First line of electric car rental services hit Tasmanian markets

A swanky fleet of Tesla Model 3s silently cruised into Hobart for the launch of the first electric car rentals in Tasmania. WATCH THE VIDEO

A swanky fleet of Tesla Model 3s silently cruised into Hobart for the launch of the first electric car rentals in Tasmania.

Drive Car Hire unveiled their new line-up on Thursday in front of Tasmanian tourism operators, who came to gawk and test-drive the electric vehicles.

One of them was Destination Southern Tasmania CEO Alex Heroys, who said being behind the wheel of an EV made him feel “cool” for the first time in a long while.

MERCURY: Drive Car Hire EV Tesla launch. at MacQ01 forecourt.

Mr Heroys said the electric hire cars would undoubtedly prove popular among ecotourists seeking a zero-emissions road trip in a zero-emissions state.

“The visitors that come into Tasmania are deeply embedded in our nature experience and they are respectful of our ability to generate renewable power,” Mr Heroys said.

“The Tesla Model 3s provide not only an exceptional driving experience but the opportunity for travellers to complete an emissions-free driving trip around Tasmania.”

The rental cars are expected to be roughly 30 per cent more expensive than their non-electric counterparts.

Drive Car Hire general manager Anna Donovan said the family had been planning to roll out electric cars for a while now, but had been waiting for the technology to become feasible.

Now with more electric charging stations coming to Tasmania and EV technology ever-advancing, Ms Donovan said she believed the time was ripe to break into the market.

She said they hoped to ditch petrol cars and have a fleet entirely comprised of electric and hybrid cars by the year 2025.

MERCURY: Drive Car Hire EV Tesla launch. at MacQ01 forecourt.

“Range is a common anxiety for those considering an EV, but the long-range model 3 offers up 580kms on a single charge, making travel around a compact state such as Tasmania entirely possible,” Ms Donovan said.

“As proud Tasmanians it’s important to us that we do what we can to protect and preserve our natural environment for future generations and investing in electric vehicles is one obvious step towards this.”

Federal Group Tourism general manager Matt Casey said more hotels would be rolling out charging stations in preparation for the oncoming wave of new electric cars.

“When it comes to the high-end travel market, people are looking for places to stay and means of travel with lower carbon emissions, and it’s great to see Overdrive provide this opportunity for people coming to Tasmania,” Mr Casey said.

MERCURY: Drive Car Hire EV Tesla launch. at MacQ01 forecourt.

“Car charging stations have been installed at MACq01 Hotel and Saffire to meet the growing expectations of conscious consumers and are free of charge for guests while they stay, so we really welcome the availability of Tesla hire cars in Tasmania.”

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Originally published as First line of electric car rental services hit Tasmanian markets