Related: UFODrive Opens New Brussels Location
Understanding Range Anxiety with an EV Rental
A CNET writer chronicles her experience renting from UFODrive, a startup that only rents electric vehicles in European cities.

Opening in 2018, UFODrive has expanded from its first location in Luxembourg to airports in Brussels, Vienna, Hamburg, and Cologne-Bonn, Germany, and in city centers in Brussels, Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam.
Photo courtesy of UFODrive.
CNET writer Shara Tibken rented an electric vehicle for the first time while traveling in Germany. She rented the Tesla Model S for 149 euros per day from UFODrive, a startup that only rents electric vehicles in European cities through its mobile app.
Like many first-time renters of an electric vehicle, Tibken was worried about running out of power with no charging station nearby. To help ease this concern, UFODrive’s app tracks the vehicle’s battery level and directs you to the nearest charging station when needed. It sends an alert when you have 30% battery left and sends another alert when only 10% battery life remains. The app also features a built-in chat support function.
Before Tibken booked the Tesla Model S through UFODrive’s app, the company emailed her tips for operating and charging its electric vehicles.
While driving the Model S from Hamburg to a small German town called Wismar, Tibken experienced range anxiety with the EV. She lost cellphone service and wasn’t receiving UFODrive’s alerts about the vehicle’s battery level. Additionally, she wasn’t looking at the app’s recommendations for Superchargers and slower charging stations while driving.
But even when using the app’s charger locations map, Tibken said some of the charging stations shown weren’t open to the public. UFODrive said its charger map links to a real-time feed of data that checks on the availability of charging stations, but it’s not completely accurate and differs by country.
According to UFODrive, it’s continuing to update its app to add more functionality. For example, charging alerts only come through the app currently, but UFODrive is working toward getting the address of a charging station sent from the phone to the car’s navigation system.
Opening in 2018, UFODrive has expanded from its first location in Luxembourg to airports in Brussels, Vienna, Hamburg, and Cologne-Bonn, Germany, and in city centers in Brussels, Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam. The company hopes to expand to at least 30 locations next year, including three U.S. cities.
UFODrive’s prices start at 69 euros (about $76) per day for the Nissan Leaf and go up to 159 euros for the Jaguar I-Pace. The price includes insurance, about 217 miles of driving, and charging costs.
Click here for Tibken’s full CNET review.
More Rental Operations

Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study
While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.
Read More →
The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals
Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.
Read More →
The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?
For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.
Read More →
ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers
The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.
Read More →
Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service
Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.
Read More →
Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
Read More →
When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
Read More →
