The global car sharing initiative Connect by the Hertz Corporation will be increasing the number of electric vehicles that are available to its members, starting in London.
Another first for the company will be the introduction of Mitsubishi’s brand new all-electric car the i-MiEV, these will be available to members with immediate effect for the reasonable cost of just £4 per hour.
Hertz are also looking to provide 16 new charging stations throughout central and greater London to enable members to charge more conveniently, if you can’t get to one of the new charging points you can also use Source, London’s planned public charging points. If you happen to be a corporate or university customer you can add these new electric vehicles to your current fleet all over the UK.
Another exciting addition for the Hertz members to look forward to arriving in the very near future is Nissan’s Leaf electric car. This will be followed in early 2012 by Renault’s brand new all electric range of cars. The first of the all electric vehicles was introduced by the company back in January 2010 in Camden.
CEO and Chairman of Hertz said “The ability to book and drive electric vehicles by the hour has proven very popular with our Connect by Hertz members in the U.S and given the appeal of the cars’ zero emissions and low noise coupled with state-of-the-art driving features and the convenience of car sharing, we are excited about the future in London and the UK for both members of the public and our corporate customers.”
One of the reasons that London was selected is because it already houses the largest number of registered electrical vehicles in the UK and this is set to rise dramatically with the launch of Source London. This scheme was conjured up by Boris Johnson, the current Mayor of London. It involves the creation of 1300 public charging points throughout London.
Of the scheme from Hertz, the aforementioned Mayor of London Boris Johnson had this to say:
“Electric vehicles are perfect for city driving and great for London’s environment, so I am pleased that Hertz and Connect by Hertz are helping promote their use to give more people the opportunity to try one out. These new vehicles will also soon be able to take advantage of our Source London’s network, the first ever city wide electric driving scheme launching this Spring.”
The £4 per hour charge for use of the vehicles actually includes all necessary insurance, cleaning and maintenance and you also benefit from roadside assistance if needed. The cost of membership to the service is normally £50 per year but for a short time this is being offered at 100% discount meaning its free to take advantage of the excellent service. The cars all feature keyless entry with smart-chip Connect cards and you get MP3/iPod connectivity in the car. Member Care Centre are also available through use of the in-car communication system.
This scheme in London are part of Hertz global EV program, this program involves introducing all electric and plug-in hybrid cars to rental customers and member of the sharing shceme all over the planet.