Electric car hire is becoming increasingly available as sustainable travel becomes a higher priority for consumers. However, it is little different from renting a standard petrol/diesel vehicle. Read on to find out more!
Why hire an electric car?
Hiring an electric car if you’ve never driven one can be an exciting experience! In light of environmentally conscious travel becoming a growing concern for consumer, an EV can be a good way to cut down on your holiday carbon footprint. Furthermore, charging an electric car is usually significantly cheaper than filling up a car with conventional fuel!
Our top tips for electric car hire
– Be aware of distance:
Although there are many positive to driving an electric car, they can struggle to drive long-haul journeys without needing charging compared to a standard fuel vehicle. However, this depends on the model or make of your EV as they can greatly differ in battery size and range.
– Difference in driving:
It may seem obvious, but electric cars are automatic and can feel a lot faster to accelerate as the motor’s power is immediately on tap. Many may even find them easier to drive than conventional cars. It’s also worth bearing in mind that EVs are far quieter meaning that you may need to watch out for unsuspecting pedestrians in residential areas.
– Know the types of charging station:
Charging connectors may vary depending on where you travel to, research the compatibility of the charging stations before attempting to charge at a certain point. If any adapters are required, your car rental provider will let you know.
– Remember your EV fuel policy:
Make sure to check the fuel policy of your electric hire car before finalising the booking. The different EV fuel policies can be found further below.
– Download charging point location apps:
There are multiple apps such as Open Charge Maps and ChargeMap that show EV charging locations globally. These apps can provide detailed direction, updates, ratings, and comments. Make sure to download one and have a look around your accommodation area before setting off on your trip.
Range anxiety?
The fear of not being able to find an electric charging station is common for those who are a driving an EV for the first time. However, you won’t be left in the dark upon collection and there are many fantastic tools available that can help you find charging points with ease. For example:
- Your car rental provider will be able to help recommend local charging stations upon collection.
- Many EV manufacturers such as Tesla have charging stations appear on the internal Satnavs when driving.
- Modern Hotels often include charging outlets within their parking spaces.
- As aforementioned, apps can assist you in easily finding a nearby charging station.
Hiring an electric car with Zest
Interested in electric car hire? 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 that electric car hire be widely available as standard with most providers yet so if ‘Electric’ is not shown then there will be no availability for the searched location/date.
EV fuel policy
At Zest, our electric cars will have a different fuel policy to our petrol and diesel cars. 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.
Check out our blog on the future of electric car rental and how the industry will potentially change in the future. Still have concerns about hiring an EV? Contact us or drop a comment and we’ll be happy to assist you.
