Hertz order for 100,000 Teslas ranks among largest electric vehicle purchases

The deal is likely to be worth around $4bn (€3.4bn) because each Model 3 has a base price of about €40,000 (€50,000 in Ireland).

An electric charging port for a Tesla. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA

Hertz has announced it will buy 100,000 electric vehicles from Tesla, one of the largest purchases of battery-powered cars in history and the latest evidence of the US’s increasing commitment to EV technology.

The purchase by one of the world’s leading rental car companies reflects its confidence that electric vehicles are gaining acceptance with environmentally minded consumers as an alternative to vehicles powered by petroleum-burning internal combustion engines.