Hertz and Swedish premium electric car maker Polestar have announced a global partnership that includes purchasing up to 65,000 electric vehicles (EVs) over five years. The partnership builds on Hertz’s ambition 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. Availability is expected to begin in Spring 2022 in Europe, and late 2022 in North America and Australia.

The Hertz Corporation 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.

Stephen Scherr, Hertz CEO, says, “We look forward to introducing Polestar’s premium EV products into our retail and rideshare fleets. The partnership 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.”

“Polestar is committed to accelerating the move to electric mobility with a fascinating and innovative product portfolio,” adds Polestar CEO, Thomas Ingenlath. “We are delighted that Hertz has chosen Polestar as a strategic partner on its road to electrification. The partnership 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.”