Renting a Nissan Leaf is a good way to take shorter weekend trips through a rental car company.
James Lipman/Nissan
It’s an American summer tradition to explore the country on a road trip, watching the scenery fly by. Not everyone wants to pile on the miles with their personal cars, so some look to rental cars to hit the road. Companies like Hertz, Avis, Enterprise and more offer vehicles of every size for different types of adventures.
Many national rental car firms stock all-electric cars as well, including models from Tesla, Polestar, Chevrolet and Nissan, for example. From Austin, Texas, for example, the cost to rent an EV through Hertz for a week in May is averaging between $300 and $415 currently; that’s on par with what Hertz charges to rent a gas-powered economy car like a Chevrolet Spark.
Is road tripping in an EV an experience you want to tackle? It depends. Here are some things to think about.
Front 3/4 view of Silverado EV Trail Boss with a camper charging at pull-through charging station.
Chevrolet
According to the American Automobile Association, gas prices on April 29, 2026 are averaging $4.23 per gallon across the country. As the conflict in the Persian Gulf continues to seed uncertainty in the market, the cost for crude oil is trending upward and price shock at the pump is causing alarm for drivers. Some are starting to think more seriously about owning an EV as a result; in fact, EV sales are up 53.9% from February 2026, says Cox Automotive.
However, while reliability rates for charging stations are steadily improving, drivers retain some range anxiety for trips that take them further than local errands. For longer road trips, it just takes a little planning. Many new EVs, like the Kia EV6, include a built-in charging station finder with the navigation system.
It helps immensely for both practicality and peace of mind to look at the route you want to take and plan for stops. For instance, if I want to drive an EV from Austin to San Angelo, Texas to see family, I know that there’s a Tesla station about an hour away in Llano. A couple of years ago, I couldn’t have made the round trip easily because there wasn’t a fast charger in San Angelo, but now there is.
Have patience and keep in mind that juicing up takes 20 to 40 minutes for a full charge (Kia and Hyundai are quick, as are Tesla models) as opposed to 5 to 10 minutes at a gas station. If it’s a busy weekend, smaller sets of charging bays may be occupied, so you might have to wait.
A 2026 EV9 juices up at an IONNA charging station.
Kia
Clearly, if you’re traveling across North Dakota or Wyoming with wide open spaces devoid of any charging stations, you might want to just go with a gas-powered vehicle. Driving through California? Have no fear; there are EV charging stations all over the place.
To be extra sure that range anxiety or depletion don’t ruin your vacation, take a look at the range for any car you’re considering. The new Cadillac Escalade IQ has one of the best at 460 miles, but it might be hard to find from a rental agency unless you go through a site like Turo or DriveShare for private rentals. Hertz carries the Chevrolet Silverado EV in some markets, and it’s good for an estimated 400 miles of range. A Tesla Model S gets a respectable 320 miles.
With a little legwork, it’s not unreasonable to rent an EV and head out to explore. Just remember to bring snacks and entertainment for the charging stops.
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