Hybrid vs Electric NZ Car Rental

At GO Rentals, we’re proud Kiwis and eager to protect our beautiful native New Zealand landscape, as we are to provide an exceptional rental car experience for our customers. That’s why we’re committed to making it a breeze to GO green when you drive with us, so you can easily take climate action and enjoy an environmentally friendly drive. 

Hybrid vehicles use regenerative braking to recharge, and electric vehicles eliminate petrol usage altogether, helping you save on fuel and reduce general emissions. Our mild hybrids can self-charge, so you don’t need to take them to a charging station, while our electric rentals offer whisper-quiet rides with next-to-no carbon emissions. 

But how much more are you saving on a petrol-less electric car compared to a fuel-efficient mild hybrid? With both on fleet, we are able to compare a 2.5-litre 2024 RAV4 Hybrid to a 2024 Tesla Model Y’s electric motor, so you can get insights into the potential fuel savings. Get GOing on a beautiful, environmentally friendly road trip.

Hybrid vs Electric: Main considerations

When you’re considering a hybrid car rental or hiring an electric vehicle, it is important to consider the following:

1. Engine/Battery size: Whether you’re using a hybrid or an EV, the size of your vehicle’s engine will determine the vehicle’s speed, fuel consumption and battery life. In our hybrid vehicles, petrol consumption is reduced by the electric motor, which is recharged through regenerative braking. Comparatively, you will not have to pay for fuel in an EV, but you may need to recharge your battery more often. 
2. Charging stations vs Fuel costs: Due to the high cost of fuel, it will be more expensive to refuel a hybrid than it is to recharge an electric vehicle. However, a hybrid is more suitable for long-distance drives, and depending on where you are travelling, there may be more petrol stations available than EV charging stations.
3. Performance testing: While companies list their vehicles’ fuel consumption and estimated ranges, this metric is tested in a controlled laboratory environment. Your fuel and energy consumption may differ from the given estimate because of terrain, braking or other factors. We recommend checking for charging stations on your route before heading out. 

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Fuel Economy – Will Hybrid or Electric Drive Up Your Savings?

An electric car rental will help you save slightly more on fuel costs than a hybrid car. However, both vehicles will help reduce your fuel costs compared to a standard car. Electric cars use no fossil fuels, while hybrid engines switch to an electric motor for low-speed driving, initial acceleration, and other fuel-intensive actions. This helps conserve general fuel use. 

Your vehicle’s fuel economy, also known as fuel efficiency, is how far your vehicle can travel on a specific amount of fuel. Please keep in mind that official fuel economy estimates are based on the manufacturer’s controlled testing conditions. When you are behind the wheel, unanticipated factors like increased elevation, driving conditions, vehicle usage and brake use can affect your vehicle’s fuel or energy consumption. This included an electric vehicle’s stated range. 

Auckland to Wellington Hybrid vs Electric Cost

Using the manufacturer’s fuel economy rating/estimated range, we have compared the fuel costs of an electric SUV car rental to one of our Hybrid cars and estimated the fuel costs of an Auckland to Wellington road trip:

The following uses the official cost estimates of a 2024 RAV4 Hybrid with a 2024 Tesla Model Y. For this comparison, we will assume you are travelling 646 km from Auckland to Wellington and that the price of unleaded 91 fuel per litre is $2.70, and the cost of electricity in busy cities like Auckland is around $0.45 per kWh.

We can calculate the following fuel costs for the road trip in each car: 

	2024 RAV4 Hybrid	2024 Tesla Model Y
Engine / Battery	2.5L	60 kWh
Fuel Economy	5.3L/100km	15.7 kWh/100km
Road trip km	646	646
Average fuel costs (NZD)	$2.70 per litre	$0.45 per kWh
Litres/kWh required	34.238L	101.42 kWh
Estimated price for the road trip	$92.44	$45.64

*Calculation: road trip km / 100 x L x fuel cost per litre

646/100=6.46×5.3=34.238*2.7=$92.44

646/100=6.46×15.7=101.42kWhx0.45=$45.64

*Note that this calculation is estimated based on the manufacturer’s testing conditions. These exact conditions cannot be guaranteed for your road trip, and the fuel consumption may be different.

