Rental car firm Hertz announces that it is going to buy 65,000 electric vehicles from Polestar over five years. This move will add to its zero-emission goals by opting for electric vehicles. The Polestar vehicles will be available for rentals through Hertz starting from the beginning of the coming spring in Europe and later in 2022 in North America and Australia.
The Florida-based rental car company said that it would initially order the Polestar 2 sedan. Hertz shares were up 1.75% in premarket trading Monday. Hertz in October announced its order to purchase 100,000 electric cars from Tesla, primarily the EV maker’s Model 3.
In March, Hertz added Tesla’s mid-size SUV Model Y to its electric vehicle fleet, according to the car rental firm’s website. Polestar, which was founded by China’s Geely and Volvo Cars, is set to merge with special purpose acquisition company Gores Guggenheim this year. The Hertz partnership “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,” Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said in a statement.
Lower carbon footprint
“We are excited to partner with Polestar and look forward to introducing their premium EV products into our retail and rideshare fleets,” Stephen Scherr, CEO of Hertz, said. “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.”
“Polestar is committed to accelerating the move to electric mobility with a fascinating and innovative product portfolio,” Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said. “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.”
For now, only the Polestar 2 will be a part of the deal, Hertz said. “Polestar 2 brings avant-garde Scandinavian design and leading in-car technology. 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,” Hertz described in their press release announcing the partnership.
