ESTERO, Fla. and SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 27,
2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hertz and Uber (NYSE: UBER) today
are accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the
U.S. through a new exclusive partnership to make up to 50,000
Teslas available by 2023 for drivers to rent when using the Uber
network.
This partnership is the largest expansion of electric vehicles
on a mobility platform in North
America and one of the largest globally, marking another
step toward Uber's zero-emissions goal. Starting Nov. 1, drivers can rent Teslas from Hertz
through this program in Los
Angeles, San Francisco,
San Diego and Washington, D.C. – with a nationwide expansion
planned in the coming weeks.
For Hertz, the partnership is part of its commitment to lead the
future of travel, mobility and the auto industry. This includes
Hertz leading in electrification, shared mobility and a
digital-first customer experience. On Monday, Hertz announced its
most significant investment to offer the largest EV rental fleet in
North America and one of the
largest in the world. This includes an initial order of 100,000
Teslas by the end of 2022 and new EV charging infrastructure across
Hertz's global operations.
"Today's partnership with Uber is another major step forward in
Hertz becoming an essential component of the modern mobility
ecosystem and executing on our commitment to being an
environmentally forward company," said Mark
Fields, Hertz interim CEO. "We are creating the new Hertz
and charting a dynamic, new course for the future of travel,
mobility and the auto industry."
"Climate change is an urgent global challenge we must all tackle
together, and now is the time to drive a green recovery from the
pandemic," said Uber CEO Dara
Khosrowshahi. "This combines the power of Tesla, Hertz and
Uber to help accelerate the transition to zero-emissions mobility.
We look forward to seeing more EVs on the road right away."
For drivers looking to rent a Tesla, this is the best deal
available in the market today. It offers drivers gas savings,
higher earnings potential, access to the Tesla Supercharger network
and Uber's exclusive EVgo discounts, and other financial benefits
through Uber's Green Future program, which provides incentives –
such as $1 more per trip up to
$4,000 annually – for drivers to
transition from gas-powered vehicles to EVs.
Globally, consumer interest in electric vehicles is skyrocketing
because of environmental concern, convenience and reduced operating
costs. Access to carpool lanes for solo-occupant vehicles – for
both personal and ride-sharing vehicles – also is a major
motivator.
Drivers are becoming increasingly interested in EVs. A recent
survey of more than 6,000 internal combustion engine (ICE) drivers
using the Uber app showed that 47 percent are interested in a
battery EV as their next car.
Uber and Hertz have partnered since 2016 to provide drivers with
vehicle rental options. With this partnership, Hertz will kick off
the program by providing up to 50,000 vehicles by 2023 exclusively
to drivers. If successful, the program could expand to 150,000
Teslas during the next three years. Hertz pointed out that
these ambitions could be affected by factors outside of its
control, such as semiconductor chip
shortages or other constraints.
Participating drivers receive a preferred weekly rate for Hertz
rentals, which includes insurance, basic maintenance and unlimited
miles. The Hertz-Uber offering can also make it easier for drivers
to source a vehicle, by eliminating the long-term commitments that
buying or leasing a car often require.
Hertz has been an electric vehicle pioneer during the past
decade. It was the first U.S. car rental company to introduce EVs
to its rental fleet in 2011 and the first to implement a wireless
charging system for electric vehicles. The company also is the
exclusive rental car member of the Corporate Electric Vehicle
Alliance, a consortium of companies focused on accelerating the
transition to electric vehicles.
About Hertz
The Hertz Corporation, a subsidiary of
Hertz Global Holdings, Inc., operates the Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty
vehicle rental brands throughout North
America, Europe, the
Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, the Middle
East, Asia, Australia and New
Zealand. The Hertz Corporation is one of the largest
worldwide vehicle rental companies, and the Hertz brand is one of
the most recognized globally. Additionally, The Hertz Corporation
operates the Firefly vehicle rental brand and Hertz 24/7 car
sharing business in international markets and sells vehicles
through Hertz Car Sales. For more information about The Hertz
Corporation, visit www.hertz.com.
About Uber
Uber's mission is to create opportunity
through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how
do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 25
billion trips later, we're building products to get people closer
to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things
move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to
new possibilities.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of federal securities laws. Words such as "expect" and
"intend" and similar expressions identify forward-looking
statements, which include but are not limited to statements related
to the timing of EV deliveries and the expansion of charging
infrastructure and any other statements regarding future
expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, future events or
performance. We caution you that these statements are not
guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous
evolving risks and uncertainties that Hertz may not be able to
accurately predict or assess, including those in the risk factors
that Hertz identifies in its annual reports on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2020, as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and
any updates thereto in subsequent filings with the SEC. We caution
you not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements,
which speak only as of their date, and Hertz undertakes no
obligation to update this information.
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SOURCE The Hertz Corporation