Thursday 29 September 2022

Hertz and bp team up for EV charging network in North America

American car rental company Hertz has teamed up with bp to install a network of EV charging solutions for its customers in North America.

They have signed a memorandum of understanding which also involves the management of Hertz's charging infrastructure by bp pulse and the customisation of its Omega software to ensure its fleet of electric rental cars are quickly and efficiently recharged between rentals.

Omega supports fleet operations by automating charging when the power price is low, while providing real-time visibility to EVs, chargers, power usage and more.

Vic Shao, Founder of Amply Power and president of bp pulse’s fleet division in the United States said: “This is a landmark moment. It shows the power of bringing together bp’s digital and operational capabilities with a partner like Hertz. Together with its industry-leading electrification ambitions, we can change the future of electric rental cars.”

Hertz has a fleet of “tens of thousands” of EVs available at 500 locations across 38 states through large-scale purchases from Tesla, Polestar and GM and aims for one quarter of its fleet to be electric by the end of 2024.

Stephen Scherr, Hertz CEO added: “Hertz is accelerating the adoption of electrification by investing in the largest rental fleet of electric vehicles in North America and expanding the availability of charging stations.

“We are excited to partner with bp pulse to create a national charging infrastructure for the Hertz EV fleet, thereby growing the number of charging options available to our customers and providing them with a premium electric experience and lower emission travel options.”