Electric car hire with SIXT

• The battery charge of electric vehicles is recorded at pickup and at return. If the vehicle is over 80% charged at pickup, it must be returned with at least 80% battery charge.*
• If you do not have time to charge the batteries and have not booked a prepaid charging service, this is not a problem. You will only be charged for the electricity (kWh) required to bring the battery up to the charge level at the time of collection, i.e. a maximum of 80%. You can see the corresponding rates at the SIXT station.

*If the vehicle's charge level was below 80% at the time of pickup, the vehicle must be returned with the corresponding charge level.

To save time, when you pick up your vehicle at the SIXT station, you can opt for the prepaid charging service: You can return the vehicle with any battery level and we will charge it at a fixed price.

Yes, all our vehicles come with two charging cables:

• Type 2, which is used to connect to public charging points. The chargers can be found on the street, and at car parks, supermarkets and leisure centers.
• Domestic charging cable. This cable can be used in regular household power outlets.

Charging is easy, just follow these steps:

Slow charging at a public station using type 2 cable

• Park the vehicle near the charging point and connect the Type 2 cable to the vehicle's charging port. At some charging points you have to use your RFID card first in order to plug the cable to the charging station.
• Use an RFID card to activate the charging session. At most charge points you can also start and stop the charging session with the app.
• Check the charging status on the vehicle's display, the App or charging station's screen.
• Wait for the battery to charge. To end the charging session, deactivate it the same way that you activated it. If you activated with a RFID card, use the same card to deactivate.
• Disconnect the cable and safely drive away. If the cable is stuck to the car, try unlocking the car with the key and then remove the cable.

Note: The exact process may vary depending on the charging station and vehicle model.

Fast charging at a public station

• Park the vehicle near the charging station and make sure it's positioned correctly.
• To start charging, place your RFID/charging card near the reader. For some chargers, you may need to connect your car first and then select "start" on the touchscreen before scanning your card. For further instructions, refer to the display on the charger. At some charge points you can also start and stop the charging session with the app.
• Attach the plug to your car. Make sure the plug is properly inserted into the car and hold it firmly for 20-30 seconds until it locks into place. When the charging station activates and the screen begins displaying an active charging session, you can let go of the plug.
• After authentication, the connector will lock, and charging will begin automatically after a few seconds.
• When you’ve reached your desired state of charge, you can stop the charging session on the charging point screen or by placing your RFID card on the reader. Then, remove the connector from your car and hang it back up. If you used the app to start your charging session, use the app to stop it.

Note: The exact process may vary depending on the charging station and vehicle model.

You can easily view the network coverage under the SIXT charge tab in the SIXT app.

Charging costs and calculations vary throughout Europe. Some charge per kWh, while others charge per minute of charging. Some cities include charging fees in their parking costs. To avoid unexpected expenses, we recommend checking the charging fees in the app before starting your session. The following prices are examples only, as prices vary by city.

There are several factors impacting the range of an electric car.

Speed: High speeds such as motorway driving increase energy use and therefore reduce your range. Urban driving at a lower speed with stop-and-go traffic generally means lower consumption and a longer range.

Weather: The ideal temperature for maximum range is around 20 degrees Celsius (68 F). In cold weather the battery uses energy to heat both the battery and the interior of the vehicle.

Driving style: Electric cars have a rapid throttle response that makes them fun to drive. However, the maximum range is reached with smooth acceleration and maximum use of the regenerative breaking.

Two factors differentiate the driving behavior of a conventional vehicle versus a battery-powered vehicle.

The first is acceleration, which is significantly better in an electric car versus a conventional car due to the rapid attainment of maximum torque. The second is that electric cars cause virtually no engine noise.

Additionally, the electric motor doesn’t have a transmission, which is why the driver doesn’t have to shift gears and experiences uninterrupted acceleration.

The braking behavior of the electric vehicle is also different. In addition to the conventional brake, it also has a recuperation brake. Here, when the speed is reduced, the electric motor is used as a generator and kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy. In this process, the car brakes and part of the energy released is recovered. In some cases, the recuperation brakes are so powerful that the conventional brake rarely needs to be used.