Rent car from CDG or outside of Paris?

Welcome to the forum!
When it comes to rental cars in Europe, AutoEurope is a consolidator for the large rental agencies such as Sixt, Budget, Enterprise. Avis, Hertz and other names you’ll recognize. I have had great experiences in renting through AutoEurope throughout Europe, as have many others who regularly contribute to this forum. AutoEurope offers discounted rates that often are lower than the car rental agencies themselves offer. And—-AutoEurooe can set you up with a car rental in Versailles where you can pick up a car once you’re leaving Versailles to explore France. I suggest returning the car to Versailles so you can avoid having to drive in Paris or out to CDG Airport. You won’t need a car in Paris and it will be much easier to pickup and dropoff a car outside of Paris and simply take the RER commuter trains between Versailles and Paris, and between Paris and CDG airport.
You can see what AutoEurope has available for car rentals at www.AutoEurope.com

Keep in mind that French law requires that you have an International Drivers Permit ( “IDP”) to be able to
drive in France. An IDP is a translation of your US drivers license into French and several other languages, and one can easily be obtained at your local American Automobile Association office for about $30. Each driver on your trip will need to have an IDP.

Have a great trip!

I second the Versailles suggestion; most big-name companies have an office there.

Regarding EVs, charging station density is good enough but as a foreigner I'd be a bit wary. The easiest charging options are quite expensive (motorway service plazas), and the cheaper ones might require registrations or things like that, not always easy to navigate. Also, in rural regions, the stations become few and far between.

I'd stick with gas.

We picked up a rental car in Versailles (about 8 years ago), primarily to tour Northern France, and dropped it off in Caen, taking the train back to Paris. We booked through AutoEurope, and from memory, the agency was Hertz. One issue was that the Versailles car rental location is much smaller than airport locations, so less inventory. We wanted an automatic, and none were available, so we waited well over over an hour, for one to return. Unfortunately, it was a mini-van, - great for space, but not desirable due to size and gas usage. If you have specific auto needs, you may want to call in advance to make sure what you need will be available on arrival.

Nothing wrong with renting in Versailles, but then you'll have to get from CDG to Versailles with all your luggage. This is, of course, do-able but it's something I prefer to avoid. Think of your own driving experience. If you're used to big-city driving I think you'll be fine driving from the airport to Versailles. We've done that, and similar things, many times. By similar things, I mean driving from CDG to Courbevoie, Thiais, Giverny and Chantilly - all reasonably close to Paris. When I think of Paris, some of my fondest memories are navigating Parisian streets in my rental car.
If you hate big-city driving or are apprehensive about it, don't do it. Your vacation should suit you and it should be fun. There are obviously people who dread driving in Paris and avoid it all costs. That's fine, but I think it's more of a personal choice than an ironclad rule.
I hope you enjoy your trip either way. I like what you have planned.

If we do rent from CDG (there are a lot more options for car rental there vs Versailles), is there a way to “go around” the busier Paris traffic? It’s ok if it adds time to our drive.

You can "go around" Paris by taking A1 to A86 along with throngs of other people who had the same idea. it is particularly busy during peak times (morning and afternoon rush hours). And it's virtually never wide-open easy sailing, but again, that's big-city driving. If you can just be patient, you'll get there as soon as traffic allows. The directions are pretty straightforward (not a whole lot more than A1 to A86) and it will help a lot if you have a good navigator so the driver can concentrate on the road ahead. I can't emphasize that one enough. My wife is the world's best navigator and that's part of why I find this so manageable.
If you're in a traffic jam, expect to have people on motorcycles maneuvering through the narrowest possible lanes between the lines of cars. They will come really really close to your car, but relax. It may be too close for comfort for you, but they do this every day. And if you make a mistake and get off at the wrong place, relax. You're not in any danger. You can find a way to get back on course. Pull over for a sec if you need time to reconnoiter.
Also, be generous in estimating how long you think it will take you to get your car at CDG. As with the drive itself, there a lot of people trying to do the same thing you're trying to do. But in the end, you'll get your car and most of the time the staff are very nice.

CDG is outside Paris. Easy access to the autoroutes that will take you wherever you want to go.

I would definitely rent from CDG rather than using public transport to try to get somewhere else.

Since jet lag is not an issue, I'd pick up at CDG rather than having to get to Versailles with all the luggage. You don't go through Paris but around Paris to get from the airport to Versailles. On the other hand, you save a day of rental cost if you pick it up the next day in Versailles. You should be able to drop it at CDG. But if you do that before a flight, know that it isn't like the US where you can drop a car and get a receipt showing it undamaged and gassed up in 15 minutes or less -- process is much slower in France so add lots of extra time. ANd meticulously document in writing ANY scratch on the car when you pick it up including looking under the front of the car -- one scam is damage you don't easily see. WE avoided a huge cost one time when I brought an agent out to document some small scratches and he spotted major undercarriage damage apparently from off roading which is not covered in the insurance. We would never have seen this but would have paid for it. Apparently they were going to bill the people who had it before us.