Europcar to introduce price parity for EV rentals
Europcar Mobility Group UK said it wants to remove a key financial barrier to EV adoption, as renting EVs currently costs significantly more than renting their ICE counterparts. The change will be effective from April 1st and include a range of EVs, such as the Jeep Avenger, Mercedes EQ range, Renault Kangoo, and Skoda Enyaq.
“We understand that cost is a significant factor for businesses considering electric vehicles. “The Europcar EV barometer for 2024 revealed that the cost of purchasing and maintaining an EV is a barrier for around 40% of fleets,” said Tom Middleditch, head of Electric Mobility at Europcar UK, adding: “We believe that by eliminating the price difference for rental, we’re making it easier than ever for our business customers to experience the benefits of electric mobility and contribute to a greener future.”
However, the company has not announced plans to introduce a similar price parity for its retail customers, for whom the price differential between EVs and ICEs can still be significant.
A typical quote for Europcar rental from London Gatwick Airport at the time of writing will see most ICEs costing between £36 (€30.25) and £58 (€48.74) per day, while the cheapest EV can be rented for a daily charge £58 (€48.74) and can range up to £101 (€120) per day.
This differential is, of course, reflective of the generally higher purchase cost of EVs compared to traditional vehicles – but could discourage EV rentals nonetheless.
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