Hertz Is Getting 100,000 Teslas for You to Rent
It's the largest electric vehicle order ever.
Renting a car when you travel can mean settling for some less than luxurious wheels. Hertz customers, however, will soon be able to travel in style and do their part to save the environment. The company just completed the largest ever single purchase of electric vehicles, ordering 100,000 Teslas.
Bloomberg News first reported the news and then confirmed it via a statement from Hertz. The Teslas will be delivered at different periods throughout the next 14 months, and customers in the United States and Europe will have access to Hertz's new fleet of electric vehicles. In the meantime, the rental company is investing in charging infrastructure to support its new army of electric cars.
"Electric vehicles are now mainstream, and we've only just begun to see rising global demand and interest," Mark Fields, Hertz's interim CEO, said in a release. "The new Hertz is going to lead the way as a mobility company, starting with the largest EV rental fleet in North America and a commitment to grow our EV fleet and provide the best rental and recharging experience for leisure and business customers around the world."
Hertz has plans for a big push behind its new electric vehicle collection. The company is bringing in huge star power, hiring football player Tom Brady to appear in a commercial about Hertz's Tesla collection.
The order will be a major test for Tesla. The company is growing in popularity but still sells significantly fewer cars than larger companies. In 2020, Tesla shipped out just under 500,000 vehicles across the globe, and in 2017, the company delivered around 100,000 vehicles.
It's also a big move for Hertz. Like many travel-focused companies, it struggled throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and filed for bankruptcy. According to Insider, it has since landed new funding and new interest from investors.