[jd]

Exactly. Or to put it in a different way, the total time you spend waiting for your car to recharge/refuel is way lower for an electric car. The electric car is optimized for the 99% case (where recharging at home is sufficient). A gasoline car is optimized for the 1% case where you take a road trip.

You get the exact same effect for people who claim they need a pickup truck instead of a small city car just so they can transport some furniture or motorcycles or a Christmas tree in the back.

[toomuchtodo]

I own a Tundra short bed, but also a Lexus ct200h (wife) and a Model S.

If there was an app like Uber, but for pickup trucks (on-demand/fungible capacity for transport of larger-than-car items), I'd sell my pickup truck tomorrow. I don't own the truck because I haul every day, I own it because its 8pm and someone calls and says they need help moving something right now.

[dangrossman]

Have a Home Depot nearby? Most places do. They have long hours (6AM-10PM) and rent trucks by the hour or the day.

[DanHulton]

You say "Hey, sorry maybe you should have thought that out better. But can it wait until tomorrow, because we can go rent a truck for way cheaper than me paying insurance and maintenance on a truck in case you have an 8pm 'emergency' again."

[hcho]

How many times does that happen? Genuine question. I never needed a van or a truck out of the blue. Is it something to do with the American culture?

[rdl]

Zipcar rents Tacomas and E-150s. I wish they'd add something like a long-bed F-250, but I guess many zipcar drivers would find it difficult to drive one (even driving the E-150 in cities is a pain)

[jmelloy]

If you live in a city, Zipcar is great for this.

[ryguytilidie]

Zipcar has pickup trucks depending on where you live.