Earlier this week Hertz announced an initial purchase of 100,000 Tesla cars for its rental fleet.
Even though all of the promotional materials and updates to their website were specific to the Model 3, the wording in their press release didn’t specify that all 100,000 would be the electric sedan.
“Hertz today is announcing a significant investment to offer the largest EV rental fleet in North America and one of the largest in the world. This includes an initial order of 100,000 Teslas by the end of 2022 and new EV charging infrastructure across the company’s global operations.” (emphasis added)
That lack of specificity could have been intentional as their website hints the order may have included the Model Y.
The Vehicle Guide section of their website outlines the different types of vehicles available to rent in the different categories like sedan, 4×4, SUV, and minivans. As to be expected, the sedan category now includes an “Electric Midsize Long Range or Similar Midsize Elite”.
Even though it says Long Range, the specs match that of the Standard Range Plus (SR+) at about 400km or 250 miles.
Where it gets interesting is if you visit the SUV/Minivan/4×4 category where an “Electric SUV Long Range or Similar Standard Elite” is also listed.
You might notice the listed range is the same as the sedan listing above at 400km/250miles. This could simply be a copy and paste of the specifications between the two vehicles, or it could be that Hertz has purchased the Standard Range (SR) Model Y.
The SR Model Y was only offered in Canada and the US for about one month earlier this year, before being discontinued for its range not meeting the Tesla’s “standard of excellence.”
It has been rumoured the entry-level Model Y will be returning to North America later this year with a larger lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, which could be why Hertz hasn’t officially announced the addition yet.
What do you think? Will Hertz be adding the SR Model Y to its rental fleet? Let us know in the comments below.
