Electric Vehicle Rental, Cost Savings and Lidl Charging Options Gain Popularity in Germany

Car‑rental companies across Germany now include electric vehicles in their fleets. Major brands such as Hertz, Enterprise, Avis, Sixt and Europcar list EVs alongside conventional models, with daily rates that can be as low as €13 for a Polestar 2, according to a travel expert’s experience.

An E.ON analysis comparing typical holiday routes from Munich shows that electricity costs for an EV are consistently lower than diesel or gasoline. For the round‑trip to the Italian Lake Garda (≈ 840 km) the study finds €84 in electricity versus €125 in fuel, a 33 % saving. The advantage narrows when higher‑consumption vehicles, faster driving speeds or expensive fast‑charging rates are involved, but a home‑charged battery or low‑tariff charging still usually offers a net benefit.

Supermarket chain Lidl has installed EV charging stations at around 700 of its stores. Using the Lidl Plus app or a compatible RFID card, drivers can charge for as little as €0.29 /kWh, with fast‑charging options up to 360 kW and a maximum one‑hour charging window per vehicle. Not all stores have chargers, so customers are advised to check availability in the app before visiting.