See the very best sights the North Island has to offer with an Auckland to Wellington road trip. Enjoy a beautiful journey at your own pace and discover incredible hidden gems across charming towns and breathtaking national parks like Whanganui National Park. 

Trying to squeeze just a few more fuel savings out of a hybrid rental? GO Rentals has teamed up with Mobil to offer car rental petrol discounts at participating Mobil stations across New Zealand. 

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Snap Happy Customers Enjoying Fuel Savings

Our Snap Happy Photo Competition has customers revv’d up about our hybrid and electric car hire in New Zealand! Submit a cool photo of your GO travel memory and be in with a chance to WIN up to $500 back from your booking.

Gabrielle

It was right at the beginning of our journey from Queenstown to Milford Sound – our celebratory trip for our 4-year anniversary. We were so happy to have a 4×4 and cruise around the South Island. Every stop warranted a photograph, and the mountains were just incredible. Thanks so much for such an amazing trip travelling in pure style and luxury with fuel cost-effective cars. We will use GO for any opportunity around NZ.

Kim

A typical untouched NZ beach in all its glory and a beautiful drive to get to in our zippy little GO Rentals Suzuki Swift Hybrid, which was phenomenally economical on fuel!

 

 

Denise

We rented an environmentally friendly electric car from GO Rentals to visit the beautiful Kaikoura. It’s great to be able to easily rent a car with a smaller carbon footprint, which may, in turn, help to preserve the beautiful natural landscapes of New Zealand. We hope to be back one day to explore more of New Zealand too!

 

Chris

The vastness and beauty of New Zealand can only be experienced firsthand, and the people here made it all the more memorable. Travelling over 3500km by EV over 5 weeks was hassle-free and cheap. Helping this wonderful planet of ours one journey at a time.

 

 

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Fuel Efficiency – Who’s helping New Zealand GO green?

Hybrid and electric vehicle car companies are driving the green change by reducing the use of harmful emissions or by moving away from internal combustion engines. EV companies produce emission-free electric vehicles using manufacturing facilities powered by renewable energy. They also use recyclable materials in construction whenever it is possible. 

Hybrid companies ensure environmental friendliness by calculating fuel efficiency based on the type of fuel being used and how quickly it is consumed. They also factor in each fuel type’s specific emission factor, which is the amount of CO2 emissions created as fuel is burned. Fuels are tested by analysing the tailpipe exhaust, dynamometer testing and measuring general emissions. 

To ensure consistent ratings across vehicles, companies use standardised testing like the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) to rate fuel efficiency. 

Auckland to Wellington Hybrid vs Electric Environmental Impact

It’s impossible not to be stunned by New Zealand’s incredible scenery as you head to Wellington. The rolling hills tower over your vehicle as you head past severe blue lakes and snow-covered mountain peaks. 

By committing to greener travel today, we can ensure that future generations can enjoy New Zealand’s unmistakable natural beauty for themselves. Here’s how many carbon emissions you can prevent by switching to a Hybrid or electric car on your road trip. 

	2024 RAV4 Hybrid	2024 Tesla Model Y
Engine / Battery	2.5L	60 kWh
Carbon emission per km	121g/100km	0g/100km
Road trip km	646	646
Average emissions per trip	781.66g	0g

*Calculation: road trip km / 100 x g

646/100=6.46x121g=781.66 

*Note that this calculation is estimated based on the manufacturer’s testing conditions. These exact conditions cannot be guaranteed for your road trip, and the carbon emissions may be different.

As a fully electric vehicle, a Tesla Model Y has no carbon emissions. However, carbon emissions from charging can vary depending on the power grid in the area where you charge.

Today, more than 80% of New Zealand’s electricity is from renewable sources, so you can rest easy knowing your recharging is still environmentally stable and supporting the environment. 

GO Zero

Thanks to our GO Zero partnership with CarbonClick, it is easier than ever for you to take climate action and reduce your environmental impact when you drive with us. With our rental car emissions offset package, you can enjoy a smooth and easy hybrid or electric driving experience while knowing you are committed to a sustainable future. 

Our GO Zero program has helped over 11,278 drivers make over 9,091,645 km of GO Rentals road trips more climate-friendly.

