The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced $4.76 million in funding from the federal government’s Driving the Nation Program to Europcar Mobility Group for the ‘Electric Rental Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure Rollout’ project.
Europcar will install 256 chargers across at least 41 sites around Australia, including airports, metropolitan hubs and regional locations, to support the deployment of around 3100 electric passenger rental vehicles over the next three years.
The project will make electric vehicles more accessible to thousands of individual and business customers for rent at price points comparable to fossil fuel vehicles, introducing more Australians to EVs who may be reluctant to give them a go.
ARENA chief executive Darren Miller says vehicle rental businesses are uniquely positioned to assist with the uptake of electric vehicles in Australia.
“It’s promising to see that Australian EV sales hit record numbers in 2023, but it’s clear that much more needs to be done to see EV sales overtake the sales of traditional internal combustion vehicles. This includes providing Australians access to more affordable makes and models of electric vehicles, which this project does,” he says.
Europcar intends to operate the EVs for up to two years across a range of rental service offerings before reselling the vehicles in the second-hand car market through an established dealer network.
Increasing the number of EVs and the variety of models available to the public is expected to lead to lower costs and reduce current barriers to entry for Australians looking to purchase an EV.
Europcar will also integrate EVs and charging infrastructure into its broader service offering, assisting its business customers in meeting their carbon emission reduction targets.
“Europcar Mobility Group’s project, while helping to reduce emissions in the fleet and rental car market, will also help to get a wider range of EVs into the second-hand market, and that’s a win-win for both the company and Australians looking to purchase. I hope to see this replicated by other rental car companies.” Miller says.
Airport sites include major city airports – Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth- and will be prioritised as critical short-term rental locations in the rollout. More airport sites are expected to be added to the footprint throughout the project.
The $110.6 million project will also encourage airports to consider integration of EVs into parking, grid connections and operations.
“Europcar Mobility Group is a leader in sustainability and the decarbonisation of transport globally, and we are excited to be working with ARENA on ways to support and accelerate the take-up of EVs,” Europcar Australia and New Zealand managing director Benoit Garel says.
“Europcar is proud to be leading the charge in transforming Australia’s rental car industry toward a sustainable, electric future by educating drivers, making it easier and more affordable to switch to EVs and providing a premium customer experience along the way,” he says.
Europcar is partnering with Ampol to procure, install and operate the 256 electric vehicle chargers with intelligent charging capabilities across 41 Europcar-operated sites Australia-wide.
“Our partnership with Europcar Mobility Group is an example of how Ampol is looking to support our customers with charging solutions, including where they invest in their infrastructure to electrify their fleets,” said Ampol international and new business executive general manager Brent Merrick.
Since 2015, ARENA has invested $150 million in zero-emissions vehicles, including public charging, vehicle-to-grid trials, innovation in charging, hydrogen refuelling and fleet decarbonisation.
