gurnee mom, daughter inside
They turned to CBS 2 Investigators for help after they then got stuck with a big bill.
www.cbsnews.com
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Rental car companies are increasingly adding electric vehicles to their fleets. Hertz alone has, so far, bought 56,000. But these cars can have unique challenges for drivers. One mother and daughter found out the hard way while on a trip to look at several colleges around the country.
Becky Liebau and her 16 year old daughter, from the Village of Gurnee, found themselves trapped on the side of a road when their electric rental car died. They were trapped inside the vehicle too.
"We go to open the door and the car doors won't open," said Liebau. "The doors were locked."
No help came.
"I have never driven an electric vehicle and it would not have been my first choice," said Liebau. "It was quite the disaster."
The problem started when a Hertz rental agent told her they overbooked and all they had left was an electric vehicle. She had reserved a gas-powered sedan.
"He said, 'The only thing I have is a Tesla. It's the only other car, otherwise we have nothing here. Do you want to take this Tesla'," said Liebau.
This happened at closing time. Liebau was stranded, desperate and took the Tesla. She had never driven an electric vehicle.
"My daughter was using her phone to Google how to operate the car overall," said Liebau adding the car was not ready for driving.
The tires needed air and Liebau soon learned the battery was less than half way charged.
"I know it had 90-some miles and that was it," she said.
The pair were driving mostly in rural areas and could not find any Tesla charging stations. They found other types of charging stations, but those required a special adapter. Hertz never provided one. As they continued to search for a Tesla station, the car went completely dead.
Liebau said they were locked inside the vehicle and called the Hertz roadside assistance number for help. But they didn't get any.
I understand that there is an emergency door release on the arm rest. But hey.....Reason #87 to carry a gun: Tesla emergency window opener.
What I don't get is why they have to do things like electric doors that won't easily open when the power dies without hunting for a emergency release......Especially on a rental......Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
BTW.....Hertz used to provide the adaptor thingy but they kept getting stolen.
