Hertz announces it is ordering up to 65,000 electric vehicles from Polestar

Fresh off its order of 100,000 Tesla vehicles, Hertz announces that it is growing its EV fleet with a new order of up to 65,000 electric vehicles from Polestar.

Last year, Hertz announced an important effort to electrify its fleet of rental cars, led by a massive purchase of 100,000 Tesla Model 3 vehicles.

More recently, the company added Model Y vehicles to the order.

The rental car company said that it expects to have all 100,000 Tesla vehicles by the end of 2022.

Now Hertz is expanding its electrification effort with an order of “up to 65,000 electric vehicles,” and this time Polestar is going to be the one supplying the EVs:

Hertz and Polestar, the Swedish premium electric performance car maker, today announced a new global partnership that includes purchasing up to 65,000 electric vehicles (EVs) over five years. Availability is expected to begin in Spring 2022 in Europe and late 2022 in North America and Australia.

This is a significant order for the Swedish automaker, considering it delivered only 29,000 vehicles last year.

However, as the announcement noted, Hertz is expecting the 65,000 vehicles over the next five years, so it is going to give Polestar some time to ramp things up.

Stephen Scherr, Hertz CEO, said that the Polestar vehicles are going to be used in the company’s retail and rideshare fleet:

We are excited to partner with Polestar and look forward to introducing their premium EV products into our retail and rideshare fleets. 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.

The rideshare fleet involves making it easier for Uber drivers to get access to electric vehicles.

After announcing its deal to buy 100,000 Tesla vehicles last year, Hertz also made a deal with Uber to offer its drivers access to the Tesla vehicles. 50,000 Tesla vehicles will be offered to Uber drivers, and the company has an option for more if the program is successful.

Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath commented on the announcement:

Polestar is committed to accelerating the move to electric mobility with a fascinating and innovative product portfolio. 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.

The way the companies phrased the announcement, Hertz will first buy Polestar 2, but it might also buy other Polestar electric vehicles in the future.

Polestar is planning a Polestar 3 SUV in 2022, a Polestar 4 SUV in 2023, and the Polestar 5 sports sedan in 2024.