It’s time To Take EVs Mainstream

In fact, SIXT has one of the largest fleets of electric cars for rent in Australia – and you can pick up an MG ZSEV or Tesla Model 3 at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth airports.

First things first, an ever-expanding network of fast-charging stations across Australia means any concerns around charging your car should be a thing of the past.

SIXT suggests downloading the PLUGSHARE app for routes and charging stations, and of course their staff will give you a full tutorial and answer any questions you may have at pick up.

Believe it or not, charging your electric vehicle at a charging station is not that different to filling up your car at the pumps. It’s as simple as inserting the charger, pressing start, pressing stop, and returning the charger to its ‘holster’.

And despite what you may have heard, it’s relatively quick. At DC fast-charging stations, EVs can be charged to about 80% capacity in around 20 – 30 minutes. Which means you can charge your vehicle while in a meeting – or grabbing a coffee.

Even better, you don’t have to return your car fully-charged. Enjoy zipping around the city, safe in the knowledge that SIXT will happily recharge the vehicle on its return.   

Range anxiety is real. Essentially it’s a driver’s concern that they won’t have enough charge to get home – or to the next charging station. But with better batteries delivering increased range and more public chargers being installed by the day, this is becoming less of a problem.

But just how far, on average, can an EV take you?

In Australia, most electric rentals can travel more than 500 km on a single charge, which is pretty impressive. It means EVs have more than enough range for the majority of users – and you’ll probably be able to return your vehicle without ever needing to recharge.

Of course, if you do need to cover significant distances (this is Australia, after all), SIXT can advise on the best routes and charging stations along the way.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. According to the Electric Vehicle Council, an average EV costs around AUD$4.50 in electricity charges to travel 100 kilometres, compared to AUD$16.65 for the average petrol car in Australia.

It’s worth noting that SIXT customers using a Tesla will not pay for any charging done on the Tesla, NRMA or Chargefox network, while SIXT customers using an MG will not pay for any charging done on the NRMA or Chargefox network.

This is probably one of the biggest myths when it comes to EVs – that their overall performance leaves a lot to be desired. 

In reality, electric cars can be very fast as their torque is delivered almost instantly. For example, the Hyundai Kona EV can accelerate just as fast as its turbo-petrol equivalent, and the Tesla Model S can do 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds – much faster than most supercars.

EVs also handle brilliantly, and have a great reputation when it comes to urban driving (proving far more efficient than their fuel-based counterparts). But at the end of the day, all you need to know is that an EV drives just like a normal car, only powered by electricity in the form of its battery.

The team at SIXT will walk you through the car and explain everything before you leave the lot, to make sure you are comfortable and confident in your choice of vehicle.