The greatest thing about travel is the impact it can have on you, the person. The worst thing is the impact it does have on this globe we love to trot over. Through the years, I’ve left a Shaq-sized carbon footprint. To make amends, I have altered my travel style, on the road and at home, taking mass transit whenever possible and leaving real life footprints more often.
One step I haven’t taken is driving a hybrid or electric car. Being something of a hippie at heart, it does appeal to me but, in the context of travel, it’s not usually an option. Until recently, the best you could do when renting a car was opting for the most fuel efficient vehicle on the lot. That is about to change in select cities where you will soon be able to rent an electric car. Not just any electric car, mind you, but a Tesla! (It’s okay, you can “ooh” and “ahh” to your heart’s content. Lord knows I did!)
The Tesla Model S electric sedan. Not only is it more environmentally friendly, but it’s the safest car ever tested by the NHTSA, and got Consumer Reports’ highest automotive score ever: 99/100. (Photo: Tesla Motors, Inc.)
Hertz announced recently that it’s adding the hard-to-find Tesla S to its Dream Cars fleet at LAX and SFO. It’s just five cars (total, not five at each airport), so it will still be a challenge to go green. As of now, the Tesla S is shown as “Coming Soon.” They reportedly will also offer the Tesla Roadster at some point. Meanwhile, Enterprise announced in June that it was adding three of the electric sedans to its Exotics fleet in Southern California, with two more coming by year’s end. The car is not to be found on the company’s web site but, after a few phone calls, we were referred to the West Los Angeles (Hollywood!) branch where you can reserve one. They recommended making your reservation at least two weeks ahead of time to ensure availability.
MotorTrend’s 2013 Car of the Year is one sweet sedan, but it’s notoriously hard to find, and not just at rental companies. The year started with a backlog of about 10,000 orders and production of just 500 per week. I’m sure many would-be Tesla owners would jump at a chance to drive one for a few days, even in the $500/day range.
It’s important to make an impact – actually, less of an impact – whenever you can. If you can do that in a stylish, high tech ride, all the better, right?
If you like the Tesla Model S, you might enjoy these links:
Motortrend: 2013 Car of the Year
Consumer Reports: Tesla Model S Review
HuffPost: Is the New Tesla Model S Right for You? A Review from a New Owner
Company Website: Tesla Motors
