Sponsored

Which car rental to get an idea?

Pherdnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2019
Threads
32
Messages
640
Reaction score
753
Location
Chicago
Vehicles
2015 Mazda CX-9
I'm new to EVs and pickups. Which to rent for a five day trip in New Mexico? Pay out the butt for a 2014 Model S P85D or a really fancy looking Tacoma with short bed and crew cab (for like half a butt).

The side factor is my wife who mostly wants something that sits higher than a Civic and like me has never even been in an EV. She claims she doesn't get excited about cars. I don't think that's historically 100% true, but she'd probably be fine with a Kia Soul.

I'm thinking it might make more sense to drive a Ranger in Chicago for a day for the big thing in city test and rent the Model S on our trip even though I could rent a Porsche for less. For the most part we don't drive in the city a lot. I take the El. Sometimes she gets gigs in the burbs. Most parking is off-street for us.
Sponsored

 

DucRider

Well-Known Member
First Name
Gary
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Threads
17
Messages
1,652
Reaction score
3,143
Location
ORegon
Vehicles
Polestar 2, Ioniq, R1S
It depends on what you're trying to evaluate.
The Tacoma will tell you nothing about driving an EV.
The Tesla will tell you nothing about driving a pickup.
And the Tacoma is different than the Rivian in absolutely every way - expect perhaps shape. Performance, ride, weight, handling, etc, will be in a different league.
If you drove the Tesla to NM, it would show you why a robust charging is a good thing (and what it looks like, how easy it is to plan and use, etc)
 

ajdelange

Well-Known Member
First Name
A. J.
Joined
Aug 1, 2019
Threads
9
Messages
2,883
Reaction score
2,317
Location
Virginia/Quebec
Vehicles
Tesla XLR+2019, Lexus, Landcruiser, R1T
Occupation
EE Retired
Besides shifting gears I can't think of any differences between driving a pickup and a SUV (if pickups even still have manual gear shifting). Thus you will learn nothing valuable by renting a pickup as the CT won't have a gear shift lever or clutch irrespective of whether modern ICE have them or not.

Actually driving a BEV is no different from driving an ICE vehicle except perhaps for the high torque and regenerative braking (you don't use the brake pedal much in a BEV) but you'll master that in the first 10 minutes so where I feel the value in the BEV experience will lie is in developing an appreciation for what is required to manage refueling. That is quite different and still ranks high on prospective owners list of concerns about transitioning.
 

Sponsored

ajdelange

Well-Known Member
First Name
A. J.
Joined
Aug 1, 2019
Threads
9
Messages
2,883
Reaction score
2,317
Location
Virginia/Quebec
Vehicles
Tesla XLR+2019, Lexus, Landcruiser, R1T
Occupation
EE Retired
Only problem with that plan is that once you drive the S in NM you will want to drive it back to Chicago and regret that you didn't drive it out from Chicago. If you don't have that reaction perhaps an electric vehicle isn't for you.
 
OP
OP
Pherdnut

Pherdnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2019
Threads
32
Messages
640
Reaction score
753
Location
Chicago
Vehicles
2015 Mazda CX-9
I would actually totally dig that road trip with a 2001 Civic but time/job/wife don't permit.
Sponsored

 
 




Top