Nora Naughton

The rental-car industry is sharpening efforts to add more battery-powered vehicles to fleets, the latest move among companies around the world in various industries that are embracing greener technologies.

The government has pushed to accelerate EV adoption by consumers and car makers. Lawmakers now have new incentives in the works.

The once-bankrupt company started trading its shares under the ticker symbol HTZ. The stock closed down nearly 10%.

The rental-car company’s stock rose sharply in Tuesday, trading as high as $545 a share, after Avis delivered robust third-quarter profit.

The deal comes days after Hertz, which has emerged from pandemic-induced bankruptcy, said it was making a significant investment in an electric-vehicle rental fleet.

The Japanese auto maker has overtaken rival GM in U.S. sales for the third quarter and first nine months of the year, illustrating the disproportionate impact of the chip shortage.

A longtime fixture of American life is looking for a new model as more auto purchases move online and national chains gobble up neighborhood showrooms.

EV startup Rivian Automotive plans to open a second manufacturing plant and is early in the process of scouting locations, the company said.

Normally a depreciating asset, some used cars are worth more now than they were new. “It just seems like we’re in fantasyland,” an auto dealer says.

Auto makers are likely to report a slowing U.S. sales pace for recent months, as dealers have ready buyers but a lack of inventory.

U.S. car dealers are able to get more than the factory price for some of their vehicles as strong demand and production shortfalls have made for a seller’s market.

Auto executives and investors buzz about EVs, but many dealers say battery-powered cars, and even hybrid models, remain a tough sell to mainstream car shoppers.

The two auto makers expect the merger to be complete on Jan. 16, which would create a global auto-making colossus selling 8.7 million vehicles annually.

Don’t look for blowout Labor Day weekend discounts. Tight inventory, cheap gas and easy credit have driven new-vehicle prices to records, even as many can’t afford to buy.

The auto maker is asking dealers to build stand-alone showrooms and is rolling out larger, more expensive models to appeal to luxury-minded buyers, including a modern-day Grand Wagoneer.

Partners in the $50 billion deal said the name of the auto-making combination has its roots in the Latin word “stello,” meaning “to brighten with stars.”

Former United Auto Workers President Gary Jones pleaded guilty to embezzlement of union funds and racketeering, marking the highest-profile conviction yet in the government’s yearslong investigation into labor corruption within the auto industry.

From deals on new cars to safely doing test drives, here are answers to some common questions about auto shopping now.

Auto makers have turned away from cheaper models, lifting new-vehicle prices to record levels but also pricing out younger adults.

Dealership lots remain crowded with aging vehicles at a time when car companies typically focus on selling newer models, posing a threat to dealers’ profits while promising bigger discounts for shoppers.