Erica and Carter Cooper had range anxiety on Sept. 16, 2019 and it had nothing to do with their all-electric 2013 Nissan LEAF. They had been keeping their LEAF fully charged in anticipation of the arrival of their third child.
“After driving the LEAF thousands of miles with no maintenance issues, we knew we were going to take the LEAF to the hospital,” Erica said. “We loaded it all up, so it was ready to go when I went into labor.”
However, things went a lot faster than expected and the Coopers found themselves questioning whether they could make it to the hospital about 10 miles away in Boulder, Colorado. Just two miles out, Carter used the LEAF’s Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System to call a 911 operator for emergency assistance.
“The operator walked us through everything, so that part was pretty convenient,” Erica said.
Carter eventually pulled the vehicle over and Erica gave birth to Scarlett in the passenger seat of their LEAF. Instead of lulling her to sleep, the car ride brought her to life at about 9 in the morning.
“It was an example of a scary situation that turned out really well,” Erica said. “We were all safe and healthy, thankfully.”
After logging more than 45,000 miles in their LEAF, the Coopers say they have had many great zero-emission rides but, having Scarlett born inside the car on the way to the hospital is certainly among the most memorable.
Now expecting a fourth child, the Coopers are preparing for another trip to the hospital in their Nissan LEAF, despite their history with Scarlett’s unconventional entry into the world.
“We love our Nissan, in fact it’s a permanent member of our family now,” Erica said. “We have no doubt that it will deliver us safely next time.”
