Renting an EV in Canada May Be Harder Than Travellers Expect
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As summer travel begins and fuel costs continue to pressure household budgets, some travellers in Canada are looking at a practical idea: renting an electric vehicle instead of a gas-powered car. But at many rental counters, the option may not be easy to find.
A Canadian Press report published on Sunday, June 7, 2026, found that EV rental inventory in Canada remains limited and is often concentrated in cities with stronger charging infrastructure. That means travellers hoping to save on gas may face limited availability, higher prices, or the need to plan their route around charging stations.
The issue is not only consumer interest. Some rental companies reduced their EV fleets after earlier efforts failed to gain enough traction, with drivers worried about battery range, charging time, and access to chargers during longer trips. The report notes that EV rental supply in Canada remains small and tied closely to cities with the infrastructure to support it.
At one Thrifty Car Rental franchise in Burlington, Ontario, there are no EVs available, shifting customer demand toward hybrids instead. According to the report, some customers are willing to pay about $10 more per day for a hybrid when they expect fuel savings to make up the difference.
Demand is more visible on peer-to-peer rental platforms. Turo said EV bookings were up 80 percent by mid-May compared with a year earlier, while searches for hybrid vehicles rose 180 percent between April 29 and May 29 compared with the same period last year. The platform has about 2,000 EVs and hybrids listed for rent.
Enterprise says it has nearly 160,000 hybrids and EVs in its global fleet, but only a limited mix is available in some Canadian markets where both demand and infrastructure exist. The company did not specify how many are available in Canada.
For travellers, the takeaway is simple: do not leave the vehicle type to chance at the rental counter. Ask before booking whether an EV or hybrid is actually available, how much range the vehicle offers, what the charging return policy is, whether extra fees apply, and where chargers are located along the route. In many cases, a hybrid may be the more practical middle ground for families who want lower fuel use without planning every stop around a charger.
Canada is supporting EV adoption through federal affordability and infrastructure programs, including the Electric Vehicle Affordability Program for eligible purchases or longer leases, and the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program for EV chargers and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. But those programs do not guarantee that an EV will be available at every rental office or in every destination.
This summer, the real question may not be whether an EV can save money. It may be whether the route, the city, and the rental company are ready for one.
