With more and more people becoming aware of the environmental benefits of electric vehicles, which include no carbon emissions, improved air quality and therefore lower environmental impact, Europcar Mobility Group New Zealand is committed to helping domestic travellers make more eco-friendly and budget-friendly choices when it comes to hiring a rental car once they’re on the ground.
Following the success of the Electric Day Pass pilot programme in 2018 and after receiving nearly $200,000 of co-funding from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund, to expand its 100 pe cent electrical vehicle rental fleet, Europcar Mobility Group New Zealand will now be offering this low emission airport-based round trip electric vehicle rental and share service for EDP Members travelling around Auckland City, to and from Auckland Airport, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch Airports.
Europcar Mobility Group New Zealand was the first major car rental company to receive LEVCF co-funding for electric vehicles, and the program continues to reinforce Europcar Mobility Group’s long-term strategy by embracing the fast-changing nature of motoring and its inevitable lean towards green technology.
EDP Members will have access to pre-booking and collecting the keys to either a fully electric BMW i3 or 100 per cent electric VW e-Golf as soon as they jump off their flight. Travellers simply head to the Electric Day Pass Member counter located within the Europcar Branch, flash their licence, and they’re on their way in no time.
New Zealand business and leisure travellers are invited to join EDP free of charge, where they will gain access to competitive rates – and Wilson ParkMate discounts – allowing them to experience driving an electric vehicle as part of their daily business or personal trip. Once registered as an EDP member, Europcar pre-authorises members’ credit cards so they can pick up a car whenever they need with zero fuss.
Both brand-new vehicles generate zero carbon emissions, offering a modern driving experience with a 200km-plus range between charges, suitable for daily city driving. What’s more, starting at only $55 for four hours and daily rates starting from $90 (and with zero fuel costs!) the EDP is excellent value, too.
Last year’s trial programme offered business travellers one day’s free use of a Volkswagen e-Golf when travelling to Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch. “The trial programme was designed to test the waters and gauge perceptions about EVs with our business customers. It was clear almost straight away that there is a strong demand for electric vehicles to be available permanently in our fleet. The natural progression was to diversify our EV product offering,” says Europcar national sales manager Melissa Carter.
“Key gateway airports understand the positive impact the Electric Day Pass will have on their region’s environmental and sustainable initiatives and regional airports are excited to see innovative developments such as EDP occurring, especially those that are environmentally focussed yet supportive in economic development,” says Melissa.
“As for the driving experience itself, the performance of the cars is similar to their non-EV counterparts, although the e-Golf, in particular, is a little quicker off the mark than the regular Golf,” says Melissa. “They feature the same regular drive, plus class-leading safety features, including active cruise control, blind-spot, lane departure, pre-crash and city braking technology. The ride and handling don’t differ much at all – the main point of difference is that they’re whisper quiet in operation, and, of course, they have a much lower environmental impact.
“We found that customers loved how easy the EVs were to use, how long the battery lasted, and perhaps most of all, not having to pay for petrol,” says Melissa. “With both the VW and the BMW having a 200km+ range, our customers will rarely have to find a charging station during their rental – although New Zealand’s fast-charging network is growing all the time, with over 175 DC rapid charging stations across New Zealand plus another 300-plus AC charge points registered on Plugshare. EVs are shaping the future of motoring, and that includes rentals.
“At Europcar, we’re committed to being the rental car leader in this emerging market and an advocate for these zero-emission vehicles,” says Melissa.
