Hertz Global Holdings, a major player in the vehicle rental industry, recently announced a significant change in its electric vehicle strategy. The company is selling about 20,000 EVs, including a substantial number of Teslas, from its U.S. fleet. This decision, made just two years after their initial partnership with Tesla, signifies a notable pivot in Hertz's approach to electric mobility and has implications for the broader EV market, particularly for Tesla.
The move by Hertz is believed to be a response to a cooling demand in the electric vehicle sector. It's a trend that is not isolated to Hertz but resonates across the industry. Automakers such as General Motors and Ford are revising their EV production plans due to this slowdown in sales growth. However, before the UAW saw the big three give major wage hikes, EVs were ramping up across the automotive sector.
Financial Impact and Market Perception of Tesla
The decision by Hertz to reduce its Tesla fleet has significant financial implications. Firstly, thousands of used Teslas are flooding the market, driving down the resale value. Second, since the announcement, Tesla’s stock has been declining.
The factors influencing Hertz's decision to sell off its Tesla fleet indicate the broader challenges the EV industry faces. The company claims that higher expenses related to collisions and damages for EVs have been a significant concern. This issue has led Hertz to shift its focus away from its initial goal of electrifying a substantial portion of its fleet. How this affects Tesla’s rumored in-house Rental Program is anyone’s guess at this point.
Tesla doesn’t do much advertising, but Hertz certainly does. The Hertz advertising campaign featured 7-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady behind the wheel of a Model 3. When the G.O.A.T endorses a brand, millions listen. However, this was not utilized as part of what could’ve been a parallel marketing campaign by Tesla.
Brady was even quoted as saying: “I've been driving an EV for years, and knowing Hertz is leading the way with their electric fleet speaks to how the world is changing and the way companies are approaching being environmentally and socially conscious.”
Tom Brady in a Model 3
Not a Tesla App
The Future of Tesla in the EV Landscape
The recent move by Hertz to sell a large portion of its electric fleet, particularly Teslas, signals a complex period for the EV market. It raises questions about Hertz’ transition to electric and the role of companies like Tesla in shaping its future. Tesla is the sector's pioneer and has been at the forefront of the EV industry, pushing boundaries with its innovative technology and design. However, as some manufacturers mysteriously shift away from electric (right after the big three settled labor strife), Tesla will continue to navigate these changes while maintaining its leadership position.
One of the significant challenges for Tesla in this evolving market is balancing innovation with operational and financial sustainability. The company needs to address the concerns highlighted by Hertz's decision, such as the higher costs associated with EV maintenance and repairs. Additionally, Tesla must continue to innovate in areas like battery technology, charging infrastructure, and autonomous driving to stay ahead of the competition.
Tesla's Role in a Changing EV Ecosystem
The perceived cooling demand for EVs also allows Tesla to reassess its market strategy. This could involve exploring new segments, enhancing customer engagement, and further improving the affordability and accessibility of its vehicles. Tesla's response to these market dynamics will be crucial in defining its future trajectory in the EV industry.
Tesla's influence extends beyond just manufacturing electric vehicles; it plays a significant role in shaping the EV ecosystem. For instance, the company's advancements in battery technology have implications for energy storage and renewable energy integration. Tesla's impact on the automotive industry has also single-handedly pushed other manufacturers to accelerate their transition to electric mobility.
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Tesla has begun rolling out some map updates, including a brand new geographic area. These updates include two regional map updates, with one confirming Tesla’s entry into India and the other improving the maps in Europe.
Indian Launch
The biggest addition is a new map region for India, which was discovered by Tesla hacker Greentheonly. This move, while seemingly minor, is a prerequisite for Tesla launching vehicles in the region.
For years, discussions about Tesla’s arrival in India have focused on manufacturing plans, import duties, and retail store plans. However, the vehicles themselves must all be technically ready for the region.
This is more than just data entry; it involves integrating local points of interest, Tesla’s internal routing logic, and displaying regional road information correctly. In past market entries, Tesla has activated the necessary navigation regions in its software shortly before officially launching in a country, and just this morning, news broke that Tesla will open its first showroom in India.
On July 15th, Tesla will open its first showroom in Mumbai, marking its entry into the Indian market.
For those who have imported Tesla vehicles in advance of the official market entry, this means they will finally receive official maps and navigation support, and will likely begin receiving official software updates in the near future.
European Maps Update
In addition to the India map update, Tesla has also starting roll out a map update for Europe. The new map update for Europe is version EU-2025.14, bringing users up from EU-2025.2.
You’ll need to connect to WiFi in order to download map updates and similar to software updats, Tesla will roll them out gradually. If you want to learn more about map updates, be sure to check out our Tesla maps and navigaiton guide.
This map update will likely be fairly minor, but it should include newer roads, speed limits and more details. It could also include additional information that’s required for launching FSD in Europe.
While map updates aren’t as exciting as FSD updates or major software updates like the upcoming Grok AI update, they’re especially useful for Tesla owners who travel on new roads that may not be in Tesla’s current map version.
Tesla has officially scheduled its 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting for Thursday, November 6, 2025. The date was confirmed in an 8-K form filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission this week. Shareholders can expect to begin receiving official notifications by email or letter this week.
While we don’t know what, if anything, is up for vote this year, shareholders should ensure their investment accounts are linked up at ir.tesla.com if they plan to vote on upcoming proposals.
While these meetings cover standard corporate governance, they’ve also become a key venue for Tesla to share updates on its future projects.
Let’s take a look back at Tesla’s 2024 shareholder meeting to see what we can expect for 2025.
A Look Back: Shareholder Meeting 2024
The 2024 Shareholder Meeting was packed with news and updates. Some of the highlights included details on Cybercab, the first mentions of AI5, and the move of Tesla’s incorporation to Texas following the re-ratification of Elon’s 2018 compensation plan.
The 2025 meeting may provide progress updates on several key items.
First up is the final status of Elon Musk’s pay package. While it was successfully re-ratified following the 2024 Meeting, the Court of Delaware ruled against it, creating a legal situation that resulted in Tesla amending its letter of incorporation and moving to Texas.
While the messy legal situation hasn’t been completely sorted out yet, there’s a chance we could see more on this at the 2025 Meeting.
Next up is a status update on the Robotaxi Network pilot, as well as progress for Tesla’s Cybercab program. We’ve seen early prototype castings for the Cybercab outside Giga Texas, and they recently provided an updated timeline in their 2024 Impact Report. This is going to be the next big step for Tesla’s growth as it starts its Robotaxi service business.
The Tesla Semi and Tesla Energy are also two massive programs undergoing upgrades and revamps. The volume production of Semi is supposed to begin by the end of 2025, and Tesla is constantly working on expanding Tesla Energy’s manufacturing footprint to meet the never-ending demand for Megapack and Powerwall. We’re anticipating some major updates here, along with some updates on Tesla’s next-generation battery tech, including the Gen 3 Cybercell that includes dry-cathode manufacturing.
There’s a lot to be excited about - and November 6th is the day we may find out a lot about Tesla’s future products. The meeting will be a big event that we’ll cover in detail, so don’t worry, even if you miss it. We’ll have a full set of recap notes and longer in-depth articles following the event, as usual.