Car rental companies expanding green options

In order to keep a steady flow of customers coming to their rental operations, in spite of high fuel costs and increases in airfares, car rental companies are offering fuel-efficient cars in increasingly greater numbers.

The travelers on vacation who are worried about the high prices at the gas pumps will find a lot more choices this summer when it come to fuel-efficient imports, when they turn up at car rental counters or book online. Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia, and other imports typically offer better gas mileage than do the larger domestic cars and SUVs.

A growing, but still limited number of hybrid vehicles are available at some airport locations for those customers who are determined to take advantage of the gasoline-electric option and even greater savings on gas.

Hertz, for example, added 3,400 Toyota Prius models to its ‘Green Collection’ of rental vehicles. The Prius enjoys an EPA-estimated 28 miles per gallon or better on the open road.

The Enterprise Rent-a-Car company, which owns the Alamo and National car rental brands, reports that it has added approximately 4,000 hybrid cars to its fleet of 1.1 million vehicles. In addition, it offers its customers around 73,000 flex-fuel vehicles, which operate on up to 85% ethanol; and nearly 450,000 vehicles that run at 28 miles per gallon of gasoline, or better.

The Avis Budget Group fleet also comprises fuel-efficient vehicles and hybrids.

www.avis.com