Electric Car Rental Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Electric Car Rental Market is projected to expand from USD 16.02 Billion in 2025 to USD 26.48 Billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 8.74%. This market involves the temporary leasing of battery electric and hybrid vehicles to private and commercial customers for specified durations. The sector's growth is fundamentally driven by stringent international emission regulations that force fleet operators to decarbonize their inventories, alongside a structural shift in corporate policies toward sustainability mandates. These regulatory and commercial pressures are further supported by government financial incentives for fleet electrification, which serve as distinct catalysts for long-term adoption rather than transient market preferences.

A significant challenge impeding the rapid expansion of this market involves the financial uncertainty surrounding the residual value of electric assets. Rental operators face risks associated with rapid technological depreciation and fluctuating resale prices, which complicates the return on investment for large-scale fleet acquisitions. According to the International Energy Agency, in 2024, the global electric car fleet reached nearly 58 million vehicles. Despite this robust increase in global inventory, the inability to accurately predict future asset value remains a substantial barrier for rental companies attempting to aggressively transition away from internal combustion engines.

Market Drivers

The expansion of public and private EV charging infrastructure acts as a critical enabler for the market, directly mitigating consumer range anxiety which has historically suppressed rental demand. As charging networks densify in urban centers and along major highways, rental operators can confidently deploy electric fleets knowing customers have reliable access to power during their lease periods. This infrastructure growth effectively unlocks longer-distance travel segments previously dominated by internal combustion engines, making EVs a viable option for tourism and intercity transit. According to the International Energy Agency's 'Global EV Outlook 2024' published in April 2024, the global public charging stock expanded significantly, increasing by more than 40% in 2023 to reach approximately 4 million connectors worldwide.

Rising corporate adherence to ESG and sustainability goals serves as the second major driver, particularly within the business travel and corporate fleet leasing segments. Large enterprises are increasingly integrating zero-emission mandates into their travel policies to reduce Scope 3 emissions, compelling rental providers to overhaul their inventories.

This corporate pressure ensures a steady baseline of demand for electric units, independent of individual consumer preferences. According to the Climate Group's 'EV100 Progress and Insights Report 2024' from April 2024, member companies switched 231,000 vehicles to electric models over the preceding twelve months, signaling a robust transition in corporate mobility. Reflecting the financial scale of operators managing this complex fleet transition, Sixt SE reported in its 'Annual Report 2023' (March 2024) that the company generated a record consolidated revenue of €3.62 billion.

Market Challenges

The financial uncertainty surrounding the residual value of electric assets constitutes a formidable barrier to the expansion of the global electric car rental market. Rental operators rely heavily on a business model where the resale price of a vehicle at the end of its service life is a critical component of profitability. However, electric vehicles currently face rapid technological obsolescence and volatile pricing strategies from manufacturers. When new models with superior battery range are introduced or new vehicle prices are slashed, the value of existing rental fleets depreciates sharply and unpredictably. This instability makes it difficult for companies to accurately forecast the total cost of ownership or secure favorable financing for large acquisitions.

Consequently, this inability to predict asset value compels rental agencies to limit their exposure to electric inventory to avoid potential losses upon resale. According to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, in 2024, the value of used electric vehicles plummeted by approximately 50 percent over the preceding two-year period, creating a severe deficit for fleet operators. This dramatic depreciation undermines the economic viability of aggressive electrification strategies, causing rental companies to slow their transition away from internal combustion engines despite external regulatory pressures.

Market Trends

The adoption of flexible electric vehicle subscription models is fast emerging as a primary trend, fundamentally reshaping how customers access electric mobility by mitigating the financial risks of ownership. Unlike traditional leasing, these subscription services bundle insurance, maintenance, and charging costs into a single monthly fee with short-term commitments, directly addressing consumer concerns regarding battery degradation and rapid technological obsolescence. This model appeals heavily to users who wish to experience electric driving without the capital lock-in of purchasing an asset that may depreciate unpredictably. Validating the scale of this shift, Ayvens reported in its 'FY 2023 Results' in February 2024 that electric vehicle penetration reached 35 percent of its new passenger car registrations, underscoring the growing preference for flexible usership over ownership.

Simultaneously, the sector is being propelled by strategic alliances with ride-hailing platforms for fleet electrification, which create a high-volume, dedicated rental channel separate from tourism demand. Rental operators and manufacturers are partnering with ride-hailing giants to offer drivers access to electric vehicles at preferred rates, capitalizing on the high daily mileage of gig workers to maximize the operational cost benefits of electrification. These collaborations ensure consistent fleet utilization and provide a structured pathway for deploying large volumes of electric inventory into active service. Exemplifying this trend, Uber Technologies, Inc. announced in a July 2024 press release titled 'Uber and BYD Partner to Accelerate Global EV Transition' a multi-year strategic partnership designed to bring 100,000 new BYD electric vehicles onto the Uber platform across key global markets.

Key Players Profiled in the Electric Car Rental Market

• Tesla, Inc.
• Hertz Global Holdings, Inc.
• Avis Budget Group, Inc.
• Europcar Mobility Group
• Sixt SE
• Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
• Green Motion International Ltd.
• Zipcar, Inc.
• DriveNow GmbH
• REEF Technology, Inc.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Electric Car Rental Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Electric Car Rental Market, by Vehicle Type:

• Battery Cars
• Hybrid Cars
• Plug-in Electric Cars

Electric Car Rental Market, by Application:

• Economic Cars
• Exclusive Cars
• Others

Electric Car Rental Market, by Service:

• Online
• Offline

Electric Car Rental Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Electric Car Rental Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

This product will be delivered within 1-3 business days.