Connect with us

Published

on

Car rental giant Hertz (HTZ) ended the first quarter with 50,000 EVs in its fleet, accounting for 10% of its total vehicles. In Q1, Hertz credited its electrification strategy for the company’s growth and positive outlook for the remainder of the year.

In the first three months of 2023, Hertz generated $2 billion in revenue, up 13% year-over-year (YOY) on higher leisure and corporate demand.

Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr said the company is seeing continued growth across all customer segments alongside sustained pricing. He explained:

Our continued investments in the business, particularly in the areas of technology and electrification, are improving our operational cadence, extending our reach in rideshare, and enabling the revitalization of our value brands.

Hertz has been at the forefront of the electric vehicle transition in the rental industry. The company first announced a massive 100,000 Tesla Model 3 order last year while, more recently, adding Model Y options.

Shortly after adding Tesla models to its fleet, Hertz formed a new partnership with Uber to allow its drivers access to electric vehicles.

Hertz has since added several new EVs to its fleet from different OEMs, including an order for 65,000 Polestar models and, more recently, another considerable order for 175,000 GM electric cars.

Hertz-EV-fleet-Q1-1
Polestar 2 outside of Hertz location (Source: Hertz)

Hertz expands its EV fleet in Q1 2023

On the company’s Q1 earnings call, Scherr said Hertz had about 50,000 EVs in its fleet at the end of the quarter.

Scherr says electric cars represent roughly 10% of its total car fleet right now as it continues to expand its zero-emission offerings. He says Hertz has begun taking deliveries of GM EVs and other OEM electric cars in the first quarter, giving customers more options to experience sustainable driving at various price points.

Since its fleet acquisition costs are typically aligned with vehicle delivery timing, Hertz says it has benefitted from the recent EV price declines sparked by Tesla’s price cuts.

Hertz predicts two million EV rentals in 2023, approximately five times the number of trips this past year. The EV rental company also continues expanding its EV charging network buildout through its partnership with BP Pulse at Hertz locations in major cities.

Through Hertz Electrifies, the company aims to increase EV utilization and access to charging with Houston, Denver, and Atlanta already signed up.

As for its rideshare business, Hertz says demand continues growing for electric options. According to Hertz, drivers renting an EV can increase their payout by 10% to 15% compared to an ICE model.

Electrek’s Take

Although 50,000 may seem like alot, it’s not much more than the 48,344 disclosed in its annual filing at the end of the year.

More importantly, Hertz revealed it took delivery of half its 100,000 Tesla order in February, so the numbers are not exactly adding up. It wouldn’t make sense for Hertz to have only 50,000 EVs in its fleet at the end of Q1 after confirming it had nearly 50,000 uber drivers renting a Tesla through its program in January.

Either way, Hertz says it remains focused on increasing EV penetration in the rental business with “considerable growth from here” according to Scherr.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Meet Cadillac’s new $80,000 Lyriq-V, the quickest Caddie (EV or gas-powered) so far

Published

on

By

Meet Cadillac's new ,000 Lyriq-V, the quickest Caddie (EV or gas-powered) so far

With 615 horsepower, the Cadillac Lyriq-V is the quickest Caddie to date. Cadillac’s first V-Series EV will outsprint a CT5-V Blackwing, and it can be yours for under $80,000.

The 2026 Lyriq-V EV is the fastest Cadillac ever

We knew it was coming soon. Cadillac teased the Lyriq-V for the first time in late October, giving a sneak peek at its first electric V-Series vehicle.

Cadillac’s performance brand is known for iconic sports cars like the CT5-V Blackwing, but the new EV pushes the “V-Series sub-brand to new heights,” boasted John Roth, vice president of Global Cadillac.

As the first EV to wear the V-Series badge, Cadillac promised the Lyriq-V would be powerful, but we didn’t know it would be this fast.

Cadillac officially introduced the 2026 Lyriq-V on Thursday, revealing additional specs, prices, and more. With an estimated 615 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque and a standard dual motor AWD powertrain, the EV is expected to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds, making it the quickest Cadillac to date.

Cadillac-Lyriq-V-EV
2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V (Source: GM)

At that speed, it would outrun the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing with a 0 to 60 mph sprint time in 3.4 seconds. Although the CT-5 packs slightly more horsepower (668 hp), the Lyriq-V’s EV powertrain unlocks more powerful, instant acceleration.

The added power is enabled by an added Velocity Max feature, which “unleashes the vehicle’s full performance capability” with a surge of power and acceleration.

