Although not many regret the switch toan Electric Vehicle (EV), there are plenty of reasons to rent one rather than buy, argues Aidan McClean, CEO and co-founder of UFODRIVE.

With petrol and diesel prices rocketing, new electric cardelivery waiting times increasing, and pressure to reduce our carbon emissionsrising, there are plenty of reasons to drive electric.

One thing’s for sure: the overwhelming majority of EVdrivers don’t regret their switch away from internal combustion engine (ICE)vehicles. A recent poll from Zap-Map revealed that over 90 percent of drivers are happy with their EV, and only less than one per cent wouldconsider going back to an ICE vehicle.

However, if you are yet to make the transition to electric yourself, there are multiple reasons why it makes more sense to rent a new EV before committing to buying one. Here are the top five reasons why.

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#1 - Try before you buy

Range anxiety is somewhat overblown as an issue, but EVs do require a shift in mindset. The vast majority of drivers don’t travel further than the maximum range of their EVs in everyday usage, and even fewer go on cross-continent tours. However, the fact is that no matter how many fast chargers there are in our road network system, drivers cannot use EVs in the same way as their fossil fuel-burning alternatives.

Right now, even the fastest charger still takes around an hour to get most EVs to full capacity, which is why EVs need to be treated in much the same way as a smartphone. Charge overnight where available and, for most, the batteries will last all day, particularly when you boost your EV’s charge using chargers in workplace or public car parks.

This is possible and practical for many users, but it still isn’t the same as being able to fill up and drive off in minutes. If you’re worried about running out of range, or finding a charger when needed, then simply rent an EV, and you will most likely find that it is far easier to live with than you may have thought, but if not, maybe it is not yet time for you to buy an EV.

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#2 – Forget about long waiting lists

Thanks to a myriad of economic and pandemic-related issues inrecent years, supply chains in the car manufacturing industry have been thrown into chaos; and they are only now slowly starting to catch up. This has impacted the production and delivery of electric vehicles dramatically.

At the moment, there is an average of an eight month wait for EV buyers before they can get the keys to their new car, according to new research from Electrifying.com. Waiting times for high-end luxury EVs such as the Porsche Taycan are stretching to over eighteen months.

This is due to the surge in demand for electric cars, combined with the global shortage of semiconductor chips and other key EV components. But why wait? It’s highly likely that your local EV rental service has a premium electric car to meet your needs today. Renting an EV means that you can go electric immediately and try out a number of different vehicles, before deciding on a long-term purchase that’s right for you.

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#3 - Save a significant amount of money onfuel

Electricity isn’t exactly cheap right now, but it is considerably cheaper than filling up a petrol or diesel vehicle. Ditching your petrol or diesel car in favour of switching to an EV rental (or subscription) service such as UFODRIVE (who even include the cost of charging within the rental fee) will save you a huge amount of money on fuel.

How much money? Driving 100km in a petrol-powered car is 80per cent more expensive than an electric alternative, and diesel is 50 per cent more expensive. That’s according to a recent study of household electricity prices in EU capitals by the green campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E).

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#4 – Renting EVs is the city-friendlyoption

Owning a car in most cities is not an easy or affordable option for many. Car parking spaces in London sell for as much as a small property elsewhere, and you also have to consider road tax, parking fees, and costly emission and congestion zone charges for many non-electric cars; let alone contributing to toxic air pollution.

There are also complications with EV ownership if you live in the middle of a busy metropolis. If you want to charge your car at home, there are many challenges you will need to overcome if you are a flat or an apartment-dweller and are not lucky enough to have your own driveway or garage.

The solution is quite simple. Rent an EV as and when you need one. After all, do you really need access to a car every day?Particularly if you live in a big city that’s served well by an extensive public transport system.

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#5 - Be part of a better future now

Minimising the use of internal combustion engines remains an essential element of the 2050 net zero pledge. Cars produced 52 per cent of the UK’s total transport emissions, which itself is the largest emitting sector of greenhouse gasses - producing 24 per cent of the UK’s total emissions in2020, according to the latest figures from the Department for Transport.

Renting an EV also reduces another common criticism of electric vehicle ownership, which is the social and environmental cost of producing EV batteries. Sharing that battery amongst many hundreds of other rental customers over the course of its life colossally reduces your personal impact on the environment.

Every mile driven in an electric car is one less mile made by a polluting diesel or petrol engine, and every car rented is one less battery made from scratch. Be part of a greener, cleaner, electric future.

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This article was first published on WhichEV.net

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‍PR contact: Spreckley PR / Lawrence Rosenberg or Nathan Patel / ufodrive@spreckley.co.uk / Tel.: 020 7388 9988

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