How To Rent a Tesla | Easy Options for S, X, and 3 [2020]

Published by Ivan Phillips
On January 9, 2020

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Have you ever looked at a Tesla and thought to yourself… “I’d like to drive one!”.

You probably thought it costs an arm and a leg. Fortunately, I got some GREAT news for you!

Renting a Tesla doesn’t have to break the bank.

As electric cars become more and more advanced, their viability is becoming more of a reality. Driving from city to city or even across an entire country is now possible.

One brand that has stood out and set the “standard” for other EV’s is Tesla. Tesla Motors has been around for almost 20 years, but it wasn’t until 2008 when they produced their first mainstream electric vehicle.

While a success, it was nowhere near as popular as the Tesla Model S which followed 4 short years later. And as you know, the Model X and Model 3 followed with great success.

NOTHING (for now) compares to the quietness and acceleration of a Tesla!

*Not for the comfort level and not for the price point.

I strongly recommend you rent one to see exactly what its like (me and my wife did, it was an experience of a lifetime!).

Let's Breakdown Your TWO Options

Renting a Tesla Model S and Model X is quite easy. Most rental companies offer these cars in their “luxury” segments. Most are available in only major cities like Los Angeles, Miami, and Washington D.C.

While most would think this is their only option, they’d be wrong. There’s TWO ways you can go about this.

Below, let me explain each option and what the PRO’s and CON’s are of each:

Option #1. Standard rental car companies

This is by far the most popular option for renting a Tesla. Rental car companies such as Hertz, Enterprise, Avis, and many more others are known for having huge fleets. Their fleets are so big, companies like Hertz and Enterprise sell their used cars to the mainstream market. They make money not only on their rental income, but also from the sale of their vehicle (to recoup their initial cost).

Electric vehicle’s aren’t as popular with the big companies. But, they DO have Tesla’s of all types of rent in specific cities (think Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, etc…).

The BIGGEST PRO to renting from the mainstream rental companies are:

On average, you are guaranteed a clean vehicle
Usually more mileage allowed per day
Customer service available 24/7

The BIGGEST CON’S to renting from the mainstream rental companies are:

Availability of Tesla’s are selective (based on certain locations)
Prices are usually on the higher end
There’s little variety (I could not find any Model X or Model 3 for rent)

Option #2. TURO Car Sharing

This is the option I’ve been eager to write about. If you haven’t heard of Turo by now, let me introduce you to this platform (read our Turo review here).

I think we can safely assume that you know what AirBnb is. It’s the platform where you as the property owner can rent your spare bedroom on a daily/weekly or monthly basis.

In a nutshell, Turo is the “AirBnb for cars”. If you have a vehicle you’d like to rent out, it could generate income for you on a daily/weekly basis.

The magic of this platform is the variety of vehicles. There’s some unique cars (if you know where to look).

When it comes to renting a Tesla on Turo, its quite easy. Almost every major city has at least a handful ready to rent. Their prices range from $75 per day (on the cheap end) to $300 (on the high end). The daily mileage allowances vary, but most give you 200 miles per day to drive the vehicle.

While its not the cheapest option if you are under 25 years of age, it IS the PERFECT option if you want to try every type of Tesla every made.

The BIGGEST PRO’s to renting a Tesla from Turo are:

There’s a LOT of unique Tesla’s to choose from. From base model Model S 60’s, to the ultra fast Model S P100D’s.
Prices can be quite reasonable if you shop for the right deal.
Mileage allowances can often be negotiated in-person with the owner.
Discounts apply for long-term rentals (7 days, 30 days).

The BIGGEST CON’s to renting a Tesla from Turo are:

The cleanliness of the vehicle can’t be guaranteed (reviews are the best indicator)
Some Tesla’s are overpriced
Insurance coverage can be pricey for the “ZERO out of pocket” package.

Renting a Tesla Model S

The Tesla Model S is the most popular and most luxury electric vehicle on the market. From a country that is known (or used to be known) for making affordable but low material quality automobiles (think Pontiac, Saturn, etc).

When it comes to setting the benchmark for all EV’s so far, the Model S is doing it RIGHT. Currently, the lowest EV range is 208 miles (in the 60kW models). And the highest EV range is 335 miles (in the 100kW models).

Renting these from major rental companies will cost from $80-$200 per day.

Renting these on Turo can cost $80-$250 per day. With this option, there’s a lot more to choose from (including different trim levels).

Renting a Tesla Model X

The Model S sealed its place in history as one of the first full EV’s which can be used on a regular basis. A beautiful, sleek and specious automobile.

If that wasn’t enough, Tesla Motors released their Model X sports uttility vehicle. Not only can it go off-road with easy, but it also has the very cool falcon wing doors. In addition, it can also seat up to 7 people in total.

On top of THAT, it can tow over 10,000 lbs of weight.

That’s a beast of an SUV. As you can see, there’s an obvious reason why people are buying these every year, non-stop.

If you want to rent one, good luck finding a rental company that has them available. Hertz and Enterprise may have some (in select locations), but expect to have a hard time finding a location with a few on the lot.

As with the Model S, Turo is a great source where you can find one to rent from $150-$250 per day. Variety won’t be an issue, there’s every single trim level you can think of!

Renting a Tesla Model 3

If you want to rent a Tesla Model 3, there’s currently few options. This is the “Honda Civic” sized car that can get 300+ miles of EV range for less than $40K USD.

The Model 3 is a radically different vehicle, from the interior and exterior styling, to the highly affordable price brand new. Minimalism is the name of the game here with the Model 3. There’s less than 10 buttons in the interior, with almost everything being controlled centrally by a large tablet screen.

It may be the budget option for some, but it stills packs a punch in acceleration, luxury, and storage space.

To rent one on Turo, you can pay anywhere between $80-$175 USD.

Renting a Tesla Roadster 1.0

Lastly we have the original Tesla Roaster 1.0. This was the original Tesla they released in 2008, being one of the most expensive and fastest EV’s on the market. Not only that, but it also got over 200 miles of range on a single charge.

It set the benchmark back then, and Tesla’s new products continue to do so every few years (in 2020 the Roadster 2.0 is going to shatter records in many areas).

Renting a Roadster 1.0 is rather tough, no matter which area you look at. Turo seems to have a few here an there, but they tend to go $250-$500 per day.

This is a special treat car, so be ready to pay accordingly.

In Summary

The conclusion is simple, use Turo as a source to rent cars. While some major companies may provide discounts on Tesla S models, its no match to doing a search on Turo.

If you want to rent a Tesla Model S, Tesla Model X, Tesla Model 3 or Tesla Roadster 1.0 for reasonable prices, look no further than what I’ve mentioned above!

How To Rent a Tesla: Are There Easy Options?