Hertz has announced a new public-private partnership initiative, Hertz Electrifies, aimed at accelerating the transition to electric vehicles while creating economic opportunity and environmental benefits for communities. In partnership with mayors across the country, Hertz says it will bring its EV fleet to American cities while supporting the build-out of charging infrastructure, creating educational and training opportunities and engaging with local organizations to extend the benefits of electrification to underserved communities.
Hertz Electrifies is launching in Denver, Colorado, in partnership with Mayor Michael B. Hancock.
Through the initiative, Hertz aims to:
- Bring up to 5,200 rental EVs to Denver, for availability to Hertz customers and rideshare drivers;
- Increase charging capacity at the Denver International Airport and at Hertz locations through the installation of a mix of Level 2 and fast chargers;
- In partnership with BP Pulse, support the installation of publicly accessible EV chargers across neighborhoods in Denver;
- Share telematics from Hertz’s fleet of connected cars to help inform public charging infrastructure planning;
- Offer summer job opportunities through the Denver Youth Employment Program; and
- Provide electric vehicles, tools and training to Montbello Career and Technical High School for students enrolled in its auto certificate program.
From the Editor: Hot Take
Hertz is on an EV tear recently. Between the company adding 50,000 Teslas to the Uber network, adding 100,000 Teslas to its rental fleet and its infrastructure build-up partnership with BP Pulse, there is no question where the car rental company’s chips fall. Hertz is betting on electrification and is making major investments in hopes it will be ahead of the curve on this front.
