Massimo Alboreto, sales director and co-founder of NoleggioElettrico Photos: Courtesy of NoleggioElettrico

In the year 2025, over 12 million electric cars will be sold in China. The country accounts for more than half of global sales of electric vehicles (EVs), confirming its leadership in this sector. This success has been achieved mainly thanks to excellent technological know-how and strong government support through tax incentives, investments in charging infrastructure, and policies favoring sustainable mobility. However, it should be noted that in recent months there have been signs of a slowdown, partly due to a possible decline in exports caused by higher European and American tariffs.   

Pioneers in electric traction   

In Italy, the introduction of EVs is relatively recent and still requires strong information and training efforts at all levels, often facilitated through rental services. 

This is the core business of NoleggioElettrico, a start-up founded in 2017 that positions itself in the market as the first network for sustainable mobility for the rental of fully electric vehicles - with the possibility of sub-renting - for both short- and long-term periods. 

"We have been pioneers in this business: We have personally used EVs for about 10 years," says Massimo Alboreto, sales director, brand ambassador, and co-founder of the company, which became a benefit corporation in 2024. 

"We started with the idea that short-term rental was the best way for people to experience the potential of electric traction and thus guide them toward a conscious transition. That's why we introduced the rentable mode, which allows for long-term car rentals that can be shared with others through short-term rentals. In other words, our clients would rent a vehicle for the long term, and if we received short-term rental requests from third parties during this period, we would proceed accordingly, subject to availability." 

Those who chose these vehicles, Alboreto explains, did so also from a marketing perspective: From entrepreneurs wanting to show interest in EVs to companies like the current Plenitude, which tested charging stations with rented cars during the week and allowed employees to try them out on weekends. 

It is worth noting that, in the early days of NoleggioElettrico, the company primarily used Tesla vehicles, but in recent years the brands have been diversified, with an increase in Chinese-made cars, starting with BYD. 

"With the multiplication of models, today we could not have our own fleet. For long-term rentals, from 36-48 months, we prefer to make agreements with car manufacturers, dealers, and entities that have registered vehicles for rental." 

Importance of EVCoach   

From these initial experiences, the figure of the EVCoach was born and developed. 

"While the main traditional players in the rental sector lack specific expertise in electric mobility, for us this know-how was essential. So we decided to provide our network of clients, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and companies with a team of experienced professionals, often with millions of kilometers driven, capable of imparting the necessary knowledge to novice drivers to approach an EV effectively. And to ensure they are not influenced by the fake news circulating in this area." 

Many EVCoaches, including Alboreto, are also safe driving instructors. "Personally, I handle long test drives of company vehicles, not so much to produce the classic reviews found in specialized magazines, but to constantly refine our experience," Alboreto shares.

Moreover, test drives can become real tours involving employees, clients, and journalists, for example, in team-building activities or territory exploration. 

"The EVCoach service is also consultative, allowing us to understand the clients' needs and advise them accordingly on the most suitable model. For long-term rentals, we provide users with our assistance, for example, on apps for charging vehicles or on doubts related to car management," explains Alboreto. 

Massimo Alboreto (1st right) at NoleggioElettrico in the Milano Congress Center

Rise of Chinese cars   

In just a few years, the offer of electric traction cars has obviously expanded significantly. 

"Numerically, we still have many Teslas because clients may have rented them a few years ago. Today, however, the market has completely changed and sees the growth of Chinese brands like BYD, of which I have tried all the models available, and XPeng. This evolution has been evident to me as a member of the organizing committee of the Milano Monza Motor Show and the Turin Auto Show: In the upcoming 2025 edition, we will see that the percentage of Chinese EVs has significantly increased," says Alboreto.

To clients who ask about the reliability of these vehicles, Alboreto responds that, while they may be relatively unknown to us Europeans, they actually sell millions of units per year and have thus accumulated valuable technological know-how and safety standards. 

"Unfortunately, in Europe in recent years, not everyone has chosen to invest in research in this sector, leading many designers and engineers, including Italians, to work for Chinese and Indian automotive companies that are conducting research in this field," Alboreto says.