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

display of Turo's FSD homepage
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 28, 2026

Turo and Tesla Take the Next Step Toward Autonomous Car Rentals

The partnership brings Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology into the rental experience, offering a glimpse of how increasingly automated vehicles could change car rental.

Read More →
Two identical rental cars, two different prices
Rental Operations•Cover Story•October 26, 2026

How Rental Operators Can Navigate Personalized Pricing Rules

As regulators scrutinize the use of customer data in pricing, rental operators need to know whether they can explain why one renter pays more than another.

Read More →
a laptop shows different connectivity paths for car rental supply
Rental Operations•October 23, 2026

Direct, Broker or Hybrid? How Travel Retailers Source Rental Cars

As travel retailers weigh direct supplier relationships against third-party distribution, rental operators need to understand how those decisions affect their business.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
thumbnail of title and photo of Joel Price and Chris Brown
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 20, 2026

How Did This Independent Rental Operator Grow to 170 Vehicles in 4 Years?

With 170 vehicles across three Kentucky locations, Joel Price relies on an overseas team to handle reservations, payments, and after-hours customer service. It's one part of an unconventional approach to growing an independent rental operation.

Read More →
thumbnail what does it take to succeed in b2b rentals
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?

The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.

Read More →
Photo of Ana Laborde and world map
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings

With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Rental car agent shows woman her choice of rental car
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 7, 2026

Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study

While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.

Read More →
an exotic car wrapped in an insurance policy
Rental Operations•October 1, 2026

The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals

Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.

Read More →
globe of world and drivers license from UK
Rental Operations•September 28, 2026

The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?

For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Scenes from Car Rental Shows past
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 23, 2026

ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers

The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.

Read More →
Ad Loading...