Hertz and Polestar, the Swedish premium electric performance car maker, have launched a new global partnership that includes purchasing up to 65,000 electric vehicles (EV) over five years. Availability is expected to begin in spring 2022 in Europe and in late 2022 in North America and Australia.
The partnership with Polestar builds on Hertz’s announcement last October to offer its customers the largest EV 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 EVs to rideshare drivers as a way to further accelerate electrification.
“We are excited to partner with Polestar and look forward to introducing their premium EV products into our retail and rideshare fleets,” says Stephen Scherr, Hertz’ CEO. “This 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.”
Hertz will initially order Polestar 2, which includes an infotainment system powered by Android Automotive OS with Google built-in for the EV segment.
“Polestar is committed to accelerating the move to electric mobility with a fascinating and innovative product portfolio,” states Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath. “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.”