Two-fifths (42%) of car hirers feel pressured by sales agents when they pick up a hire car, rising to almost half (49%) of under 34s, and more than a quarter (28%) say they have experienced a hard sell at the car rental desk, according to a new Opinium survey of hire car drivers by iCarhireinsurance.com, a leading provider of car hire excess insurance.

Almost a fifth of car hirers found existing damage on a hire car at pick-up that was not marked on the rental company’s check-out sheet, according to a new survey.

A 12 country study of car hire costs worldwide reveals that the average price to hire a compact family car (e.g. a VW Golf) for a week this summer has rocketed to £652 a week, compared to just £310 in 2019, an increase of £342 – a 110% increase.

The Financial Times Future of the Car summit is where visionary OEMs, industry shakers and challenger brands come together to scrutinize the technology, consumer and business model trends forever changing the way cars are made and sold. In its 8th year, one of the most highly anticipated global gatherings of automakers and their technology partners returns live (and digital) to The Brewery London.

Hertz has announced that Colleen Batcheler will join the company as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary, effective May 20. Batcheler will lead global governance for Hertz, which encompasses legal, compliance and government affairs.

Hertz and Polestar, the Swedish electric performance car maker, have announced a new partnership for the purchase of up to 65,000 electric vehicles (EVs) over five years. Availability is expected to begin in Spring 2022 in Europe and late 2022 in North America and Australia.