Mild Hybrid vs Petrol Car Rental in NZ

At GO Rentals, we’re local Kiwis who care as much about protecting our stunning native environment as we do about providing an outstanding rental experience for our customers. We’re committed to making it easier than ever for you to take climate action and enjoy low-impact driving. 

GO Rentals offers electric and hybrid cars with regenerative braking to reduce your petrol consumption, save on fuel costs and reduce emissions. Our mild hybrids are self-charging and do not require a charging station, so you can easily switch to a hybrid rental. 

But how much does a mild hybrid save on petrol and carbon emissions compared to a typical Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) petrol car? 

We have compared a 2.5-litre RAV4 Hybrid to the equivalent RAV4 petrol engine so you can consider the potential fuel savings and sustainability of a hybrid. Get GOing on a cheaper and greener road trip.

Hybrid vs Petrol: Top considerations

When you’re considering a hybrid car rental or a traditional petrol one, it is important to consider the following:

1. Engine size: The size of your vehicle’s engine will determine the vehicle’s speed, fuel consumption and battery usage. In a hybrid vehicle, fuel usage is reduced by the electric motors and regenerative braking, but the system adds more weight to the car as a whole.  
2. Fuel costs: The price of fuel fluctuates on a daily basis, so decreasing your fuel consumption whenever possible doesn’t just lower carbon emissions; it helps you save money. You can also travel much further before you finally need to refuel.
3. Performance testing: While companies may list the fuel their cars have consumed, this metric is tested in a controlled, consistent environment. Your fuel economy may differ from the given estimate due to terrain, braking and other factors.

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Fuel Economy – Will Hybrid or Petrol drive up your savings?

A Hybrid car will absolutely help you save on fuel compared to a standard petrol vehicle. With a hybrid engine, the electric battery takes over from the petrol engine during low-speed driving, initial acceleration and other fuel-intensive actions. This helps to conserve fuel for when it is most necessary. 

Your vehicle’s fuel economy, or fuel efficiency, is how far you can travel on a specific amount of fuel. However, official fuel economy estimates are based on a car manufacturer’s controlled testing conditions. When you are driving, unforeseen factors like elevation, vehicle usage, driving conditions and brake use can affect your fuel consumption. 

Generally, cars with a fuel economy of less than 6L/km are considered fuel-efficient vehicles. If your vehicle has a low L/100km, then that rental will use less fuel to travel 100km.  

Auckland to Wellington Hybrid vs Petrol Cost

Using the manufacturer’s fuel economy rating, we have compared the fuel costs of two of our 4WD car rentals and estimated the fuel costs of an Auckland to Wellington road trip:

	2024 RAV4 Hybrid	2016 RAV4 Petrol
Engine	2.5L	2.5L
Fuel Economy	5.3L/100km	9.5L/100km
Road trip km	646	646
Average fuel costs per litre (NZD)	$2.70	$2.70
Litres required	34.238	61.37
Estimated price for the road trip	$92.44	$165.70

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

646/100=6.46×5.3=34.238*2.7=$92.44

*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.

An Auckland to Wellington road trip will take you straight through the entire North Island. Take the journey at your own pace and discover amazing hidden gems in charming villages or rugged national parks like Tongariro. See more for less with a hybrid!

Looking to squeeze just a few more fuel savings out of your 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 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.

Safire

Blue Betty, our trusted Yaris hybrid, seamlessly guided us through North Island’s wonders, coast-to-coast beaches, glowworm caves, towering kauri trees & tranquil hot pools. As we neared the tip where the Tasman & Pacific meet, Blue Betty proudly overlooked the Cape where we parked up & wandered down to the lighthouse. With her reliable navigation & smooth hybrid performance, every mile was an unforgettable adventure in New Zealand’s lush landscapes

Mike

I was driving around Lake Taupo on a beautiful spring day last week and couldn’t resist pulling over for a few minutes to enjoy the scenery. The waves on the lake and the blue skies made a perfect backdrop, so I took a quick photo of my Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. It was the perfect car for my weeklong road trip all around the North Island. Thanks GO Rentals!

 

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!

 

 

Keith

The scenery all around Franz Josef was amazing, but as we started to climb towards Fox, we just had to keep stopping for photos! Bridget, the Toyota Yaris SUV Hybrid, is our new favourite car, and she’s been so good to us that we just had to put her in the picture too! We couldn’t have done it without you, Bridget – thank you, and GO Rentals.

 

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Fuel Efficiency – Who’s driving the green change?