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Maintenance – Which car needs more care?

A hybrid car will need more maintenance than an electric vehicle. This is because an electric vehicle has fewer components, meaning there are fewer parts that need to be maintained. There are also fewer fluids, like engine oil, that need regular maintenance, and an electric motor has fewer complicated moving parts. 

However, a hybrid car requires less maintenance than a standard ICE engine vehicle, and it can maintain good condition for long periods of time thanks to the regenerative braking system. With regenerative braking, a portion of kinetic energy is sent to the electric motor whenever you press the brakes. This reduces wear and tear on the brake pads, keeps you from needing to recharge our hybrids and extends the vehicle’s lifespan past a typical petrol or diesel engine. 

No matter the type of car, GO Rentals keeps all our vehicles well-maintained so you can just hop in and get GOing on a New Zealand road trip.

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Is an electric rental car better than a hybrid?

Whether an electric or hybrid car is better for you depends on multiple factors, such as where you’re travelling to, the EV chargers available, road conditions on the route and how long your journey is. 

First time driving a vehicle with an electric motor? Check out our handy guides on how to drive an electric vehicle or hybrid car to hit the road with confidence. 

There are many advantages and disadvantages to both types of vehicle. 

By using an electric rental car, you can experience: 

1. Zero carbon emissions: An electric vehicle has no tailpipe emissions and does not burn any type of fossil fuel while you’re driving. You can head out on long, smooth rides across New Zealand, knowing you have found your part to contribute to better air quality. 
2. Massive savings: As an EV does not use petrol or other fuels, you can save money on costly fuel prices by switching to an EV during your time in New Zealand. Depending on the price of fuel compared to electricity, you can gain even more savings than you could using a hybrid. 
3. Spacious interior: EVs use fewer parts and general components than a standard or hybrid car. This means that there is plenty of space inside your rental, perfect for when you have a lot of luggage or just want more legroom on a long trip. 
4. Innovative features: New EV models feature brand-new innovations for more fun and convenient driving. From touchscreen controls to make it easier to find crucial functions like lights to wifi syncing and smartphone syncing. Electric vehicles offer cutting-edge rides that are as smooth as they are practical. 

Book a vehicle for this trip

We recommend:

Pick up a hybrid car with GO Rentals to enjoy:

1. Traditional controls: A hybrid rental features the familiar control of a normal ICE engine car. You won’t have to adjust to any new controls or hidden features, you can just start your engine and get going. 
2. Self-charging: Thanks to the additional energy from regenerative braking technology, you won’t have to worry about recharging your hybrid battery during your New Zealand road trip. 
3. Save on fuel: Hybrid cars use enhanced fuel efficiency and electric motors. While an electric car offers more savings, you can still save almost 50% on fuel costs by hiring a hybrid car for your next road trip.
4. Long-distance driving: Thanks to their incredible fuel efficiency, hybrid cars are the perfect choice for long-distance journeys. You won’t have to worry about the battery, thanks to the regenerative brakes, and fuel stations are more available across New Zealand than EV chargers, so you don’t have to worry about refuelling.

Book a vehicle for this trip

We recommend:

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Hit the Open Road for less

Both a hybrid and an electric car give you all the benefits of a petrol car, along with unique features and incredible fuel savings, including GO Zero incentives. Enjoy a comfortable drive with lower fuel costs, fewer carbon emissions and more roads to explore. With unlimited kms and environmentally friendly driving, you can freely explore the stunning natural wonders of New Zealand at your own pace, knowing you are helping to preserve it. 

If this is your first time in a hybrid or electric car, GO is here to support you and get you driving comfortably and confidently. We offer basic car insurance and 24/7 roadside assistance on all of our hired cars and Total Road Care package, so you can rest easy, knowing you’ll be taken care of in case of a breakdown. With our Total Road Care package, we can also cover the costs of toll roads and government road taxes. 

Worried about recharging while you’re adventuring across New Zealand? Check out our handy electric vehicle charging stations locator to find the best charging stations for your journey. 

Help us preserve our beautiful nation one day at a time. Book your next electric or hybrid drive with GO Rentals.