Rent An EV Before Deciding On One

A caller to the Car Pro Show this past Saturday was seriously considering buying an electric vehicle. We talked about the usual things—what he drove now, what he was considering and how he used a vehicle. Finally, I asked him the question that sometimes gets skipped in all the excitement surrounding EVs: “Are you sure an EV is right for you?”

There was a pause. Then came an answer that sounded almost sheepish: not really.

My advice was simple: before spending tens of thousands of dollars on an electric vehicle, rent one for a week and live with it.

I don’t mean rent one on vacation in a city where you drive 20 miles a day and the hotel has six chargers out front. Rent one at home. Drive it to work. Take the kids or grandkids where they need to go. Make your normal grocery runs. Take your usual weekend trip. Park it in your garage or driveway. Then figure out where, when and how you would charge it if it were actually yours.

A normal dealership test drive can tell you whether you like the way an EV accelerates, rides, handles and feels. It cannot tell you whether an EV fits your life.

That distinction matters. The U.S. Department of Energy says most EV drivers charge overnight at home using Level 1 or Level 2 charging. Many owners can cover their normal daily driving with overnight Level 1 charging, while drivers with longer commutes, irregular schedules or larger batteries will benefit from faster 240-volt Level 2 equipment, like I have. If you live in an apartment, condo or home without convenient access to electricity where you park, your experience may be very different.

During your rental week, resist the temptation to make life artificially easy. If you would not install a home charger immediately, don’t pretend you have one. Use the public charging stations you would actually use. Find out how far they are from home, whether they are working, what they cost and how long you are willing to sit there. Try charging after work when other people are doing the same thing.

Then take one longer drive. You do not need to cross America. A 150- or 200-mile round trip may tell you plenty. Watch what highway speed, air conditioning or heat, hills and weather do to predicted range. If you live in a cold-weather state, remember that a summer rental cannot duplicate winter. I know from many car reviews that EV range can drop substantially in cold conditions. The same is true for extreme heat.

Also pay attention to the things EV converts love: instant torque, quiet operation, regenerative braking, the convenience of leaving home with a charged battery and never stopping for gasoline during normal daily use. For the right driver with dependable home charging, an EV can be remarkably easy to live with.

But that is precisely my point: “the right driver” is the key.

I have never believed everybody should buy an EV, and I have never believed nobody should buy one. The vehicle has to fit the owner, not the other way around. A week-long rental lets you make that decision with your own commute, your own garage, your own electric rate and your own patience level.

Worst case, you spend a few hundred dollars and decide an EV is not for you. That is cheap tuition compared with discovering the same thing after you own one.

Best case, you turn the car back in wishing you didn’t have to.

Either way, you have your answer.

CAR PRO TIP: SOME EV RENTAL DEALS WORTH CHECKING

• Hertz — 10% Off EV Rentals: Hertz currently offers 10% off the Pay Later base rate on EV rentals of three days or longer at participating locations in the U.S. and Canada. Use promotion code 212157. A 24-hour advance reservation is required, and the vehicle must be picked up by September 30, 2026. Taxes, fees and optional products are extra.
• AAA Members — Check Hertz Before Using The EV Code: AAA members can normally save up to 20% on Hertz base rates, and through August 15, 2026, Hertz is advertising savings of up to 25% on qualifying Pay Now rentals for AAA members. Since promotions generally cannot be combined, AAA members should price the rental both ways instead of automatically using the 10% EV promotion.
• Turo — Possibly The Best Choice For Trying A Specific EV: Turo’s national marketplace may be particularly useful because you can shop actual makes and models instead of simply reserving an “EV or similar.” When I checked on August 9, Turo’s U.S. EV page was displaying three-day examples including a 2025 Nissan Leaf at about $54 per day, a 2025 Jeep Wagoneer S at about $66 per day, and other EVs ranging upward from there. Many Turo hosts also offer discounts for rentals of seven days or longer. Prices, mileage allowances, protection plans and fees vary considerably by vehicle and location, so compare the final checkout price rather than just the advertised daily rate.
• SIXT — Free Membership Can Lower The Rate: SIXT rents EVs in a number of U.S. markets, with its advertised fleet including vehicles such as the Chevrolet Bolt or similar and premium EVs from BMW and Hyundai. Its free SIXT ONE program starts members at the Silver level, which advertises savings of up to 8% on qualifying rentals from day one. Availability varies widely by location.
• Southern California Bonus — Rent Directly From Tesla: Tesla currently has an unusually interesting program at its Costa Mesa and San Diego Miramar locations. Rentals start at $60 per day, with a three-day minimum and seven-day maximum. Mileage is unlimited and Supercharger charging is free. Tesla also says customers who order a vehicle within seven days of their rental can receive a purchase credit of up to $250. The program runs through October 1, 2026. One big restriction: the rental cannot be taken outside California.

One final warning: Read the EV-specific rental agreement before leaving the lot. Charging requirements at return vary by company. Hertz, for example, has its own EV charging and service-charge system, while Avis requires an EV to be returned at least 70% charged to avoid its charging fee.

Consider too, if you are thinking of trading vehicles for something drastically different than what you have now, renting can be a good strategy also. Think about this if you are going way up or down in size, or going from something with a very smooth ride to say a Jeep Wrangler.