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Uber and Hertz have teamed up to show you how to use a Tesla door handle

How many mobility companies does it take to open a door? It sounds like the setup of a joke - but in this case, the answer is three.
Written by Stephanie Condon, Senior Writer
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Uber is sending push notifications to riders getting picked up in a Tesla to show them how to use the door handle.

Uber

The next time you order an Uber, you may choose to ride in an electric vehicle. If your driver is picking you up in a Tesla, there's a good chance he's renting the vehicle from Hertz. There's also a good chance you may not be able to figure out how to open the passenger door. 

After hearing complaints about this problem, Uber is sending Tesla riders a special push notification with instructions on how to open the door. The ride-hailing company is also promoting an instructional video on its social media channels (check out the tweet below). 

Uber has been offering rides in electric vehicles via its Comfort Electric promotion, which it launched in May in a few cities. Users can simply push a button in the Uber app to request a ride in a premium EV, such as a Tesla, Polestar, or a Ford Mustang Mach-E. 

SEE: The best electric cars of 2022

On Tuesday, Uber is expanding the Comfort Electric offering to seven additional cities. It's now available in Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Austin, Philadelphia, Baltimore, San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles. 

However, not many Uber drivers own their own EVs -- they are still generally more expensive than a traditional gas-powered vehicle. To address that hurdle, Uber teamed up with Hertz. 

Back in October of last year, when Hertz signed a $4.2 billion deal with Tesla for 100,000 electric vehicles, Hertz also agreed to make up to 50,000 Teslas available for Uber drivers to rent by 2023. The deal still stands as the largest expansion of EVs on a mobility platform in North America, according to Uber. Already, more than 15,000 drivers have rented a Tesla through the program. Collectively, they've completed more than 5 million fully-electric trips.

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