ELECTRIC VEHICLE FAQs 

common questions about EV hire answered

We’ve been in the EV Self Drive Hire industry for a long time, and know that it can be frustrating when trying to get a clear answer to some of the simpler questions. We’ve outlined answers to these questions below, in an effort to save you some time. If you have any further questions regarding our Electric Vehicle Hire, please contact us via Live Chat below or via our contact page.

HIRING AN ELECTRIC CAR

HOW OLD ARE THE ELECTRIC CARS YOU HIRE?

All of the electric vehicles you hire from Volt-Age Electric are under 3 years old, with low mileage and in great condition. We aim to have the best specification of vehicles in our fleet where possible, in order to be able to offer you everything you require. All of the pictures you see on our website, are of our electric hire cars, which is something we deem very important. What you see, is what you get!

 

WILL THE ELECTRIC CAR I HIRE COME FULLY CHARGED?

When collecting from us, your electric car will be fully charged ready for you to drive immediately. When delivering to you, we will aim to deliver the EV as close to full as possible, but certainly no less than 75% charged. We expect that you return the vehicle to us with at least 50% charge.

 

DO YOU OFFER CREDIT ACCOUNTS for BUSINESSES?

We specialise in B2B relationships, and have many corporate client’s who rent Electric Vehicles from Volt-Age, both within the EV market and outside . We’ll aim to fulfill any requirement you may have and appreciate that no standard template can fit your business. Please contact our hire team on 023 9277 6585 to discuss your individual requirements in more detail.

IF I COLLECT AN EV, CAN I LEAVE MY Vehicle WITH YOU?

Yes, we have car parking facilities on site, however all vehicles are left at the owners risk. We are also only 5 mins walk from Portsmouth & Southsea Train Station.

 

WHAT’S INCLUDED WITH THE EV RENTAL CHARGES?

The prices on our rental pages are marked as either excluding VAT and Insurance or including VAT and Insurance. We offer a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) which will reduce the insurance excess you pay in the event any damage is caused during your rental. Please refer to the specific electric vehicle page, or our pricing page for more details on costs. Clients are liable for all Glass & Tyre damage/replacements up to the excess amount. Charging is considered as fuel and is the responsibility of the hirer.

 

I LIVE OUTSIDE THE UK. CAN I HIRE FROM YOU?

Absolutely. We’ve helped many client’s from all over the globe with Zero Emission travel whilst visiting the UK. We can arrange to meet you at any Airport or Rail Terminal in the UK. Costs may apply.

 

ELECTRIC CAR INSURANCE CRITERIA

IS THERE A MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT TO HIRE AN EV?

Yes. The minimum age requirement for hiring BMW i3’s and Nissan Leaf is 25 years old, and 30 years old to hire a Hyundai Kona, Kia E-Niro, Tesla Model 3, Model S and Model X. All drivers must have held their license for a MINIMUM of 5 years.

I HAVE POINTS ON MY LICENSE, CAN YOU STILL OFFER ME INSURANCE?

Depending on the Conviction Code, and severity of the offence we may be able to accept up to 6 penalty points, although this can’t be guaranteed.

 

CAn you add an additional driver to the insurance cover?

Absolutely. We offer two drivers included within our prices, but can cover up to 4 drivers for an additional £5 per day. If you need to cover more than 4 drivers, we would recommend supplying your own insurance. If this is not possible, please contact our team on 023 9277 6585 and we will try to accommodate your requirements.

 

YOU CAN’T PROVIDE INSURANCE COVER. WHAT NEXT?

If we are unable to offer you insurance cover, you still maybe able to hire a electric vehicle through us by adding our vehicle to your existing insurance cover. To discuss this further, please contact one of our team on 023 9277 6585.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING

HELP, I’m new to EV’s and have no idea how to charge the vehicle.

You’re not alone. Most of our clients are first time Electric Vehicle users. The single biggest question we receive is how to charge the vehicle. We will help you plan routes and consistent charging patterns wherever we can. We also provide both a Type 2 and 3 Pin Cables, so you can charge on a normal plug socket if you don’t have access to a dedicated charger.

I’D LIKE TO CHARGE AWAY FROM HOME. HOW DO I PAY?

There are various Charging Networks available to use, just as there are Fuel Companies (Think Shell, BP, Texaco). Each use a different system, and we will guide you to Chargepoints that utilise Contactless Card Payments. When hiring a Tesla from Volt-Age, you’ll be invoiced for all Supercharger Network usage at the end of the hire.

 

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO CHARGE THE CAR?

Realistically? Longer than you think. Most of the figures you’ll see quote around 45 mins. This is charging on a minimum of a 50kW Rapid DC Charger, from 20%-80% charge. We recommend a really helpful website that gives you charge times based on realistic circumstances. You can check the charge times here. Please note that this link is for an external website, of which we have no control over.

I’D LIKE A DEDICATED CHARGER AT HOME, CAN YOU HELP?

Speak to one of our team and we’ll help as best we can. There are many options, which will depend on your own personal preferences.