Hertz is ditching even more electric cars

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Rental customer experience with EVs (especially Teslas & Polestars)

  • Many report Hertz EVs missing adapters (e.g., J1772), low state-of-charge at pickup, and zero in-person instruction.
  • Some renters couldn’t figure out how to charge at all; unfamiliar terminology (“supercharger”) and Tesla’s non-intuitive UI made basic tasks hard.
  • Others say Hertz did send multiple explanatory emails and pamphlets, but many customers ignore them amid general email noise.
  • Several report serious maintenance issues (wrongly mounted tires, brake rotor problems, repeated warning lights) and a perception that Hertz under-maintains EVs in general.
  • A minority describe smooth experiences with EV rentals from Hertz or other agencies/Turo, especially when cars are well-prepared and charging access is clear.

Charging logistics & infrastructure

  • Core pain point: finding chargers in unfamiliar places, dealing with multiple incompatible apps/networks, and long charging times vs a 5-minute fuel stop.
  • Return logistics are disliked: expectations to bring EVs back at 70–80% charge add time and stress before flights; recharge fees are sometimes seen as high.
  • Some say Tesla’s network and built-in route planning work well; others note non-Tesla fast chargers are unreliable, expensive, and app-heavy.
  • Hotel/airport charging is often scarce or oversubscribed; having guaranteed overnight charging and on-lot chargers would make EV rentals far more viable.

Economics and risk for Hertz

  • Commenters cite: high repair costs, slow repairs (especially for Teslas), more frequent damage from unfamiliar drivers, and sharply falling residual values after Tesla price cuts.
  • Rental economics rely on predictable depreciation and quick turnaround after minor damage; EVs currently underperform on both, according to the thread.
  • Hertz doesn’t benefit from the main private-owner EV advantage (cheap home charging), since renters pay for energy.

Are EVs a good fit for rentals?

  • Many argue rentals are “worst case” for EVs: time-constrained trips, unknown infrastructure, long-distance driving, and no home charging.
  • Others counter that EV rentals can work well for short, local trips or when both rental lots and hotels provide reliable charging.
  • Several suggest EVs make sense as personal daily drivers but should be among the last segments to fully replace ICE in the rental market.