Travelling responsibly does not mean giving up the freedom and flexibility of a hire car. It means making thoughtful choices about which vehicle you hire, how you drive it, and how you plan your trip. For visitors and locals in Perth, there are genuinely meaningful ways to reduce the environmental impact of your hire car travel without compromising on where you go or how comfortable you are getting there.

Burswood Car Rentals has been a Quality Tourism Accredited Perth car hire company for over 42 years. As Perth’s transport landscape shifts toward lower-emission vehicles, we are shifting with it. Here is the practical guide to eco-friendly car hire in Perth.

Step 1: Choose the Most Fuel-Efficient Vehicle for Your Trip

The single biggest factor in the environmental footprint of your hire car trip is the vehicle you choose. A smaller, more fuel-efficient car produces meaningfully less CO2 per kilometre than a large SUV or ute, regardless of how eco-consciously you drive.

Burswood’s practical guide to vehicle choice by trip type:

• Solo travel or couple in Perth: a compact car like the Kia Rio or similar economy option is the lowest-emission choice in the conventional fleet and is perfectly adequate for Perth CBD and inner suburb travel
• Family or small group: a mid-size sedan or small SUV uses fuel more efficiently than an 8-seater if you don’t genuinely need the extra seats. Hire the right size, not the largest available
• Any trip where charging is viable: the CUPRA Tavascan produces zero tailpipe emissions. For Perth city and short regional trips where the charging network supports the route, the electric option is the most environmentally responsible choice available

Step 2: Consider the Electric Vehicle Option

Burswood Car Rentals is currently trialling the CUPRA Tavascan, a premium electric SUV that produces zero tailpipe emissions. For a visitor to Perth whose itinerary includes the city, Fremantle, the Swan Valley, and possibly Margaret River, the Tavascan covers the journey without burning a single litre of petrol.

The environmental argument for an EV hire in Perth is straightforward. A week of city and regional driving in a petrol vehicle produces a substantial CO2 output. The same trip in the CUPRA Tavascan produces no direct tailpipe emissions. The full lifecycle carbon comparison between EVs and petrol vehicles is more complex (manufacturing, battery production, and the grid mix all factor in), but for the in-use travel emissions that most travellers think about, an EV hire is the clear environmental choice.

Step 3: Drive More Efficiently

Once you have the right vehicle, how you drive it has a significant effect on fuel consumption and emissions. These habits apply equally to petrol and EV hire cars (for EVs, they extend range and reduce overall energy use):

• Smooth acceleration and braking: rapid acceleration burns significantly more fuel than gradual acceleration to cruising speed. Anticipate the road ahead, accelerate gently, and let the car coast before braking where safe and legal to do so
• Maintain a steady speed on highways: fuel consumption increases sharply above 100 km/h on Western Australian highways. Keeping to the posted speed limit is both the legal and the more fuel-efficient choice
• Use air conditioning strategically: air conditioning adds fuel consumption. In mild Perth weather, opening windows is more efficient. In summer heat, air conditioning at moderate settings is more efficient than open windows at highway speeds
• Avoid unnecessary idling: turning off the engine at extended stops of more than a minute or two reduces fuel consumption and emissions
• Check tyre pressure before longer trips: underinflated tyres increase rolling resistance and fuel consumption. The Burswood team maintains vehicles in good condition, but it is worth a quick check before heading out on a longer regional drive

Step 4: Plan Your Route to Minimise Distance

The greenest kilometre is the one you do not drive. Perth is a large, spread-out city, and route planning genuinely affects total distance travelled:

• Use a navigation app with live traffic data to avoid congestion, which dramatically increases fuel consumption
• Cluster activities by area on each day of your trip rather than crisscrossing the city
• For shorter distances in central Perth, consider using public transport (the free CAT buses in the city centre, or the train network to Fremantle) and using the hire car for the trips that genuinely require one
• When driving in the Perth Hills, Margaret River region, or other scenic areas, plan a circuit route rather than an out-and-back where possible

Step 5: Offset What You Cannot Avoid

For the emissions you cannot eliminate, consider a carbon offset. Several Australian organisations offer verified carbon offset programmes. A two-week hire car trip in WA can be offset for a relatively modest cost. Look for offset programmes that are independently verified against recognised standards (such as the Australian National Carbon Offset Standard or Gold Standard accreditation).

A Note on Vehicle Returns and Fleet Efficiency

Burswood Car Rentals maintains its fleet to a high standard, with regular servicing that keeps vehicles operating at their rated fuel efficiency. The no-hidden-fees, nil damage excess policy means there are no incentives for customers to hide vehicle issues that might affect performance, which helps us keep the fleet in optimal condition for both efficiency and safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hiring an electric car in Perth more expensive than a petrol car?

The daily hire rate for the CUPRA Tavascan is higher than our economy and standard petrol vehicles, reflecting its premium positioning. However, the lower cost of charging versus petrol partially offsets the rate difference, particularly on longer hire periods. For customers for whom the environmental benefit or the premium driving experience has value, the Tavascan represents good value on both dimensions. Contact us for current pricing.

Which car in the Burswood fleet has the lowest emissions for a short Perth city trip?

For a short Perth city trip, the CUPRA Tavascan has zero tailpipe emissions and is the clear lowest-emission choice where the route is viable. For those who prefer a petrol vehicle, our economy and compact options have the lowest fuel consumption per kilometre in the conventional fleet.