How Do You Charge an Amped EV Rental?
Find a station in PlugShare, the Tesla app or the network’s app, plug in, and start the session. On a Tesla the session starts automatically and bills through Amped’s Tesla account; on the Equinox EV you start it with a contactless card or the network app and pay the network. Amped aims to hand over each EV with a high state of charge, documented at handoff, but 100% is not guaranteed and the return requirement does not depend on the starting level.
“The car was in excellent condition and the battery was good no issues at all. He was super communicative and made the whole process easy.” — Elysa, May 2026 · Turo
You are most likely to charge during your rental if you are:
- Driving a long distance before return — the Florida Keys, Orlando or the Palm Beaches
- Putting on high daily mileage
- Returning below 75%, which triggers a Recharge Service Fee under the Terms & Conditions unless you added Skip the Recharge
How to charge an Amped EV rental in South Florida
Find a station using PlugShare, the Tesla app or your network’s app, park and plug in, and start the session. Tesla rentals: the vehicle stays on Amped Auto Rentals’ Tesla account, so Supercharging is billed through Amped and those charges are your responsibility, reconciled against your $250 direct-booking security deposit under the Terms. Chevrolet Equinox EV: you use your own account or payment method with a compatible public network and generally pay that network directly; the supplied GM NACS adapter gives access to eligible Tesla Supercharger locations that support non-Tesla EVs. Return at 75% or higher to avoid a Recharge Service Fee.
How to Charge — 4 Steps That Work Everywhere
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Find a charger
Open PlugShare, ChargePoint, or the Tesla app on your phone. Filter for fast chargers on longer trips, Level 2 for overnight stops, or the Free filter to find sites that list complimentary charging (parking and access fees can still apply).
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Park and plug in
Pull into an open stall. For Teslas, press the button on the Supercharger handle — the port opens automatically. For the Equinox EV, press the charge port button on the driver-side door. Connect the cable firmly until it clicks.
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Start the session
Tesla Superchargers start automatically — the Amped account is linked, no card or app needed. For Electrify America, EVgo, or ChargePoint: tap a contactless credit card or start the session in the network app. Equinox EV customers using Superchargers must use the Tesla app with their own credit card.
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Finish the session
DC fast charging slows as the battery fills, so on a long drive many people stop short of a full charge and continue to the next station rather than wait out the last stretch. How long a session takes depends on the charger, the vehicle, the battery’s state of charge and temperature, and the site itself. When you are finished, press the release button on the cable and return it to the holster.
Pickup & drop-off meeting point
When your reservation is assigned to the Hollywood meeting point, your pickup instructions direct you to the Wawa at 106 S State Rd 7, Hollywood, FL 33023. Your reservation instructions control your specific handoff location. This is a meeting point only — not an Amped office. Several Wawa locations across South Florida host Tesla Superchargers, so you can top up right before or after your rental. For all pickup, drop-off, or reservation questions: (786) 981-1177.
How do you open and start an electric rental car?
There is no key to turn and, on the Teslas, no key at all. Tesla Model 3 and Model Y: your phone is the key. Download the Tesla app, accept the digital key invite we send before delivery, and leave Bluetooth and Location switched on. Walk up, press the door handle, sit down, press the brake and select drive — there is no start button. A backup key card lives in the glove box; tap it on the pillar behind the driver’s door if your phone dies. Chevrolet Equinox EV: conventional key fob, conventional start button, nothing unusual.
Every delivery includes a walkthrough before we hand the car over. If something is not obvious at the kerb, that is the moment to ask — or call (786) 981-1177.
What is regenerative braking and will it feel strange?
Yes, for about ten minutes. Lift off the accelerator in an EV and the car slows itself noticeably, recovering energy back into the battery instead of wasting it as heat in the brake pads. In stop-start traffic on the Palmetto or crossing the causeways you will barely touch the brake pedal — this is often called one-pedal driving. It is disconcerting for the first few junctions and then most people prefer it. Both the Teslas and the Equinox EV let you soften the effect in the settings if you would rather it felt like a normal car.
What happens if a rental EV runs out of charge?
Keep enough charge to reach a charger or the agreed return location, and do not deliberately run the battery down. The car warns you repeatedly and the navigation reroutes to the nearest charger, but do not plan around any hidden reserve below the displayed zero — it is not dependable trip-planning range. If the vehicle does become immobilized, call (786) 981-1177 immediately and do not arrange a tow yourself that is not appropriate for an electric vehicle; an EV cannot be jump-started or refuelled from a can and needs flatbed recovery to a charger. Responsibility for recovery costs is governed by the Terms.
What State of Charge Must You Return the EV With?
On a direct Amped booking, return the EV at 75% or higher and no Recharge Service Fee applies. Between 20% and 74% a $35 Recharge Service Fee applies; below 20% a $60 Low-Battery Recharge Service Fee applies instead. The optional Skip the Recharge add-on ($40 per rental) waives the $35 fee only, and the vehicle must still come back at 20% or higher.
| Return state of charge | Direct-booking treatment |
|---|
| 75% or higher | No Recharge Service Fee |
| 20%–74% | $35 Recharge Service Fee |
| Below 20% | $60 Low-Battery Recharge Service Fee |
| Skip the Recharge | $40 per rental; waives the $35 fee only; vehicle must still return at 20%+ |
These are Amped direct-booking rules. Turo trip terms may differ. Skip the Recharge does not pay for electricity used during the rental, and the requirement does not depend on the level the car was delivered at. See Sections 8(l) and 8(m) of the Terms; for a vehicle booked through Turo, see the FAQ below.
How Do You Charge a Tesla or an Equinox EV Rental?
