Tesla’s Deal With Hertz Will Help to Sell EVs

Welcome to the Hyperdrive daily briefing, decoding the revolution reshaping the auto world, from EVs to self-driving cars and beyond.

Tesla has long believed in the butts-in-seats theory of selling cars: get someone behind the wheel and they will fall in love. In the early days of the company, journalists were given the Model S or X for long weekends, and drive events were held for potential customers. Word of mouth was key: existing customers became brand ambassadors, giving rides and evangelizing Tesla to family members and friends.