Hertz Adds Nissan Leaf to Rental Fleet
As more car makers continue to ‘go green’ the Hertz rental car company is looking to get into the game by offering a new model from Nissan, the Leaf. The electric battery powered vehicle will be one of the mainstays of eco friendly vehicles that are being rolled out across both Europe and the United States in early 2011. The number of vehicles which will be added to the Hertz fleet and price for renting each has not yet been determined, but it is assumed that the Dollar Thrifty rental business Hertz recently acquired would be one of the first to offer such vehicles. With over 2,000 locations around the US it stands a good chance of getting the first Leaf models according to company spokes person Paula Rivera.
Nissan’s production schedule will determine much of how things end up working out, as distribution of the first Leaf models is still to be determined. High demand locations for electric battery cars, such as the state of California, are most likely to receive the first few models. The Prius from Toyota did quite well for Hertz in that state, according to Rivera, and it appears that this would be an indicator as to the possible popularity of the Leaf in 2011. The state also offers a subsidy of $5,000 in a cash rebate program that is intended to get more electric cars on the state’s roads and build awareness for the electric car’s overall utility. One of the advantages for Nissan is that many consumers will rent a new style of vehicle prior to buying it in order to get a sense of how the car handles.