Renting an Electric Car: What You Need to Know Renting an Electric Car: What You Need to Know

Whether you’re planning a long-distance road trip, taking a vacation, or looking for a temporary vehicle, renting an electric car offers many benefits. For starters, renting EV cars provides an opportunity for an extended test drive, savings by avoiding expensive gas costs, and a greener way to travel. These vehicles also add a sense of adventure to any vacation or business trip.

Whether you’ve been curious about advancing automotive technology or are already committed to renting an electric car for your next vacation, Avis is here to help. This guide will provide everything you need to know about renting EV cars, including how to rent an electric car, locating EV chargers and recharging a Tesla, pre-trip considerations, and much more. 

How to Book an Electric Car 

Avis aims to provide a seamless rental process, whether you’re renting EV cars or any of our other vehicles. We process EV rentals like the rest of our vehicle fleet. You’ll need to create a reservation at a location with EV availability and select your pickup and drop-off dates and times. Unlike many of our rentals, one-way rentals are currently unavailable for EVs.

Because renting an electric car has become so popular, we strongly encourage renters to book ahead of time to ensure EV availability. We’re continuously expanding our inventory of electric vehicles, so if your preferred location doesn’t have them available, be sure to check back again soon. 

Before Starting Your Trip

Renting an EV car offers a unique, exciting option for any trip. But before starting your journey, there are a few things you should do to ensure you have the best experience, including:

• Plan your trip length

• Determine when and where to charge

• Learn how to operate an electric vehicle 

   

Determine the Driving Range

Avis electric vehicle models can go over 300 miles on a full charge. However, the way you drive impacts range efficiency, so you may be able to go farther before you need to stop to charge.

Planning your trip length will help you determine if and when to charge your vehicle during your journey. For example, if you’re going on a long-distance road trip with an estimated 500 miles, you should look for charging locations around the halfway point. Depending on where you go, you may even find some exciting attractions in the area to give you a chance to stretch your legs. Having a charging destination in mind will improve your experience and prevent you from running out of charge during your trip. 

Learn How to Drive the Electric Car

While driving an electric car is similar to non-EVs, you should be aware of some differences. One of the key differences you’re likely to notice first is that there’s no engine noise. The silence may be odd for you initially, especially if you gauge your speed and braking to engine noises. For that reason, some EV manufacturers have begun introducing artificial sounds.

Another significant difference is acceleration. Unlike gas-fueled cars, electric vehicles can rapidly increase speed because they don’t need to shift gears. Additionally, braking is a little different because EVs feature regenerative braking. When you remove your foot from the gas, electric vehicles automatically begin applying the brakes.

Before your trip, we recommend you learn more about operating electric vehicles and the key differences between EVs and gas-powered cars. One fantastic resource you can use to learn more about driving an EV, making adjustments, charging, and EV features is the Tesla support page for the Model 3. 

During Your Trip

To prepare for the best experience, there are a few things you should know and check before starting your trip, including:

• How to locate EV chargers

• How to recharge a Tesla 

• Where you intend to charge

   

Locate EV Chargers

When renting EV cars, knowing how to locate an EV charging station and what resources you can use is vital in preparing for your rental. Fortunately, Tesla makes it easy to find charging stations in your area. These models feature a navigation system to find and guide you to an available station. Alternatively, you can use smartphone apps like:

• ChargeHub

• PlugShare

• Electrify America

• ChargePoint

• EVgo

You should also consider any charging times when planning your road trip. Alternatively, you can look for hotels that offer EV chargers near your destination. 

How to Recharge a Tesla

Recharging a Tesla is easy, and a helpful display will keep you informed about your current charge level and battery range. Some charging stations are free to use, while others charge a fee. Additionally, three charging levels determine how quickly an EV recharges. Most public charging stations use level 2 or 3 chargers, with level 2 chargers averaging about 20 miles of battery range per hour and level 3 chargers averaging between 3 and 20 miles per minute.

After arriving at a recharge station, you’ll open your charge port and connect to the charging station using the appropriate adapter. The charge port will display a blinking green light when the vehicle charges, and the light becomes solid green when charging is complete. You can learn more about charging the Model 3 here.

Ending Your Trip

Renting an electric car with Avis is similar to renting any of our gas-powered vehicles. Before returning the car, it’s essential to ensure that the Tesla is mostly charged. Otherwise, you may incur a charging fee, just as you would incur a fee for not refueling a gas-powered car. 

Additionally, you must not drive your EV rental through a car wash. Other than that, returning your Tesla is as easy as returning a standard car. Just drive to your return location, hand over the keys, and we’ll get you checked out.

FAQs on Renting EV Cars

How many miles can I expect to drive with my EV? 

Our EV rentals have a range of over 300 miles on a full charge. If you’re going on a long road trip, charging up is easy, and you can use any public station or Tesla charging network. 

How long does it take to charge an EV?

There are three different charging levels, which you use will determine your charge speed. Of the three levels, level 1 is the slowest, and level 3 is the fastest. For an EV rental, you’re looking at using a level 2 or level 3 charger. All electric vehicles can use a Level 2, the most commonly available public charger. These chargers average about 20 miles of range per hour on the charger. Level 3 chargers, also called DC chargers, are the fastest available and average between 3 and 20 miles per minute charging. 

Will I be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket charging expenses during my trip?

No, Avis doesn’t provide reimbursements for charging expenses. However, charging your vehicle before drop-off will help you avoid a charging fee. 

What happens if I completely run out of charge during my trip?

While it’s not impossible to run out of charge when renting an electric car, it’s highly unlikely. There are more than 40,000 public charging stations in the U.S., and our EVs have a range of over 300 miles on a full charge. Additionally, there’s a display inside the vehicle that monitors your charge and shows your battery range. However, if you do completely run out of charge, you’ll be responsible for towing the vehicle to a charge station.