Hertz to buy 65,000 EVs

Hertz and Polestar’s new global partnership includes purchasing up to 65,000 EVs over five years, starting with the Polestar 2.

The partnership builds on Hertz’s announcement last October to offer its customers the largest EV rental fleet in North America and one of the largest in the world. In addition to making the fleet available to its business and leisure customers, Hertz is extending EVs to rideshare drivers to further accelerate electrification.

Availability is expected to begin shortly in Europe and late 2022 in North America and Australia.

“We are excited to partner with Polestar and look forward to introducing their premium EV products into our retail and rideshare fleets,” says Hertz chief executive Stephen Scherr.

“By working with EV industry leaders like Polestar we can help accelerate the adoption of electrification while providing renters, corporate customers and rideshare partners a premium EV product, exceptional experience and lower carbon footprint.”

Polestar reports it nearly tripled volumes in 2021 and anticipates more than doubling volumes again this year, expecting to reach 290,000 vehicles annually by the end of 2025.

“The partnership with a global pioneer like Hertz will bring the amazing experience of driving an electric car to a wider audience, satisfying a broad variety of our mutual customers’ short and longer-term mobility requirements,” says Polestar chief executive Thomas Ingenlath.  

“For many of them it may be the first time they have driven an EV, and it will be a Polestar.”

The Hertz Corporation, a subsidiary of Hertz Global Holdings, operates the Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty vehicle rental brands throughout North America, Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Additionally, it operates the Firefly vehicle rental brand and Hertz 24/7 car sharing business in international markets and sells vehicles through Hertz Car Sales.