Hybrid vehicles are about to get a big boost from the US’s rental car industry, a report said this week.
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According to the Associated Press (AP), Hertz Global Holdings (once majority-owned by Ford) said on Thursday it would spend $US68m to add 3,400 Toyota Prius hybrids to its fleets by 2008.
Meanwhile, arch-rival Avis Budget Group also said this week it plans to make 1,000 hybrid Prius vehicles available for rent as early as next week, the report added.
Brian Chee, an automotive analyst for Autobytel.com’s soon to be launched Web site MyRide.com, told the Associated Press that even with the fleet expansions, hybrid vehicles still represent a small part of rental car fleets.
“This is a first step,” Chee reportedly said. “It’ll be interesting to see if the rental car companies continue this. Like other companies, they’re making a ‘green’ statement, and this is a good way to do it.”
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By GlobalDataHertz told AP that, by replacing 1,000 of its ordinary rental cars with the petrol-electric Prius models, it would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 3,000 tons per year.
“Today’s announcement highlights the next step in what is already a multi-year effort by Hertz to promote environmental sustainability throughout the company,” Mark Frissora, the company’s chairman and chief executive, was quoted as saying at an announcement event yesterday.
“As a global leader in car rentals, we recognise our unique opportunity and obligation to promote environmental practices and give our customers environmentally friendly options.”
According to the Associated Press, Hertz said its hybrid vehicles would be available for rent at 50 US airport locations, with 100 reserved for its New York City fleet.
The company said the stop-and-go flow of Manhattan traffic provides an ideal driving environment for the hybrids, allowing them to mainly operate using their electric motors.
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg reportedly told the gathering at the Museum of Natural History the greater availability of hybrid rental cars is in line with his city’s goal to reduce its emissions by 30% by the year 2030.
“These hybrid cars really put Hertz in the driver’s seat … in meeting one of the greatest challenges of our time, which is global warming,” Bloomberg was quoted as saying by AP.
Avis spokesman John Barrows told the news agency this week his company would offer Prius hybrids in its California, Portland, Oregon, Seattle and Washington, DC, markets but may expand the locations in the future based on consumer demand.
Barrows reportedly said Avis also believes that the Prius rentals would not only appeal to travellers, but those interested in buying a hybrid.
“Obviously we have customers who want them,” he told the Associated Press. “And there are other people out there who are interested in purchasing a hybrid but really want to check one out before buying one.”
Analyst Chee told AP the rentals offer Toyota a chance to showcase the Prius, as well as give potential buyers a chance to decide if a hybrid is right for them.
“I do think it’s a risky move for Toyota, because what they’re saying is: ‘Here’s the car, here’s how it drives, we stand by our power train, and we think it’ll win people over,'” Chee told the news agency. “It shows Toyota’s confidence that it’ll win over fans when they don’t have to buy it.”
Enterprise Rent-A-Car told the Associated Press it also operates a fleet of more than 3,000 hybrid vehicles, in addition to 41,000 flex-fuel cars and light trucks that can run on ethanol-based fuel.
