Due to the growing popularity of EVs and environmentally conscious travel, electric car rental has started to see more availability within provider fleets. The emergence of electric car rental will be a promising yet slow climb towards a more sustainable way of travelling. What can we expect if we rent an EV and how will car rental change in the future?
The future of electric rental cars?
As car manufacturers continue to invest more into EV technology, it is inevitable that electric car rental will continue to grow. However, the time taken for this to have a significant impact is dependent on the country, location, and provider. Destinations that are less economically developed may not have the charging infrastructure yet to accommodate EVs, meaning that petrol/diesel rentals will still widely be used until further development.
Overall, the future of electric rental cars is in motion but won’t be an immediate transition, so you won’t have to worry about switching over from petrol/diesel just yet. As EVs become more mainstream, you can expect to see better charging infrastructure, larger EV fleets, and a more diverse range of EV models to suit your specific rental needs. But as of yet, not a huge amount has changed to most car rental fleets so hold tight!
Charging points when driving an electric car abroad
Worried about renting an electric car abroad and not finding any charging stations? Your car rental provider will be able to help recommend local charging stations upon collection. Furthermore, EV manufacturers such as Tesla will have charging stations appear on the internal Satnavs so you can find local charging with ease.
It is also worth doing your own research prior to booking too! Check if your hotel or accommodation has any charging outlets available that you can use before setting off on a road trip or a long-distance journey. Charging point location websites/apps such as Open Charge Maps and ChargeMap can additionally help relieve your range anxiety when driving abroad.
How can I rent an electric car with Zest?
Renting an electric car can be an exciting experience if you’ve never driven one before. You can refine your search for electric cars by using the filter button in our quote results and selecting ‘Electric’ under the ‘Fuel’ tab. Keep in mind EVs won’t be readily available with most providers so if ‘Electric’ is not shown then there will be no availability for the searched location/date.
The electric car rental quotes will appear as seen below. All our core benefits and inclusions still apply meaning you’re still in safe hands when you rent an electric car with Zest!
EV fuel policy
The electric cars available with Zest will have a slightly different fuel policy to what you’re used to! You will rent with either:
- Free 80%(+) charge – vehicles will be provided with a minimum 80% charge at no additional cost. The vehicle will NOT need to be recharged before returning.
- Return with the same amount – vehicles will be provided with a certain amount of charge. You should return the vehicle with the same amount. Failure to return the vehicle with the correct amount of charge will result in an additional local fee.
Still have questions about electric car rental? Get in touch or drop a comment and we’ll be more than happy to help!
