Soaring Gas Prices In Myrtle Beach Led To Rise In Tesla Rentals

Soaring gas prices in Myrtle Beach led to a notable increase in Tesla vehicle rentals this month. ABC15 News reported that Tesla Fleet Myrtle Beach, an EV rental company, experienced a boost in its EV rental business that was fueled by the gas shortage. The owner, Jerry Stovall, noted that drivers were playing “finders keepers.”

“My cars have been booked pretty solid all through the summer,” he said. Stovall started his business two years ago but wasn’t expecting a gas shortage to lead to such demand for his own business. He shared that he started the business out of love for his own Tesla.

“I liked [my Tesla] so much that I wanted to share it with other people and let them have the experience that I have,” he told the ABC15 News. He uses Turo to rent out his Tesla vehicles.

“In general, there’s a high demand for rental cars,” he said. “I wish I had more cars. I need more cars.” Stovall also added, “Electricity is a lot easier and a lot more convenient to me.”

So far, Stoval has ordered around 20 electric scooters to rent to his neighbors as well. He noted that there’s plenty of charging stations, so keeping the cars charged isn’t a hassle. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuel Data Center, there are 702 public EV charging outlets in South Carolina.