Hertz’s new electric breakthrough in the rental world

Hertz chooses Florence to present plans for the future of rental from the electric cars and take stock of the situation in a world inevitably contaminated by the trends that are reigning in the automotive sector: digitization and electrification. In fact, the company is listed on the Nasdaq as it not only provides services, but is also influenced by digitization and is increasingly becoming a “tech company”.

Born in 1918 in the USA, in Chicago, and arrived in Italy in 1960, Hertz celebrates its 105 years of activity reiterating its plans towards electric mobility, a journey that actually began a few years ago.

Today, however, he arrives at the office with an enhanced fleet, with simplified services and with a transparent operation also in the rates and in the methods of use of the car.

Electric rental with Hertz

First the range: Tesla and Polestar they are the brands that act as a ram because they are the ones that best respond to the need for autonomy, even if we will see that autonomy is not a problem for everyone. 2 out of 3 rentals in the B2B world (business to business, those aimed at the corporate world) end with less than 300 kilometres, a distance more than covered by the models mentioned above.

However, there are not only Americans (with Tesla Model 3, here the test on the highway) and the Chinese (with Polestar 2, see the test drive): the range also includes Peugeot e-2008, the electric crossover of the Stellantis group, DS 3, electric Fiat 500 and two commercial vehicles: electric Renault Kangoo and Nissan Townstar.

Rent an electric car with Hertz it must be simple: for this reason a dedicated program has been designed which starts with education and information, with the QR which allows you to get advice and instructions on the car, and continues with the keyfob, a small universal key (you can activate any column) which is provided to those who rent the car and can be used to reload.

Doing it is easy: the key is placed next to the column and the recharge starts, without the need for apps or registrations. It leans a second time and the charging stops, ready to go.

Hertz’s electric rental also focuses on flexibility in terms of offers: you can rent the car for a day, for a weekend, for a week or for a month, choosing whether to deliver the car with a full tank like petrol and diesel ones , or without worrying about recharging, then receiving an invoice linked to the cost of the energy needed to recharge it. For Hertz the “full” of an electric means that return it with at least 75% battery.

Hertz’s presence in the electric world concerns both the world leisure, the division of those who rent a car for tourism or leisure, and the business world dedicated to companies. Almost all Hertz-owned centers are already equipped with charging stations and coverage has increased to involve the vicinity of the railway stations, another crucial point after the airports which have already been manned by the lessor for some time.

And in the future?

Hertz, USA, has started Hertz Electrifies, an initiative launched in March 2023 and positioned halfway between the public and the private sector. The goal is to provide an electric sharing service dedicated to cities (Denver in this case) to bring 5,200 rental cars between Tesla, Polestar and General Motors. The cars are available for travellers, tourists or for those who work in the world of ridesharing (services such as Uber and Lyft to be clear).

Furthermore, with Hertz 24/7, shared mobility will continue to grow and, with the acquisition of DollarThryfty, the company combines the premium services of the Hertz brand with cheaper mid-range ones, with more accessible cars (currently non-electric) and a younger audience.