Hybrid car companies are driving the green change by calculating fuel efficiency based on the type of fuel being used and how quickly it is consumed. Companies also factor in each fuel type’s specific emission factor, which represents the amount of CO2 emissions created as the fuel is burned. Tests include collecting tailpipe exhaust for analysis, dynamometer testing and measuring general emissions. 

A company’s fuel efficiency ratings are based on lab-tested conditions, using standardised testing like the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP). This is to ensure methods and results are consistent across vehicles. 

Auckland to Wellington Hybrid vs Petrol Environmental Impact

It’s impossible not to be awed by the stunning scenery of New Zealand as you make your way to Wellington. The snow-covered peaks are an unmissable travel buddy as you make your way across gorgeous national parks and bright green rolling hills mixing into tranquil blue lakes. 

By committing to greener travel today, the forests, lakes and mountains of our nation can inspire all of us for years to come. Here’s how many carbon emissions you can prevent by switching to a hybrid car on your road trip:

	2024 RAV4 Hybrid	2016 RAV4 Petrol
Engine	2.5L	2.5L
Carbon emission per km	121g/100km	220g/100km
Road trip km	646	646
Average emissions per trip	781.66g	1,421.2g

*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.

GO Zero

GO Rentals has partnered with CarbonClick to make it easier than ever to take climate actions and reduce your environmental impact while driving. With our rental car emissions offset package, you can rest easy in our hybrid cars, knowing you are doing your part for a cleaner tomorrow. 

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

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Maintenance – Which needs more TLC?

Petrol cars need slightly more maintenance than a hybrid car. This is due to the durable, low-maintenance electric motor in a hybrid car reducing wear and tear on the ICE engine. As a result, hybrid vehicles need fewer repairs and oil changes over the course of their lifespan. 

A hybrid car also maintains good condition for longer because of the regenerative braking system. Regenerative braking captures a portion of the kinetic energy of braking and returns a portion of it to the engine. The system also reduces the wear on the brake pads and rotors, extending the system’s lifespan past a typical petrol car.

No matter the type of car, hybrid, petrol or electric, at GO Rentals, we keep all our vehicles well-maintained so you can just hop in and get GOing on a New Zealand road trip. 

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GO Save with a Hybrid Rental

Not sure how to charge a hybrid car? At GO Rentals, our hybrid fleet doesn’t require any plug-ins or charging for our customers. Be sure to check out our handy guide if you need to know how to drive a hybrid car! 

How our Hybrid Cars work

With a hybrid rental, you can almost half your daily fuel costs, reduce your car’s carbon emissions and keep New Zealand’s beautiful landscapes clean and green. 

Grab a hybrid car with GO Rentals to enjoy:

1. Traditional controls: A hybrid rental drives just like a normal automatic transmission car. You won’t have to adjust to new controls to hop in and explore. Plus, you can enjoy a quieter road trip, thanks to the hybrid engine. 
2. Self-charging: Thanks to regenerative breaks, you don’t need to worry about recharging during your New Zealand road trip. Switching to green has never been easier!
3. Save on fuel: With enhanced fuel efficiency, thanks to the electric motor, you can save almost 50% on your fuel costs by switching to a hybrid. 
4. Keep New Zealand Green: By reducing your fuel consumption and carbon emissions, you are doing your part to keep New Zealand’s unique and beautiful biosphere clean and healthy. 

Book a vehicle for this trip

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Hit the Open Road for Less

A hybrid rental road trip gives you all the benefits of a petrol car, along with incredible fuel savings and GO Zero incentives. Enjoy less carbon emissions, lower fuel costs and more road to cruise thanks to the hybrid car’s fuel efficiency. With unlimited kms and green driving, you can enjoy the outstanding natural wonder of New Zealand, knowing you are doing your part to help save it. 

Interested in even more environmental sustainability? At GO Rentals, we have a fully equipped and well-maintained fleet of electric vehicles. Indulge in your passion for the earth with a completely environmentally friendly vehicle. You won’t even have to worry about searching high and low for a charging station, thanks to New Zealand’s wide EV charging network. 

If it’s your first time in a hybrid car rental, GO are here to support your journey and get you travelling with confidence. We offer basic car insurance and 24/7 roadside assistance with all of our hired cars and Total Road Care package, so you can rest easy, knowing you are safe in case of a breakdown. Our Total Road Care package will also cover the costs of toll roads and government road taxes. 

Help us save our beautiful nation one litre at a time. Book your next hybrid drive with GO Rentals.