Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Avis Budget Group Reports Near $1 Billion Loss Tied To 2025 EV Fleet Write-Down

Following Hertz, the company is the second global car rental conglomerate to sustain sizable losses due to lower customer demand and usage of electric rental cars.

Rental cars lined up in front of an Avis-Budget storefront outlet.

Avis Budget Group is using the weak quarter as a turning point heading into 2026.

Photo: jetcityimage / Getty Images

2 min to read


Avis Budget Group posted heavy losses in Q4 and full year of 2025, mostly because of a major adjustment tied to its U.S. electric vehicle rental fleet, the company stated in an earnings report released Feb. 19.

The company reported fourth-quarter revenue of $2.7 billion and a net loss of $856 million. For the full year ending Dec. 31, 2025, Avis Budget reported $11.7 billion in revenue and a net loss of $995 million, even as it cited continued year-over-year demand.

Ad Loading...

The biggest factor behind the losses was a fleet strategy change involving certain electric vehicles in the U.S., Avis stated in a news release.

During Q4, the company said it reviewed its approach to those EVs and decided to keep some of the vehicles for a shorter period than previously planned. That shift required Avis Budget to reduce the recorded value of those vehicles to better reflect their current market value.

The company recorded $518 million in impairment and related charges, which were reflected in both its Q4 and full-year results.

Avis Budget in December sold EVs to a joint venture and received $183 million in cash proceeds, tied to the monetization of tax credits related to those vehicles.

CEO Brian Choi said the company is using the weak quarter as a turning point heading into 2026.

Ad Loading...

“As we enter 2026, we’ve repositioned the business and turned a challenging fourth quarter into a catalyst for meaningful change,” Choi said in the news release. “We are tightening fleet discipline, strengthening our balance sheet, and raising the bar on customer experience to drive sustainable earnings growth.”

Avis Budget said fourth-quarter revenue totaled $2.7 billion. Revenue per day fell 2%, excluding exchange-rate effects, and rental days declined 1% compared with Q4 2024.

The company reported improvements in earnings across both major operating segments:

  • Adjusted EBITDA in the Americas was $1 million, compared with a $63 million loss a year earlier, helped by lower fleet costs.

  • Adjusted EBITDA in International was $21 million, compared with an $11 million loss a year earlier, helped by stronger revenue per day and lower fleet costs.

  • Avis Budget also highlighted several balance-sheet moves during the quarter. The company said it issued $965 million in alternative funding asset-backed securities with a targeted two-year term and a maturity date of June 2028 and used the proceeds to pay down other fleet debt.

  • At the end of the quarter, Avis Budget said it had about $818 million in liquidity, along with another $2.1 billion in fleet funding capacity.



More Rental Operations

50 states map showing LOR rates for each state with different shades of light to dark green

U.S. Rental Length Declines Slightly in Q1 2026, Enterprise Reports

LOR overall continues to trend downward, but ongoing market and economic conditions could affect future results while the industry deals with staffing and productivity challenges.

Read More →
Illustration of a driverless futuristic front seat/dashboard view of other cars on a freeway with city skyline on horizon.

Hertz, Uber Deepen Roles In Self-Driving And Driver-Led Fleet Services

The business arrangement connects demand with scalable fleet management services and supports a range of mobility uses.

Read More →
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
A black Audi SUV superimposed on a historic scene from downtown Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Carwiz Sets Up Rental Operations In Central Asia

The global franchise operation reaches a first in its rental fleet portfolio with new service in Uzbekistan.

Read More →
A raging brushfire in the countryside.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 30, 2026

Where Rental Fleets Must Adjust To Shifting Catastrophe Risks

West Coast disasters pose unique challenges and liabilities for rental fleet operators, who are advised to take steps tailored to their specific situations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ARN Industry Newsmakers thumbnail page with ARN and ICRS logos and shots of Nick DiPrima and Martin Romjue
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 27, 2026

Using AI To Find Rental Car Damage

Angry car renters are storming social media, the mainstream media, and online ratings platforms to complain about charges they claim are either unfounded or excessive.

Read More →
Photo of CEO Krešimir Dobrilović against a gray modernist crooked-tile mural display.

Carwiz Opens Car Rental Service In Panama

A Carwiz partner in Puerto Rico is taking on the Panama franchise with operations in the nation's largest airport.

Read More →
A world map with Flexways logo and new locations headline.

Flexways Opens 10 Locations Among Franchise, Affiliate Rental Networks

The integrated business model combines each operator’s local expertise with international standards to boost sales.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of a suitcase, passport, and smartphone.

Traveler Customer Satisfaction Up This Year Data Study Shows

The study looks at customer analytics to size up performance in car rentals, rideshare, airlines, lodging, and OTAs.

Read More →
Ad Loading...