More EVs added to Avis fleet as borders reopen to more international visitors
As New Zealand's borders are beginning to open up to more international visitors, Avis New Zealand has announced it'll be adding more than 100 EVs to its fleet, and plans to bring in even more in the next 18-24 months.
Customers will be able to choose from the latest Tesla Model 3, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or the Hyundai Kona in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and the company says it plans to become Aotearoa's largest electric vehicle rental fleet, with prices for EVs similar to comparable internal combustion engine cars.
Lee Marshall, general manager of Avis New Zealand, says the integration of more EVs into its fleet is just the beginning, and the company wants to do its part in reducing climate pollution.
"We have been very conscious of New Zealand's goal to move to a more sustainable economy and its desire to lower carbon emissions," Marshall says.
"Our investment in e-mobility and new charging infrastructure at three airport locations ensures we're not only in the best position to capture growing interest in greener transport solutions, but also offers them greater choice. You'll start to see more Avis EV charging stations at other airport locations around the country soon."
The company has been planning for the return of international tourists over the last two years, wanting to ensure it has sustainable options on offer. Avis says it wants to focus on affordability, with EV options priced at similar rates to traditional vehicles to make trialling one of the new EVs viable.
All three models on offer have a range of up to 430km, which is a decent distance between charges. And to make EV rental even more easy and appealing, the company will provide guides to help drivers who may not have driven an EV before.
"To help support our customers once they've rented an EV from us, we've created two QR codes with quick start guides," Marshall says.
"They give easy-to-understand, step-by-step instructions about charging, where to charge, how long it takes to charge and how far a charge lasts. We also have links to the Chargenet and Plugshare apps for customers to find the closest charging station to avoid any concerns about range anxiety during trips."
