Europcar pushes rental EV charging with new partnership with Octopus Electroverse

Rental partnership gives EV customers access to over one million chargers across Europe

Europcar Mobility Group UK has teamed up with Octopus Electroverse, Europe’s largest consumer EV public charging network. 

The platform will serve as the go-to charging solution for the company’s growing number of EV rental customers.

The partnership is the first of its kind in the rental sector and is designed to remove common barriers to electric vehicle use, particularly around charging confidence.

Customers hiring an electric car or van from Europcar can now access over one million public chargers across the UK and Europe through Octopus’s award-winning charging app, Electroverse. 

Available via the Europcar EV Guide, the rental company’s digital hub created to support EV renters, the app makes things more simple for travellers.

Drivers can find chargers, plan routes in real time, and start charging via the app or with an RFID card. Its user-friendly interface delivers the benefits of going electric, from discounted charging prices to hassle-free payments.

“We are excited to be the first rental provider to partner with Octopus for convenient EV charging and route planning,” said Sarah Clarke, Senior Consumer Marketing Manager, Europcar Mobility Group UK. 

“This is about making the switch to electric as seamless as possible. By giving access to a single charging platform that covers the majority of the UK network, we remove the need for multiple apps and logins. 

"Drivers can plan their journey, find the right charger and manage payments all in one place. It will help make charging a rental EV quicker and simpler as it does not require drivers to sign up with every charging provider they need to use on a journey.

“The route planning feature is particularly powerful, helping to reduce range anxiety by showing available chargers at the most efficient points along a planned journey. When combined with the Europcar EV Guide, this delivers genuine value to our customers and supports a positive first EV experience," he said.

Matt Davies, Director at Octopus Electroverse, added: "With the EV roll out accelerating at racing speed across the UK, charging on the go should be a breeze”.

“Whether you are a long time EV lover or renting an EV for the first time, we want to give every driver the confidence to make the switch. Partnering with Europcar means we can put more people behind the wheel of an EV and show them just how easy going electric can be.”

To help motorists gain a better understanding of EV life, Europcar regularly updates its free digital EV Guide and Knowledge Hub. 

The beginner’s guide to EVs answers the most common questions and helps drivers make sense of all the buzzwords and acronyms. It also explains how switching to an EV will help save money and reduce emissions.

The guide covers EV incentives available and details how to charge an EV, including explaining the different types of chargers.