What it is like to rent a Tesla from Hertz
June 17, 2023
On a recent trip to the Austin Texas area, we rented a Tesla Model Y from Hertz. I like to use our trip rentals to try out different cars that we may purchase in the future and a Tesla is on my list. After a bit of research, I found that it is best to join their Gold membership for an easier rental experience, and you can join for no extra cost! The two advantages for me was the walk to the car without the long wait at the counter and my spouse is also allowed to drive without an additional fee. I signed up online and entered my information and rented the Tesla, reserving it with my Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card. With the Sapphire Reserve, I have up to $75,000 collision damage protection on a Tesla if the full rental charge is to that credit card. So with this coverage and our personal coverage, I declined the rental insurance. It is important to note that only the Sapphire Reserve has coverage on a Tesla and the Sapphire Preferred does not.
We rented through Hertz at the airport. We walked up to the board in the Hertz rental office that listed our name with our numbered spot and proceeded to our car after a brief stop at the Gold counter at the exit to the parking garage. When we got to our spot, unfortunately a Chevy was parked there! I walked the short distance back to the office and the worker at the Gold counter quickly gave us a new number. I was very happy with how quickly the issue was resolved and we were on our way! As you are leaving the garage, the final paperwork is completed and you are given a copy of the rental agreement. When you return the car, a minimum of 10% charge should remain on the battery to avoid an additional fee. Also, when you stop at a supercharger, the cost to charge will pass through Hertz to the card you have on file with them and no payment is done at the charger. The display in the Tesla will tell you the price of the change as you are charging.
Overall, it was just like renting any other vehicle and it was easy to charge. The navigation system in the Tesla is great and I also used an app called “Supercharger Map for Tesla” to decide the best place to charge during our trip.