Oslo, Norway – A winter vacation in the Norwegian mountains turned into a frigid ordeal for one German tourist after a rental electric vehicle from Sixt repeatedly failed in sub-zero temperatures, culminating in a near-stranded situation and raising questions about the readiness of EV infrastructure for extreme winter conditions.
The traveler, who has since recounted his experience to multiple German media outlets including Welt and Sipping on History, was initially offered a gasoline-powered vehicle by a Sixt representative at Oslo Airport, who cautioned that two similar Toyota bz 4x electric SUVs had already been returned with complaints that morning. Despite the warning, and a price difference of 250 euros, the tourist opted for the electric vehicle, swayed by his wife’s belief that the representative was simply attempting an up-sell.
The problems began almost immediately. The vehicle’s battery drained more quickly than indicated by the navigation system, even while maintaining a speed of only 70 kilometers per hour. The situation escalated when the family became stranded on a road that had effectively transformed into a ski slope due to the weather. After calling for assistance, the vehicle was left running with the climate control engaged while waiting for the property owner to clear a path, further depleting the battery.
“At minus 15 degrees Celsius, the car shut down all interior functions to conserve power,” the traveler reported. “Heating, ventilation, seat warmers, even the windshield defroster stopped working. My wife had to repeatedly scrape the ice forming on the inside of the windshield.”
Subsequent attempts to charge the vehicle proved equally frustrating. Multiple charging stations failed to initiate a charging sequence, despite funds being deducted from the traveler’s credit card. When a charging station was finally located and functional, the process took an extended period, even in a relatively mild commercial area. During one charging attempt, staff at a nearby store began closing up for the evening while the vehicle was still charging.
The issues appeared to stem from a known problem with the specific vehicle model. Toyota confirmed to the traveler, via its press office, that the bz 4x in question was subject to a safety recall for a software update scheduled for completion in late September 2025. However, Sixt had not yet performed the update on the vehicle.
Sixt has acknowledged the incident and stated that its Norwegian branch was unaware of the recall notification. “We regret that the rental experience was impacted by this issue and seize such incidents particularly seriously,” a Sixt spokesperson said in a statement. “Sixt Norway has initiated an internal review to clarify the process with the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and prevent similar cases in the future.”
The traveler ultimately completed his journey, but the experience left him questioning the practicality of electric vehicles in harsh winter climates and the responsibility of rental companies to ensure their fleets are up-to-date with safety and performance updates. As of today, the vehicle remains in Sixt’s fleet, awaiting the necessary software update.