Hertz is ditching even more electric cars
Hertz’s move to sell off more of its electric vehicle fleet is prompting scrutiny of whether EVs really work in the rental market. Commenters point to high repair costs, poor residual values, inadequate charging infrastructure, and confused customers as major obstacles, arguing that rentals are a worst‑case scenario for EVs because travelers lack home charging and are time‑constrained. Others note that EVs can be economical and pleasant to drive in the right conditions, but say large rental firms have underinvested in maintenance, charging, and customer education, turning what could be a good fit into a bad experience.
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.