For Erica and Carter Cooper of Boulder, Colorado, things moved much quicker than expected when Erica went into labor with their third child.

It wasn't that they were unprepared. Having driven their Nissan LEAF thousands of miles without any maintenance issues, they knew they could depend on it to take them to the hospital.

"We knew we were going to take the LEAF," Erica said. "We loaded it all up, so it was ready to go when I went into labor."

The plan went smoothly at first, but about 10 miles from the hospital they started realizing they might not get there in time. The baby was coming fast, and they had no choice but to pull over and deliver it themselves.

Using the LEAF's Bluetooth hands-free phone system, Carter called for emergency assistance. Medical emergency operators guided him through the process, and Erica gave birth to their daughter Scarlett in the passenger seat.

"The operator walked us through everything," Erica said. "It was an example of a scary situation that turned out really well. We were all safe and healthy, thankfully."

The Coopers continue to enjoy their LEAF and have logged more than 45,000 zero-emission miles in it. Now, they're preparing for another trip to the hospital as they await the arrival of their fourth child.

"We love our Nissan. In fact, to us, it's like an additional family member," Erica said. "We have no doubt that it will deliver us safely next time."