Hertz to Buy Cadillac Lyriqs and Chevy Silverado EVs to Bolster Electric Rental Fleet
Automakers are going electric, which means that all the companies that rely on them will have to adapt. Car rental companies have long pledged to make the transition alongside their auto industry partners, and Hertz recently announced that it would be adding the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevy Silverado EV.
Hertz already noted plans to buy 175,000 EVs from General Motors by 2027, and the rental giant’s fleet already houses 50,000 EVs, around 10 percent of its inventory. The company said it plans to have one of the most extensive electric fleets in the world, aided heavily by the thousands of new electrics from GM. That said, the automaker hasn’t had the smoothest time producing its Ultium-backed EVs, so it could be a bumpy road ahead.
The Silverado EV isn’t on sale yet, and the Lyriq is just hitting the market, so it’s likely the new vehicles will take a while to filter into the rental fleet. Hertz said it had plans to purchase EVs from other automakers and will offer other electric models, including vans and pickup trucks. It’s already possible to rent EVs from peer-to-peer services like Turo, but Hertz’s move would give a significant boost to the U.S. electric rental fleet. Now, if they could come up with a few extra chargers.
[Image: Jonathon Weiss via Shutterstock]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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I rented a plug-in hybrid Pacifica from Enterprise. I'm sure they received generous taxpayer subsidies to encourage them to buy such expensive vans. I was told not to charge the battery and just treat it like a normal gas car, just one that weighed 5,000 pounds and doesn't use fuel as efficiently as any of my non-hybrid vehicles. I'm sure it is great if you've got a short commute and the ability to charge it though. You could save hundreds of dollars on gas each year!
Woke stupidity.
Robotaxi solves all these problems. Charging Robotaxi and accidents are not your problem anymore.
I wouldn't bother with the stupid Silverado EV, but I could try the Hertz Lyriq.
I despise crossovers and SUVs, but I read really good reviews about the Lyriq from VERY distinguished Auto Journalists (as WSJ's Dan Neil, the only Auto Journalist I know who won a Pulitzer for his very entertaining as well as incisive, high level car reviews.