Hertz to Buy Up to 65,000 Polestar Electric Vehicles

Hertz and Polestar announce a global partnership under which the rental-car company will buy up to 65,000 Polestar battery-electric vehicles over five years.

The Swedish automaker’s BEVs will be available at Hertz locations beginning this spring in Europe and late this year in North America and Australia.

Hertz initially will order Polestar 2 BEVs, the first volume model from the BEV-only subsidiary of Volvo. Polestar 2 includes the world’s first infotainment system powered by Android Automotive OS with Google built-in for the premium EV segment.

The brand offers three variants with a combination of long-and standard-range batteries as large as 78 kWh, and dual- and single-motor powertrains with up to 408 hp and 487 lb.-ft. (660 Nm) of torque.

The partnership with Polestar builds on Hertz’s announcement in October to offer the largest BEV rental fleet in North America and one of the largest in the world.

In addition to making the fleet available to its business and leisure customers, Hertz is extending BEV availability to rideshare drivers as a way to further accelerate electrification, the company says in a news release.

“We are excited to partner with Polestar and look forward to introducing their premium EV products into our retail and rideshare fleets,” Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr says.

The 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,” he adds. “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 says it nearly tripled sales in 2021 and expects more than doubling volumes this year, with annual sales projected at 290,000 units by the end of 2025.

“Polestar is committed to accelerating the move to electric mobility with a fascinating and innovative product portfolio,” Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath says. “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 ourmutual 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.