Highly Skeptical Tesla Analyst Goes After Hertz On Social Media

He suggests Hertz’s Tesla rental program is made up since Hertz didn’t instantly take delivery 100,000 high-demand EVs.

As you probably already know, Hertz purchased 100,000 Tesla Model 3 sedans for use in a new rental program. The company is also offering them at a discount to Uber drivers. We’ve already read stories about people renting a Tesla from Hertz, and we’ve learned about some Uber drivers giving the EVs a try.

That said, it will be a long time before Hertz gets all of its Teslas. In the meantime, the rental company may be ordering more for the future. It appears to have the program all set up, and people who have tried it have shared positive vibes.

To be fair, there was plenty of skepticism around the “deal” early on. After Hertz did all of its initial marketing and advertising, made various announcement, and got the new program all set up, Tesla CEO Elon Musk made it clear that there’s no contract. He said Hertz is paying the same for each Model 3 as all other customers. Moreover, while we don’t know exactly how Hertz placed its order, we do know that there is a long line of customers waiting for a Model 3 ahead of Hertz.

Global Tech News Daily

To be clear, cars sold to Hertz have no discount. Same price as to consumers.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 26, 2021

Global Tech News Daily

You’re welcome!

If any of this is based on Hertz, I’d like to emphasize that no contract has been signed yet.

Tesla has far more demand than production, therefore we will only sell cars to Hertz for the same margin as to consumers.

Hertz deal has zero effect on our economics.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2021

At any rate, infamous Tesla analyst Gordon Johnson tweeted at Hertz this week, just ah day ahead of Tesla’s 2021 Q4 and Full Year Earnings Conference Call. Johnson noted that the Hertz rental cars are “sold out” through October 2022, and asked Hertz if the Tesla deal announcement was a stock pump.

Thanks for reaching out Gordan. We don’t have availability at LaGuardia but we are actively receiving Tesla deliveries across the country for both our retail and Uber rental fleets and have availability in several markets as part of our phased national rollout.

— Hertz (@Hertz) January 25, 2022

Hertz graciously replied stating that it had, in fact, ordered 100,000 cars, and they’re very popular. However, we all already knew that. Interestingly, it appears that reply no longer exists, and instead, Hertz seems to have replaced it with the message above, which actually answers his question. While Hertz doesn’t have Teslas available at all locations, they are arriving. Johnson sent a few more tweets:

Were there 100K cars purchased, and if so, why are there NO TSLA Model 3 cars in the system – your reservation line just told me they are not rented out in NY/CA/OH/TX; they told me the cars are NOT in the system. Odd, no @Hertz?

— Gordon Johnson (@GordonJohnson19) January 25, 2022

Tesla fans who appear to know others who have already rented a Tesla from Hertz replied to the tweet thread.

You can’t even do basic research. https://t.co/jofdnNO4Ga

— Jim McPherson (@mcjamez) January 25, 2022

Our friends at Teslarati reached out to Hertz. While the rental company says it cannot share specific delivery numbers, it confirmed to the publication that it is:

“… actively receiving deliveries for both our retail and Uber rental fleet and have availability in several markets throughout the country as part of our phased national rollout.”

While we have no idea how many Tesla Model 3 sedans Hertz has received since announcing the new program, it seems clear that Hertz has Teslas in some locations, and has been renting them out. For Johnson to think Hertz would magically take delivery of 100,000 Model 3s instantaneously is arguably ludicrous, especially based on all the information that has already been provided, some of which we’ve shared above.

Read More About Tesla And Hertz:

• Hertz’s Tesla Model 3 Rental Cars On Display In Times Square
• Tesla & Hertz Both Right About ‘Non-Deal,’ Different Perspectives

We’d love to know what you think of all this. Let’s get a conversation started in the comment section below. Do you agree with Gordon?

Source: Teslarati