StefanyIssues with renting a car in Denmark
Have you ever been in the need of a car in Denmark? Although well known as the country of cyclists, many people still find themselves in need of a motorised vehicle quite often. For me this was a recent issue as I had to go IKEA shopping as well as pick up a friend from an airport and show around the country.
Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind when renting a car is the traditional rental companies that are scattered all over the country. However, the prices tend to get very high depending on how often/long you need to use the car + gas expenses and the deposit. In my case it was even more impossible to find a car as I am a new driver (less than a year experience).
Similar issues were met when trying to rent from private owners through GoMore. If the cars were not already rented out (as most of them were), then the owners wouldn’t like to rent their car for somebody new to the platform.
And then I found the holy grail of car rental – TADAA!
Rent a car on subscription basis
It seems like nowadays you can get almost anything on subscription and now – even a car. That is exactly what TADAA! does – offering a vehicle available when you need it. What makes it even more exciting – all of their vehicles are electric (Renault ZOE) meaning no extra cost for the gas and no cost per mileage!
All you have to do is open an account on their website (costs 199kr). The only 2 requirements are that you are 18+ years old and have a driving license valid in Denmark (Class B). There is no additional cost for ”young or new drivers” which many other car rentals have.
When you have created the account you have 3 packages available:
- Pay per trip – which means that there is no recurring payment each month and you only pay for the time you will be using the car;
- Small subscription – with 12 hours of driving per month costing 399kr
- Large subscription – with 32 hours of driving per month for 999kr
What I love about the service is that you can cancel your subscription (there is no binding) and change it to the pay per trip option. This is great if you don’t plan on using the service next month (remember to do so before the end of the month when the payment will be made).
Electric car = no additional payment for gas
Usually when renting a car you might notice that there is additional cost for mileage. If you travel long distances that can get quite pricey. Not to forget that you still need to pay for the gas which adds up to the cost. This is where Tadaa! stole my heart. It feels so good knowing that you can drive distances as long as needed and not worry about paying for the gas or km. The only disadvantage I can think of is the km you can make with one full charge (1 hour of charge time gets you 100% battery). In the warm months you can make around 170km with one charge, in the coldest months – an average of 115km (read more about the cars here). However, with a little planning there is no issue as there are over 2000 charging points all over Denmark. As a Tadaa! customer you can use E.ON or Clever Type 2 chargers with no additional cost.
Tip: Get the E.ON and Clever apps to plan your journey and see where charging stations are. If you are exploring the country or showing somebody around, this is a great opportunity to visit new places while charging.
How it works
The system is quite easy and the whole booking process can be done straight from the Tadaa! app. Obviously you first need to create an account where you pick your default city (here is where Tadaa! currently operates). This is where you will be beginning and finishing your journey. The cars can’t be left in other cities and you always have to return the car to the same charging point you picked it up from.
When you have made your account and picked the type of subscription you would like, you can begin the booking process. Just find the closest charging point to your location, pick one of the cars that are available and choose the time you will need the car for. If you feel like you will need more time for your journey, you can extend the time through the app. However, if someone else has already booked the car, you have to return it and the trip can’t be extended. I highly recommend reading their FAQ page to make sure you know all the details and won’t end up paying extra.
When you have booked the car all you have to do is show up, use the app to check in and unlock the car and take the key out of the glove compartment. Remember to take the charging cable (if it is removable) with you and put it in the trunk so you can charge your car. See full instructions on how to use Tadaa! here.
All in all..
In conclusion I must say that I can’t recommend the service enough. It is extremely easy to use and makes so much sense money-wise if you don’t need to use the car all the time. For short trips once in a while it is perfect. The fact that it is not binding is amazing for those who want to explore the country or, for example, pick up friends or family from an airport.
All the Tadaa! cars so far have been in best condition, clean and ready to be used. What is nice is that every car has a GPS and you can connect your phone via bluetooth and listen to own music as well as answer calls if needed.
I must add that I appreciate the amazing customer service which is available 24/7 in case you need help with the car or have any questions.
Unfortunately, at the moment Tadaa! is only available in Jutland and Fyn, however they are planning to expand to Zealand some time in the future.