Your Next Rental Car Could Be a Tesla — Hertz Just Ordered a Fleet of 100,000
Travelers who rent a car with Hertz may be driving off in a Tesla soon after the rental company ordered 100,000 vehicles from the electric car maker.
Hertz said the purchase represented an initial order and it expects all the Tesla cars to be delivered by the end of 2022. Starting in November, the company will begin offering customers the chance to rent a Tesla Model 3 in major markets in the United States and select cities in Europe, according to Hertz.
After Hertz receives the new cars, the company said more than 20 percent of its global fleet will consist of electric vehicles.
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"Electric vehicles are now mainstream, and we've only just begun to see rising global demand and interest," Hertz's interim CEO, Mark Fields, said in a statement. "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."
Courtesy of Tesla
In addition to buying the cars — which caused Tesla's market value to spike to over $1 trillion on Monday, according to The Associated Press — Hertz said it will invest in charging infrastructure. The company said it will plan to install thousands of chargers throughout its network in addition to Tesla's own network of superchargers.
Unlike many cars on the market, Teslas are operated almost entirely by a central touchscreen, which is used to control everything from seat settings to directing air flow. Additionally, Teslas allow drivers to choose from several braking styles, including one in which the car stops when a driver simply takes their foot off the gas pedal.
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To help renters acclimate themselves to the car, Hertz said it would provide "premium and differentiated rental experience for the Tesla EVs," including digital guidance.
While there may be a bit of a learning curve with electric vehicles (which can sometimes feel like computers that happen to be on wheels), they can make for a great road trip car.
Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
