Rental Car Companies Going Electric

In most of the world, the idea of electric cars has still not taken much hold. While in theory people are environmentally conscious and do want to make an effort to drive greener, the problem is that electric cars have not built a solid reputation. However, optimists of the shift toward electric cars point out that hybrids had the same problem around this point ten years ago. Many people were resistant to the change and were not sure that the fuel savings would ever be worth the extra costs of the hybrid vehicle. Now almost ten years later, the most popular hybrid on the market, the Toyota Prius, is doing very well - in fact, the Japan-based manufacturer has worked hard to keep up with the high demand.

Earlier this year, Hertz announced plans to offer the Nissan Leaf at select locations throughout the U.S. and Europe. The rental rate for these cars has yet to be determined, but it is assumed that the rate will be higher than that of their gas-powered vehicles. In the meantime, rental car companies are trying to find a solution to the issue of drivers not having the time to fully charge the vehicle before returning it. One possible solution is implementing a penalty for a car that is returned without a full charge, as that vehicle will need to be taken off the lot to recharge.

Over time, drivers are expected to trend toward electric vehicle once these cars have established a solid reputation. The interest is definitely there, as evidenced by the fact that two major car rental companies are picking up some models for their customers.