Cadillac-Lyriq-V-EV
2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V (Source: GM)

Interior and exterior design, prices, and features

The V-Series model differs from the traditional Lyriq with a lower center of gravity and custom front and rear bumpers. It also features V-Series badging on the rear doors and tailgate, V-pattern mesh on the lower grille, and 22″ wheels with the logo etched into the side.

Inside, the performance EV borrows features from the Lyriq, such as a panoramic fixed glass roof, a 23-speaker AKG sound system, and a massive 33″ LED display screen.

Cadillac distinguishes the V-Series from the traditional Lyriq by adding the V-Series logo, a V-mode button, and a sports rim with hand grips. Other unique features include a custom infotainment experience with a “V-Series persona,” a signature V-Series illuminated sill plate and V-pattern detailing on the seatbacks.

A 102 kWh battery pack is expected to provide a range of up to 285 miles. The 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V starts at $79,990, including the destination fee.

Cadillac-Lyriq-V-EV
2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V (Source: GM)

In comparison, the Tesla Model Y Performance starts at $51,490 and has an EPA-estimated range of up to 277 miles. It also includes AWD and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.

Cadillac’s new performance EV will be sold in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Other markets will be announced closer to launch. GM will begin producing the new Lyriq-V at its Spring Hill, TN, manufacturing plant in early 2025.

What do you think of the Cadillac’s new performance EV? Would you buy one for $80,000? Or are you sticking with the Model Y Performance? Drop us a comment below to let us know.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Trump says he will approve power plants for AI through emergency declaration

Published

on

By

Trump says he will approve power plants for AI through emergency declaration

U.S. President Donald Trump makes a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. 

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

President Donald Trump said Thursday he will approve the construction of power plants for artificial intelligence through an emergency declaration.

“We’re going to build electric generating facilities. I’m going to get the approval under emergency declaration. I can get the approvals done myself without having to go through years of waiting,” Trump said in a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“They can fuel it with anything they want, and they may have coal as a backup,” he said of the plants.

The president declared a national energy emergency on Monday, directing federal agencies to use whatever emergency authorities they have at their disposal to expedite energy infrastructure projects.

Power demand from artificial intelligence data centers is forecast to surge in the coming years. The tech companies building the centers that support AI have primarily focused on procuring renewable energy to meet their climate goals, though they have shown a growing interest in nuclear power to meet their growing energy needs.

While the tech sector has focused on carbon-free power to meet their climate goals, analysts believe natural gas will play a pivotal role in powering AI because it’s in plentiful supply, is more reliable than renewables and can be deployed much faster than nuclear.

Trump said he wants power plants to connect directly to data centers rather than supplying electricity through the grid.

“You don’t have to hook into the grid, which is old and could be taken out,” Trump said. This setup, called co-location, has faced opposition from some utilities who are worried about losing fees and have warned taking power off the grid could lead to supply shortages.

Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla announces giant price hikes to all electric cars in Canada

Published

on

By

Tesla announces giant price hikes to all electric cars in Canada

Tesla has announced some important price hikes across its entire lineup in Canada amid incentives going away and a struggling Canadian dollar.

The Canadian EV market is already having problems amid announcements that the federal incentive program will be eliminated. The same thing is happening to Quebec’s own program, which was the most generous in the country—making the province the leader in EV adoption in Canada.

Now, Tesla, which sells more EVs than anyone in Canada, announced that it is increasing prices on all its lineup.

Here are the price increases for each Tesla model:

  • Model 3:
    • Long Range RWD: $4,000
    • Long Range AWD: $8,000
    • Performance: $9,000
  • Model Y: $4,000
  • Model S: $4,000
  • Model X: $4,000

Buyers can still get $1,300 CAD off of new Model Y, Model S, or Model X purchases with a referral code.

Tesla never comments on price changes and therefore, we don’t know the official reasons for these specific price increases, but we can make some educated guesses.

First off, the Canadian dollar has crashed in comparison to USD over the last few months:

Furthermore, the timing of announcing that the price increases will take place on February 1st has led some to link this to the upcoming tariff wars that President Trump signaled against Canada.

The US President said that he plans to impose 25% tariffs on any goods coming from Canada, and Canada said that it would retaliate.

Electrek’s Take

Obviously, this is not good for the EV market in Canada.

The removal of incentives is already hurting the market, and now the base price of the most popular EVs in the country, Tesla vehicles, is also going up before incentives.

This will be a bad year for EVs in Canada.

Hopefully, things will settle down and we will get more clarity once the tariff war actually starts.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending