Höldur
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersAkureyri, Iceland
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
Höldur firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Höldur
- Legal name
- Höldur ehf.
- Website
- https://www.holdur.is
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Höldur industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Car Rental Services
- NAICS
- Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing (5321), Truck, Utility Trailer, and RV (Recreational Vehicle) Rental and Leasing (532120), Truck, Utility Trailer, and RV (Recreational Vehicle) Rental and Leasing (53212)
- SIC
- Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510), Services-Automotive Repair, Services & Parking (7500)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Premium & Luxury Vehicle Leasing (TLABAAAF)
Keywords
Where Höldur is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Akureyri
- HQ country
- Iceland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices12 records
Markets served
Höldur business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Short-term Car Rental: Daily rental of vehicles to tourists and domestic customers with locations throughout Iceland. Standard rental with optional extras like insurance, GPS, additional drivers.
- Long-term/Leasing: Monthly rental contracts for both individuals and businesses. Fixed monthly payment covering vehicle use with maintenance included.
- Corporate Accounts: Framework agreements with government institutions and corporate clients for preferential rates and dedicated service.
- Vehicle Sales: Sale of used cars from fleet rotation, operated through Höldur Bilasala.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard daily rental with vehicle categories from economy to luxury SUVs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Höldur product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Höldur operates the largest car rental fleet in Iceland (approximately 8,000 vehicles across 20+ nationwide locations), offering short-term daily rentals, long-term monthly leasing, corporate accounts, and government framework agreement rentals. The company is the Icelandic licensee for Europcar, Goldcar, Fox, and Touringcars international brands, and supports customers with the country's largest electric vehicle fleet (700+ pure EVs) and proprietary charging infrastructure. Adjacent services include motorhome/campervan rental, commercial van rental, vehicle sales, and in-house repair and tire workshops.
Product overview
Höldur ehf. operates Bílaleiga Akureyrar — the largest and most established car rental company in Iceland, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Akureyri. The offering is organized as a core car rental platform with multiple vehicle categories (passenger cars, SUVs/4x4s, minivans 7–9 seats, station wagons/skutbílar, motorhomes, and commercial vans) and a nationwide network of 20+ branch locations. Supporting services include long-term leasing (langtimaleiga.is), a dedicated corporate booking portal (flytibokun.holdur.is), in-house vehicle maintenance and repair (bílaþjónusta including tire services, car wash, and bodywork), and a car dealership (bílasala) selling new Hekla/Öskja and used vehicles. Höldur is the Icelandic franchisee for Europcar, Goldcar, Fox, and Touringcars international brands. The company also runs an electric vehicle rental program with over 700 pure EVs (BYD Dolphin, Kia EV3, VW ID.4, Smart #5) and has invested heavily in charging infrastructure with 60+ charging stations at six locations. Additional services include motorhome/camper rental (seasonal), government framework agreements, and personal customer portals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Europcar: International car rental brand licensed by Höldur for operations in Iceland.
- Goldcar
- Fox
- Touringcars
- Hopp deilibílar
- Langtímaleiga
Products and services
- Short-term Car Rental (Skammtíma leiga) Daily and multi-day vehicle rental for tourists and domestic travelers, with economy to luxury SUVs, one-way rentals, and delivery options across 20+ Iceland locations.
- Long-term Rental / Leasing (Langtímaleiga) Monthly vehicle leasing service for individuals and businesses with fixed monthly rate covering vehicle use, depreciation, maintenance, and insurance on vehicles typically 1-3 years old.
- Corporate Account Program (Fyrirtækjasamningur) Dedicated corporate account program with volume pricing, priority service, and centralized invoicing for businesses that rent vehicles regularly, supported by a fast-track corporate booking portal.
- Government Framework Agreement (Rammasamningur Ríkiskaupa) Pre-approved first-choice supplier status for Icelandic government agencies, municipalities, and public institutions under the national procurement framework for car rentals.
- Electric Vehicle Rental (Rafbílaleiga) Rental of 100% electric vehicles from a fleet of 700+ pure EVs (BYD Dolphin, Kia EV3, VW ID.4, Smart #5), with real-world range from 100-400 km per charge, supported by 60+ proprietary charging stations.
- Motorhome / Campervan Rental (Húsbíll / Ferðabíll) Seasonal (May to September) rental of motorhomes and campervans including Toyota Hilux with rooftop tent and Weinsberg CaraBus/CaraSuite/CaraHome models, operated from the Ásbrú camper center.
- Commercial Van Rental (Sendibílaleiga) Rental of cargo vans and light commercial trucks in multiple size categories for businesses and individuals needing temporary transport capacity.
- Foreign Country Rental (Bílaleigubílar erlendis) Vehicle rental options extending Höldur's service beyond Iceland, allowing customers to use rental vehicles in foreign countries.
- Vehicle Sales (Bílasala) Dealership operated by subsidiary Höldur Bilasala offering new vehicles from Hekla and Öskja brands plus used cars rotated from the rental fleet, located at Þórsstíg 2, Akureyri.
