When will Rivian start selling to rental companies?

[mwexler2]

Now that Rivian appears to be reducing their backlog, as evidenced by all the Vehicles in the Rivian Shop, when do folks think they will start doing fleet sales to Rentsl Car companies?
They go for $149+/day on Turo. Rental car companies could rent them as premium vehicles.

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[moosehead]

Even if/when they reach production > demand threshold, gotta believe any body or collision repairs make the feasibility dubious.

 

[COdogman]

Most of the rental companies are now off the EV train after they figured out the higher cost of repairs is worse than the lower cost of maintenance.

 

[Tim-in-CA]

Enterprise Exotic next to SNA Airport has a few R1S’s

 

[ndmiller]

AVIS rents some EV's but then charges you when you don't bring them back full......Expected, but not easy to do in some area's they rent.

 

[RivRyan]

I had an Avis rental Bolt in South Carolina. Brought it back a little below the level I'd gotten it at. No extra charge. Ask at the counter, but I think the policy might be within 10%.

 

[Zoidz]

I rented a Tesla M3 from Hertz in Atlanta earlier this year. They had A LOT of them. I had some subsequent rentals that I did not take an EV. A few months later I got a survey from Hertz about the EV rental - it was specific to EV rental. My impression was the questions were worded as though EV rentals are not going well and they are trying to figure out why.

I think a Rivian rental would only work as a limited availability rental at large airports, as in the Hertz Prestige, Adrenaline or Dream Car Collections.

 

[COdogman]

I rented a Tesla M3 from Hertz in Atlanta earlier this year. They had A LOT of them. I had some subsequent rentals that I did not take an EV. A few months later I got a survey from Hertz about the EV rental - it was specific to EV rental. My impression was the questions were worded as though EV rentals are not going well and they are trying to figure out why.

Well that is just hilarious. There are articles everywhere documenting how rental companies are giving people EVs who didn’t ask for them and not providing any instructions or guidance of any kind. Those people then have a bad experience and not only blame the rental company, but swear off all EVs as terrible. I’m not sure what these companies expected, but if they are still trying to figure it out, that is a really bad sign for them

 

[Zoidz]

Well that is just hilarious. There are articles everywhere documenting how rental companies are giving people EVs who didn’t ask for them and not providing any instructions or guidance of any kind. Those people then have a bad experience and not only blame the rental company, but swear off all EVs as terrible. I’m not sure what these companies expected, but if they are still trying to figure it out, that is a really bad sign for them

SInce I specifically reserved the M3 in advance, I guess they figured I needed no guidance, and none was offered, nor did I need it. But if they are randomly giving EVs to people who just reserve a "mid size" fleet vehicle, I can see that going really bad for them.

 

[portdirect]

Enterprise Exotic next to SNA Airport has a few R1S’s

Before we bought our rivian from the shop, we almost bought an ex-hire R1T from enterprise. I don't know how many ended up in the hire fleet, but many executives at enterprise got them as company cars for 6 months.

 

[Isaiah Louis]

Dulles Airport in Virginia has 4 R1S’s for rent. This was a few months ago. It is happening.

 

[Zoidz]

Dulles Airport in Virginia has 4 R1S’s for rent. This was a few months ago. It is happening.

Do you know who the rental company is?

 

[jjswan33]

I was told the Enterprise in PDX has some Rivians by the guys at the SC.

 

[ET Irrigation]

There is an R1T available to rent in Menlo Park, CA at a high end mixed use property. $35 per hour, comes fully charged.

 

[virgnia_rivian]

Enterprise has some Rivian's, depending on locations, to help serve as rental loaners from service centers.

Fleet sales to rental car companies are not typically an automakers first choice. Investors also view these sales as "surplus" vehicles that a manufacturer has trouble selling to consumers, and often at a fleet discount. With that said, I would not be surprised to see some turn up at the major rental companies in CA.

The reason Hertz has so many Teslas is they made a big purchase as part of an EV push. When the news broke Elon was quick to point out Hertz would pay full price for the vehicles.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38052601/hertz-buying-100000-tesla-rental-evs/

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