Car rental company Hertz is adding to its electric vehicle fleet, as it announced a new global partnership for purchasing up to 65,000 EVs over five years from the Swedish premium electric performance car maker Polestar. Hertz said that it would deploy the new EVs in Europe, North America, and Australia.
Hertz, which had filed for bankruptcy, now seems to be back on track and is on a voyage to electrify its fleet. Last year, Hertz announced that Teslas would make up more than a fifth of its US rental fleet by the end of this year.
In addition to making the fleet available to its business and leisure customers, Hertz is extending EVs to rideshare drivers as a way to further accelerate electrification.
Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr said in a statement: "Today’s partnership with Polestar further builds on our ambition to become a leading participant in the modern mobility ecosystem and doing so as an environmentally forward company. 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."
Hertz to initially order Polestar 2
Polestar, which is controlled by Volvo Car AB and its owner Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, has reported that it nearly tripled volumes in 2021 and anticipates more than doubling volumes again this year. Polestar expects volumes to reach 290,000 vehicles per year by the end of 2025.
"Polestar is committed to accelerating the move to electric mobility with a fascinating and innovative product portfolio," said Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath. “We are delighted that Hertz has chosen Polestar as a strategic partner on their road to electrification. 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. For many of them it may be the first time they have driven an EV, and it will be a Polestar."
Hertz will initially order Polestar 2, an award-winning EV which established Polestar’s position as a premium EV manufacturer with its first volume model. Polestar 2 includes the world’s first infotainment system powered by Android Automotive OS with Google built-in for the premium EV segment, in a driver-oriented, dynamic driving package.
Polestar was spun out from Volvo in 2017 and has now established itself as a standalone electric car brand.
