As we all know, the fastest car in the world, is a hire car. They’re driven with gay abandon at warp 9.99 for great distances, and such was the case this week on our trip to Canberra.

Picture the scene: Three of us leave from our Sydney base in a Genesis GV80, a petrol car that can be refueled at will. Meanwhile, a duo fly in to Brisbane from Townville, hiring a Corolla Hybrid at the airport, or so they thought.

Instead, Hertz car rentals helpfully upgraded them to a Polestar 2 when the Corolla was a no-show. Normally, an upgrade is much lauded, but EV virgins may find the prospect daunting, even is the offer is a luxury Polestar electric car from Sweden.

Hertz rent Polestar 2 EVs (Hertz Polestar FAQs here) with the rental fee that includes FREE Evie charging as a current offer. Word on the street is that the accompanying fob can also be used at Chargefox outlets. Regardless of rental brand, there should be a handover that familiarises the driver with the car and its processes, but there are times when that isn’t so.

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In cases where the lucky renter gets an upgrade, the handover might be brief, or non-existent. In that case, there are videos available, and printed material on board as an emergency go-to. Being unprepared need not be a disaster but don’t be fobbed off.

EV roadtrips require a little planning. Using the inbuilt navigation system will add stops and tell you how long you should charge for at each. It is worth having several charging apps installed on your phone as a backup. Try Chargefox and Plugshare as well. Keep an eye out for traps such as chargers out of reach after business hours.

Many of the apps now show if the chargers are busy and how long the current occupant will be there. This won’t apply to slow-rate outlets but it is worth knowing as much information as possible well before you get there. One thing it won’t tell you is how many people are waiting.

Polestar 2 also has nifty features that include SOS connectivity which signals the call centre if airbags deploy.

Top Tips:

  • Use the car’s inbuilt navigation system for your trip (it shows charging tips and locations)
  • Make sure your prospective charger is available 24/7
  • Have several charging apps on your phone, just in case
  • Make sure your car has the charge cable in the boot (or frunk), just in case.
  • Ask about support should it be needed, just in case
  • Insist on information on “how to” before you leave the office

We’ve driven the Polestar many kilometres – See our reviews for details: