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The Fear of Electric Car Rentals: My Holiday Experience in Ibiza (Part 2)

As I shared in Part 1 of my holiday adventure in Ibiza, the decision to rent an electric vehicle (EV) was initially fraught with concern. My anxiety was fuelled by the potential for range issues and a frustrating charging experience. However, the initial impressions of the Citroën C3 electric car were overwhelmingly positive. The car’s impressive range and smooth driving experience set the stage for a promising holiday.

This quickly changed, after a number of charging challenges and bad experiences almost completely ruined my holiday and put my relationship with my girlfriend and friends under immense pressure!

The Ongoing Challenge: Charging Infrastructure

While the EV itself proved to be a great choice when it came to the driving experience, sound system, and comfort, the true test came with the charging infrastructure. Despite having a well-equipped car, the charging experience was the part of the equation that let me down… big time! It became clear that the issue wasn’t the availability of charging stations, but rather their reliability and maintenance.

I encountered several frustrating scenarios:

• A private charging station listed on both Google Maps and the Enel App was inaccessible to me. It was a fast charger and I felt comfortable knowing it was right next to the coworking space I was using. However, when I went to use it, a man came out of the building it was located in and said that this charging station belonged to his vehicle rental company. I found this hard to believe as the charging station was branded Enel, and it was on the Enel App and Google Maps.
• Confusion arose from using multiple apps to locate charging stations, each showing a limited number of charging stations from different networks. It was difficult to know which ones to choose and how to use the apps.
• The Lidl grocery store charging station is where it really started to go wrong! Just before our friends arrived into Ibiza, I was tasked with buying the groceries ahead of picking people up from the airport. Great! I thought. I can charge my car at Lidl whilst shopping… WIN-WIN! I plug the car in and went in to do my shopping, taking my time knowing it was Friday and my car was getting juiced up outside. However, when I returned to the car, I was shocked to discover the car had not been charging! Nooo! This put a spanner in the works of my plan, which was to fully charge at Lidl. However, I was not too phased as my back up plan was to charge at the villa.
• No home charging cable in my car. This was a real disappointment and the fault lays with the car rental company for not providing this, but also with me for not checking when I collected the car! This meant my backup plan to charge at home each day, removing any public charging needs, was completely ruined!
• Charging stations not working. This was a common problem and one that completely ruins the experience of driving an electric car. Why? Because you select a charging station on the app, drive all the way there, only to find out it doesn’t work. This wastes time, and can completely de-rail travel plans. The worst part of it is that the charging stations are pretty much brand new, yet they don’t seem to be communicating with the apps to update in real time whether the charging stations are working or not, and what speed the charging stations are charging at.

These issues highlight a crucial point: the EV experience can be significantly undermined by subpar charging infrastructure. It’s not just about having stations available; it’s about ensuring they are operational, well-maintained, and accurately represented in apps.

Recommendations for Improved Charging Experience

Based on my experience, here are a few recommendations for both users and stakeholders in the charging infrastructure sector:

1. Charging Station Maintenance: Operators must ensure that their stations are consistently functional and match the availability status shown in apps. Regular maintenance and prompt repairs are essential.
2. Infrastructure Integration: There should be a push for better integration between charging stations and apps. Accurate real-time data on station availability and functionality would prevent unnecessary frustration.
3. Regulatory Measures: Governments and local authorities should consider implementing regulations to hold charging station operators accountable for upkeep and service quality. Penalties for non-compliance could drive improvements.

Car Rental Companies: A Call to Action

While car rental companies have made strides by offering electric vehicles, there are basic steps they should take to enhance the user experience. I list them below, especially when I look to our Smarter Mobility Africa audience which consists of car rental companies that are yet to introduce and scale electric vehicles into their fleets.

• Include home charging cables with every rental vehicle. This is the cable that comes with a plug you can use at home in any of your domestic plugs.
• Provide necessary apps and access cards for easy charging, this makes it easier for the customer and also creates additional revenue streams, as there would be an option to add a margin on each kWh charged.
• Ensure front desk staff are trained and / or provide informational resources to guide customers in using the EV effectively.

Conclusion: The Road Ahead

Electric vehicles are undeniably here to stay, and their presence in rental fleets will continue to grow as their cost comes down and the customer requirements and interests change. To fully realise the benefits of this transition, addressing the shortcomings of charging infrastructure is crucial. With improvements in maintenance, app integration, and regulatory oversight, the charging experience can match the high standards of the vehicles themselves. What’s more, there are some basic steps that the car rental companies can take to ensure their customer’s driving experiences are not impacted by charging challenges.

I commend car rental companies for transitioning to electric vehicles. Moving forward, ensuring some basic essentials, like including a home charging cable in every car, providing necessary apps and cards for easy charging access, and offering training or information resources to customers, will enhance user satisfaction and operational efficiency. This approach not only improves customer experience but also presents an opportunity for rental companies to generate additional revenue through premium services.

The opportunities in the charging infrastructure space are vast, and it’s an area ripe for innovation. As I reflect on my slight nightmare electric vehicle rental holiday experience, I’m more convinced than ever of the need for continued investment and improvement in this sector.

Dive Deeper

This is so much of an important topic that I will be covering it at Smarter Mobility Africa summit 2024 on a panel ‘What’s Holding the Car Rental Business Back from Electrification?’

Moderator:

• Ben Pullen, Group Director: Mobility, VUKA Group (United Kingdom)

Panellists:

• Ken Osano, Lead Consultant – Deci Consultants (Former Founder Director – Ekorent Africa) (Kenya)
• Lerato Bodibe, CEO & Founder, ROCVEST Systems (South Africa)
• Chris O’Connor, Co-Founder and CEO of Drive Electric (South Africa)

You can join us here https://wearevuka.com/mobility/sma-summit/tickets/

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About the author

Ben Pullen
Group Director of Mobility, VUKA Group 

Ben Pullen

Ben Pullen is a leader in advancing smarter mobility with over a decade of experience in improving how we move people and goods. He has pioneered the continent's top smarter mobility summit, bringing together key stakeholders to drive the adoption of smarter, cleaner, and more accessible mobility solutions. Ben's work has enabled global brands like Alstom, BMW, and Huawei ...