RENT Act of 2024

A rental car company shall only provide a customer with an electric motor vehicle pursuant to a rental agreement between the rental car company and the customer if the customer opts in to renting an electric motor vehicle.

A rental car company shall notify a customer not later than 12 hours before the customer is scheduled to pick up a motor vehicle pursuant to a rental agreement between the customer and the rental car company that the rental car company believes that it is more likely than not that the only motor vehicles available to rent are electric motor vehicles if—

(A) the customer enters into such rental agreement at a time earlier than 24 hours before the customer is scheduled to pick up a motor vehicle; and

(B) the customer did not opt in to renting an electric motor vehicle.

A rental car company shall allow a customer to terminate a rental agreement and may not subject the customer to any fees or penalties associated with terminating a rental agreement if the customer did not opt in to renting an electric motor vehicle and—

(A) the customer receives a notice described in paragraph (1); or

(B) there are only electric motor vehicles available when the customer arrives to pick up a motor vehicle.

A violation of this Act or a regulation promulgated under this Act shall be treated as an unfair or deceptive act or practice in violation of a rule promulgated under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)).

The Commission shall enforce this Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part of this Act.

Any rental car company that violates this Act or a regulation promulgated under this Act shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.).

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit or expand the authority of the Commission under any other provision of law.

Not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall promulgate in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, such rules as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

Nothing in this Act shall preclude the application of the law of any State that requires rental car companies to disclose more information to customers regarding renting an electric motor vehicle.

Any individual who has been harmed by a violation of this Act by a rental car company may bring a civil action against such company in a Federal court of competent jurisdiction.

In a civil action brought under paragraph (1) in which the plaintiff prevails, the court may award the plaintiff—

(A) an amount equal to the sum of any damages sustained for each violation;

(B) reasonable attorney fees and litigation costs.

In this Act:

The term airport has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code.

The term Commission means the Federal Trade Commission.

The term electric motor vehicle means a motor vehicle designed to operate exclusively on electricity stored in a rechargeable battery, multiple batteries, or a battery pack.

The term motor vehicle means any vehicle which is manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways (not including a vehicle operated exclusively on a rail or rails) and which has at least 4 wheels.

The term rental car company —

(A) means any person engaged in the business of renting motor vehicles of any type that—

(i) operates in 2 or more States;

(ii) operates on or within 5 miles of an airport; and

(iii) used for rental purposes a motor vehicle fleet of 1,000 or more motor vehicles, on average, during the most recent calendar year; and

(B) includes any entity that is a subsidiary of a person described in subparagraph (A).