Sixt has signed a deal to buy up to 250,000 Stellantis vehicles for its rental fleet in markets across Europe and North America by 2026.

The deal will span multiple brands and vehicle classes within the Stellantis group

The deal will span multiple brands and vehicle classes within the Stellantis group, which includes major names such as Peugeot, Citroën, Vauxhall/Opel, DS and Fiat. Vehicle classes will range from city cars to SUVs to vans and trucks (including seven- and nine-seaters).

The agreement will also include fully electric vehicles. This supports Sixt’s goal to significantly decrease the CO2 footprint of its rental fleet, which includes the goal of reaching a share of 70-90% electrified vehicles in Europe by 2030 and investing in its own charging infrastructure. Last year also saw Sixt sign a deal add 100,000 electric cars from Chinese carmaker BYD to its rental fleet by 2028.

Interestingly, the announcement on Sixt’s deal with Stellantis comes less than a week after rival Hertz said it would sell a third of its EV fleet – equating to some 20,000 cars, predominantly Teslas, and due to low demand, according to Hertz.

Sixt’s new Stellantis vehicles will also come with latest software and infotainment tech features – and will significantly increase the number of fully connected vehicles in its rental fleet. This will not only give access to valuable services for customers but will also automatically provide Sixt with telematics data such as fuel level and mileage on vehicle returns, streamlining handling at branches and benefiting customers through faster processing and better vehicle availability.

Deliveries are set to take place within the first quarter of 2024 and continue through the year. Order composition past 2024 will be flexed to fit fleet requirements and demand, and the firms said the agreement also lays the foundation for further global expansion.

The duo will also explore potential cooperation opportunities in various regions around the world, including Mobilisights, Stellantis’ data-as-a-service (DaaS) business, to provide and develop data packages for developing and licensing business-to-business products, applications and services which will be made available to SIXT.

L-R: Alexander Sixt (co-CEO of Sixt), Uwe Hochgeschurtz (Stellantis chief operating officer, enlarged Europe), Konstantin Sixt (co-CEO of SIXT)

The agreement aligns with Stellantis’ decarbonisation strategy. As part of its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, the automaker is working to reach a 100% passenger car battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales mix in Europe and 50% passenger car and light-duty truck BEV sales mix in the United States by 2030.

Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, commented: “With today’s amazing announcement with Sixt, we deliver on our commitments to offer the customer clean, safe and affordable mobility seen now in breakthrough vehicles and technology.

“Within our iconic brands, we offer a vehicle that fits practically every need, price point, and lifestyle. This partnership with Sixt enables current and potential Stellantis brand customers to immerse themselves in our newest offerings with the most advanced propulsion, vehicle connectivity and thoughtful comfort. It’s the ultimate test drive and a critical checkpoint for us in the upcoming years as Stellantis transforms into a sustainable mobility tech company.”

Konstantin Sixt, CEO of the rental giant, said: “This agreement with Stellantis, a progressive full range partner, underscores our promise to provide our customers with the best choice for all their mobility needs. It enables us to accelerate our growth strategy ‘Expert Better, after already achieving global revenue growth of almost 20% in the first nine months of 2023.”

Founded in 2012, Sixt offers mobility services in over 2,200 locations across 105 countries worldwide.