Hertz, Nissan team up to bring Leaf EV to car rental market by 2011
Hertz Corporation, the world’s largest car rental brand, confirmed that it has entered into a joint commitment with Nissan to bring its Nissan Leaf electric-vehicle to car rental in the U.S. and Europe by early 2011. Hertz said that under the terms of their Memorandum of Understanding, the rental company will develop a program to roll out the Leaf at select rental sites.
“The partnership with Nissan seals Hertz’s commitment to green-car rentals and firmly demonstrates our mission to advancing zero-emission mobility on a global scale,” said Mark P. Frissora, Hertz Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “With unique solutions like the Hertz Green Collection already available to our customers, we believe in continuously providing innovative mobility solutions to sustain the growing demand for eco-travel.”
Click here for more news on the Nissan Leaf.
Hertz and Nissan eventually plan to expand Nissan Leaf electric-vehicles into Hertz’s global car share service, “Connect by Hertz,” The car sharing model will allow Renault-Nissan Alliance to scale up availability of electric-vehicles across a wide consumer base in some of the world’s most densely populated cities, the companies said.
“The flexibility and environmental credentials offered by the existing Connect by Hertz fleet presents an ideal opportunity for the expansion of electric cars into the car-share market,” said Frissora. “With its performance and energy efficient technology, we’re confident that Nissan LEAF will be popular with existing customers and help attract new eco-conscious motorists.”
Refresher: Power for the Nissan Leaf comes from a 107-hp electric-motor that runs on power supplied by lithium ion cells. On a full-charge, the Nissan Leaf allows for a driving range of 100 miles with a top speed of 87 mph. A full charge takes up to 8 hours on a standard 200V outlet. Buyers can opt for the DC 50kW quick-charger, which recharges the battery up to 80 percent in under 30 minutes.
2010 Nissan Leaf:
– By: Omar Rana
