Hertz this week announced plans to nearly triple its EV rental fleet in the heart of America's oil industry.
The rental giant plans to bring 2,100 EVs to Houston, as well as an "EV fast-charging hub" at Houston Hobby airport that will serve both ride-hailing drivers and the general public, according to a company press release.
Tesla at Hertz
This adds to Hertz's plans to funnel thousands of EVs to major U.S. cities—starting with 5,200 EVs and supporting charging announced last month for Denver. Houston is the second city in Hertz's EV rollout, with others to follow. That plan also includes EV rentals for Uber drivers.
Hertz has already announced plans to buy 100,000 Tesla Model 3 sedans, up to 65,000 Polestar EVs over five years, and up to 175,000 GM EVs through 2027—plus more from other automakers. The company said a mix of Tesla, Polestar, and GM models will be available in Houston as the EV rental program ramps up.
Hertz and BP Pulse partner for EVs and charging
The Houston area is home to the U.S. headquarters of BP, which is helping Hertz with infrastructure, including the planned Hobby airport charging hub, through its BP Pulse unit. BP also plans hubs for ride-hailing EVs, including one at LAX, and has said, overseas, that EV chargers are almost as profitable as gas pumps.
Looking to diversify from fossil fuels, BP has steadily ramped up investments in EV charging, and now aims for 100,000 chargers globally by 2030. Houston, meanwhile, aims to make all of its municipal light-duty, non-emergency vehicles electric by 2030. Both BP and Houston have been tethered to Big Oil for a long time, but times change.
