The shortage of vehicles will cause car rental prices to skyrocket this summer

Renting a car is going to be even more expensive this summer. In 2021, the increase reached 43% worldwide compared to 2019 and up to 49% in France according to figures published in January by Carigami, reports UFC-Que Choisir. In Spain, prices rose by 85% and up to 104% in Italy. Renting a vehicle cost an average of 46 euros per day last year, regardless of the destination, compared to 32 euros in 2019.

Prices will continue to rise according to the consumer protection association, which points to the lack of available vehicles. In 2020, faced with the Covid crisis, rental companies sold a large number of vehicles. This allowed them to recover cash and reduce capital costs.

Strong recovery and shortage of vehicles

But 2021 was marked by a much stronger recovery in rentals than expected. To this was added the shortage of vehicles. The fleet available from rental companies has almost been halved compared to 2019. Rental companies are unable to buy cars from manufacturers who are struggling to please everyone and prefer to focus on the more profitable private market.

For this summer, it is recommended to reserve your vehicle well in advance. In some cases, it is possible to pay the rental when picking up the vehicle, which leaves time to cancel. To lower the price, it is possible to avoid options such as GPS, which duplicates work if you have a smartphone, franchise buyouts and additional insurance.