Electric car rental more popular than ever: rentals have tripled

While fuel prices remained relatively stable in the first quarters of 2024 and 2025 at around €1.90 per liter for petrol, 2026 shows a different picture. In March 2026, the national recommended price for Euro95 rose to an average of €2.249 per liter. Even more striking is the development of diesel prices: these surged to €2.294, making diesel more expensive than petrol for the first time in years. This is according to official data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS, StatLine).

This price trend appears to have a significant impact on car rentals. The number of electric car rentals increased exponentially for us in March. Martijn Hanekroot, Managing Director at Avis, explains: “Where people previously often chose a fuel-powered car for a weekend getaway, the calculation is now different. We see that the threshold for choosing electric driving is steadily decreasing across all generations.”

Compared to previous years, the volume of electric rentals is increasing across all age groups. The largest growth comes from those aged 55 and over, but younger generations are also increasingly opting for sustainability and cost savings.

Finally, it is clear that the volume of electric rentals is not limited to major cities such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam. “It is remarkable that cities like Maastricht, Apeldoorn and Amersfoort have shown continuous growth for three years,” says Martijn Hanekroot. “This shows that electric car rental is evolving from a Randstad phenomenon into a nationwide trend.”