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Hertz continues to offload its fleet of EVs, with more than 1,300 Tesla cars listed on its site. Many of them – 899 as of today – are 2023s. What’s more, dozens of these 2023 Model 3 EVs are priced at less than $26,000. Going with a used EV from the retired Hertz fleet might be a good bet if you’re considering entering the electric realm. Here’s why, plus considerations to make before pulling the trigger.

Even with Tesla’s recent price reductions, buyers looking to get into one fresh off the factory floor will shell out anywhere from $40,000 to more than $90,000. The Model 3 is the cheapest EV in Tesla’s lineup. As such, it might be a good fit for folks wanting to transition to an EV.

Hertz’s aggressive pricing is motivation enough to take a gander. On its inventory sales page, you’ll find retired units from California to Florida up for grabs. However, there are some things to keep in mind before committing to one.

Nothing drives like a rental!

First is the estimated range of the 2023 Model 3 Base. The EPA estimated range is 272 miles, however, many drivers cite a lower actual range due to a variety of factors. At an average of 60 mph, that’s about 4.5 hours of drive time. The Model 3 Long Range will go up to 31% longer, with an EPA-estimated range of 358 miles. As far as I can tell, all of Hertz’s 2023 Model 3 inventory are base trims.

A Hertz car sales building with cars parked outside
hapabapa via iStock

The other factor is wear and tear, including odometer readings. These EVs are a part of a rental fleet, after all, and you know the saying: “Nothing drives like a rental.” Some of the cars have quite a few miles already, 50-60,000 miles. Depending on the previous drivers, those might be “rough miles.” If that makes you nervous, others have much less road time clocked, under 20,000 miles.

You’ll have to decide if a $25,000 2023 Model 3 Base with 55k miles is worth moving ahead with compared to, say, a certified used base trim with 15,000 miles for $29,000. In any case, a well-filtered selection might put you ahead of someone paying full price for a Model 3 Base.