- Vehicle Service & Repair (Bílaþjónusta) In-house automotive services including tire fitting and sales (Höldur Dekk), car wash, bodywork and collision repair (CABAS and BGS certified), and general maintenance operated from a 2,300 sqm workshop at Þórsstíg 4, Akureyri.
- Hopp Shared Electric Cars (Hopp deilibílar) 100% electric car-sharing service operated in partnership with Hopp Reykjavík, launched March 2021 with 10 shared EVs and plans for expansion; recognized with the 2022 Tourism Innovation Award from the Icelandic Tourism Association.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99.8% customer satisfaction rate measured by TUI
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Höldur
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Höldur technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Höldur partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and strategic.
- Europcar InternationalcoreLicensed franchisee of Europcar International since 1980. Höldur operates Europcar brand locations across Iceland and receives bookings through Europcar's global platform. Also authorized for Goldcar, Fox, and Touringcars brands.
- Rentalcars.comcoreListed on Rentalcars.com platform as preferred partner for Iceland car rentals. Awarded Customer Favourite recognition at Keflavík Airport location based on customer reviews and satisfaction metrics.
- KolvíðminorEnvironmental partnership allowing customers to offset carbon emissions from their rentals through Kolvið carbon offset program.
- Öskja (Kia dealer)coreMajor vehicle supplier for Kia brand vehicles. Purchased 70 Kia E-Niro EVs (largest single EV purchase in Iceland at the time). Part of largest car purchase agreement in company history - 480 cars total including Kia and Mercedes-Benz.
- Hopp ReykjavíkstrategicJoint venture for Hopp deilibílar (electric shared cars) initiative launched March 2021. Received Tourism Innovation Award 2022 for this project. 10 shared EVs initially, with plans to expand.
- TUIcoreMajor international tour operator and travel company booking car rentals for customers. Awarded for highest customer satisfaction among car rental partners with 200-2000 bookings.
- Hyundai ÍslandicoreSupplier of 20 Hyundai Kona EV vehicles for fleet, with 64 kWh battery providing up to 449 km range.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Höldur competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hertz Iceland (Hertz Europe Service Centre - Iceland): International car rental franchise operating in Iceland with nationwide airport and city locations, offering similar short-term and long-term rentals to tourists and corporate clients. Most directly comparable competitor in the Icelandic market.
- Avis Iceland (Avis Budget Group): Major international car rental franchise in Iceland, directly comparable as a competitor for tourist and corporate vehicle rentals at Keflavík Airport and across the country.
- Sixt Iceland: European premium car rental brand operating in Iceland, offering similar short-term rentals with a fleet that competes directly with Höldur's premium and SUV segments for tourist demand.
- Enterprise Iceland (Enterprise Rent-A-Car): International car rental franchise with operations in Iceland, competing in the same airport rental and long-term replacement vehicle segments as Höldur.
- Budget Iceland: Value-oriented international car rental brand operating in Iceland, competing primarily in the economy and short-term tourist segment that overlaps with Höldur's standard offerings.
- Lotus Car Rental: Icelandic independent car rental company with nationwide locations and focus on tourist rentals; comparable as a domestic competitor without the international franchise overhead.
- Geysir Car Rental: Independent Icelandic car rental operator with airport locations and a focus on tourists; competes in the same tourist rental category with similar vehicle categories.
Emerging players
- Landsvirkjun (corporate fleet leasing): While primarily an energy company, it operates substantial corporate vehicle programs in Iceland; comparable as a potential long-term leasing customer/competitor for institutional fleet services.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Höldur social profiles
Digital presenceHöldur financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Höldur leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Höldur subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Höldur funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Höldur M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Höldur
What does Höldur do?
Höldur operates the largest car rental fleet in Iceland (approximately 8,000 vehicles across 20+ nationwide locations), offering short-term daily rentals, long-term monthly leasing, corporate accounts, and government framework agreement rentals. The company is the Icelandic licensee for Europcar, Goldcar, Fox, and Touringcars international brands, and supports customers with the country's largest electric vehicle fleet (700+ pure EVs) and proprietary charging infrastructure. Adjacent services include motorhome/campervan rental, commercial van rental, vehicle sales, and in-house repair and tire workshops.
Is Höldur a public or private company?
Höldur is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Höldur founded?
Höldur was founded in 1974.
Where is Höldur based?
Höldur is headquartered in Akureyri, Iceland, in the Europe region.
How does Höldur make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Short-term Car Rental is the primary driver. The others are long-term/Leasing, corporate Accounts and vehicle Sales.
Who are Höldur's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hertz Iceland (Hertz Europe Service Centre - Iceland), Avis Iceland (Avis Budget Group), Sixt Iceland, Enterprise Iceland (Enterprise Rent-A-Car), Budget Iceland, Lotus Car Rental and Geysir Car Rental. Landsvirkjun (corporate fleet leasing) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Höldur have an API?
No public API is recorded for Höldur.
What industry is Höldur in?
Höldur's product category is Car Rental Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLABAAAF, Premium & Luxury Vehicle Leasing. Its NAICS code is 5321 and its SIC code is 7510.