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y rentals charge at any Tesla Supercharger with no card or app; the car stays on Amped’s Tesla account and the session is reconciled with you afterwards. The Chevrolet Equinox EV charges at CCS fast chargers and Level 2 sites with your own payment method, and at eligible Tesla sites using the supplied GM NACS adapter and your own Tesla app account.
Tesla Model Y & Model 3
Your phone is the key. Download the Tesla app, accept the digital key invite Amped sends before delivery, and enable Bluetooth and Location permissions. A backup key card is in the glove box.
The vehicle stays on Amped’s Tesla account. Every Amped Tesla remains connected to Amped Auto Rentals’ own Tesla account for the whole rental, so you simply plug in and Tesla bills the session through Amped. Those charging-session charges, and any idle or congestion fees from your use, are your responsibility and are reconciled against your $250 direct-booking security deposit under Section 11 of the Terms. Do not add the vehicle to a personal Tesla account, remove it from Amped’s account, or add a payment card for it.
A digital key is not account ownership. The app access Amped sends lets you operate the car. It does not transfer the vehicle into your Tesla account or give you control of Amped’s account.
Finding a Supercharger: Tap the lightning bolt on the touchscreen; the car routes automatically to the nearest available stall.
Model Y details → · Model 3 details →
Chevrolet Equinox EV RS
Check the trunk — the supplied charging equipment includes a Dual Level Charge Cord (120V and 240V outlets) and a GM NACS adapter. Supplied equipment stays with the vehicle and comes back with it.
You pay the network directly. Equinox renters use their own account or payment method with a compatible public charging network — EVgo, Electrify America, ChargePoint, eligible Tesla charging for non-Tesla EVs, or another compatible network. These sessions do not run through Amped’s Tesla account.
At Tesla Superchargers: the GM NACS adapter gives access to eligible Tesla Supercharger locations that support non-Tesla EVs, using your own Tesla account. Not every Supercharger site supports non-Tesla charging — confirm the specific site in the Tesla app before you drive there.
At CCS fast chargers: tap a contactless card at the reader or start the session in the network’s app. Actual charging speed varies with the charger, the site, the battery’s state of charge and temperature, and conditions.
Before you return: if you enrolled the vehicle in Autocharge, Plug & Charge or another persistent vehicle-linked payment feature, remove that enrolment. You do not need to delete ordinary charging apps from your phone.
Equinox EV details →
“Very convenient to have the Tesla converter in the car so you can go to any Tesla station. You may have to move the car a certain way cause it doesn’t reach on a normal side of Tesla charges on other than that the car is amazing. Still give it five stars very responsive anytime I called or text the Host” — Julian, May 2026 · Turo · Chevrolet Equinox EV
Which Charging Apps Should You Install Before You Drive?
Install PlugShare and the Tesla app before delivery. Tesla renters need the Tesla app as the phone key; Equinox EV renters also need it to pay at eligible Tesla sites, plus the app of any network they plan to use. Each app below performs a specific renter task.
PlugShare
Charger map with live availability and a filter for sites that list complimentary charging. Start here; it covers the major networks.
plugshare.com →
Tesla App
Required for Tesla rentals (digital phone key). Essential for Equinox drivers who want to use Superchargers.
tesla.com/support/tesla-app →
ChargePoint
Widely available at hotels, malls and municipal garages across South Florida. Useful for Level 2 sessions on the Equinox EV.
chargepoint.com →
Electrify America
CCS fast charging for the Equinox EV at sites across Miami-Dade and Broward. Check current pricing and availability in the app.
electrifyamerica.com →
EVgo
DC fast charging network. Tap-to-pay or pay in the app; current session fees and any membership pricing are shown in the app.
evgo.com →
ParkMobile
Used to pay for parking at City of Fort Lauderdale garages and lots that host chargers; follow the signage at the site.
parkmobile.io →
Planning a road trip? Add A Better Route Planner (ABRP) — it calculates optimal charging stops based on your vehicle, weather, and speed. Essential for trips over 150 miles.
Keep this in your pocket
Download the 2-page printable Quick Reference — chargers, prices, apps, hotlines, and troubleshooting in one PDF.
📥 Download PDF
What Should You Do If Charging Goes Wrong?
Try a different stall first, then a different payment method, then the network’s support line; if the car itself is the problem or the battery is nearly empty, call Amped at (786) 981-1177 before arranging anything yourself. Never attempt to repair charging equipment.
Charger won't start?
Try these in order before calling anyone:
- Unplug and re-plug firmly — most failures are a cable that didn't click in fully
- Confirm the car is in Park and doors are closed
- Refresh the charging network app
- Try a different stall — single failed pedestals at otherwise-working sites are common
- Try a different payment method (app vs. tap-to-pay vs. RFID)
- Call the network's support line (numbers on the PDF)
- Move to the next nearest station — PlugShare shows real-time availability
Cable won't release?
- Tesla: Tap "Open Charge Port" on the touchscreen, or long-press the trunk button on the key fob
- Equinox: Press the charge port button on the driver-side door or touchscreen
- If the car is asleep: open a door or press the brake pedal first, then try again
Charging is slow
Usually physics rather than a fault. Charging slows as the battery fills, a hot battery after highway driving slows for thermal protection, and Level 2 units deliver far less power than DC fast chargers. Speeds also vary by site and by how many stalls are in use. See our full FAQ for more.
Stranded or stuck?
Call Amped first: (786) 981-1177. We coordinate with Tesla Roadside, Chevy assistance, or tow services depending on the situation. Don't attempt repairs on damaged chargers — unplug and move to a different station.
