Sixt Takes Big Stake in Australia via NRMA Partnership

Germany-headquartered mobility and car rental company Sixt on Wednesday announced a franchise partnership with Australia’s National Roads & Motorists Association, also one of the largest car rental companies on the continent. The partnership adds 160 branches to Sixt’s international network, including a rental fleet of 16,000 vehicles. It ushers Sixt into the estimated €1 billion Australia market with a 13 percent marketshare. 

NRMA previously operated as a Thrifty franchise, but each location will change its flag to Sixt. The German company previously franchised to smaller providers in Australia but now has dissolved each of those relationships for an exclusive deal with NRMA, which also provides tourism services to customers. The relationship offers Sixt airport locations in business hubs like Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. While most of the Australia business is domestic, 20 percent comes from inbound international travel. 

The start of the partnership between Sixt and the NRMA coincides with the initial integration of 40 MG EV and 25 Tesla Model 3 vehicles, making it one of the largest electric vehicle fleets for hire in Australia today. For the NRMA, the addition of electric cars is a step towards electrifying half its nationwide rental fleet within five years to support the nation’s net-zero emissions target.