Hertz announced that New York will be the first city to receive electric vehicles (EV) as part of the Hertz Global EV initiative with cars also being delivered to Washington D.C. and San Francisco.
Beginning December 15, Hertz will make the next generation of electric vehicles available to the general public through its Connect by Hertz car sharing operation. Starting today, December 6, local area residents and visitors can go to www.hertzev.com to sign up to be among the first to try an EV such as the smart Electric Drive and Nissan LEAF.
“Hertz is the first to provide consumers with electric vehicle access on a global scale,” said Mark P. Frissora, chairman and CEO of Hertz. “By introducing EVs in New York, Washington and San Francisco, we’re the first to make tomorrow’s driving experience available to consumers today and we look forward to continue building out our EV platform, making electric mobility a reality for consumers worldwide.”
To book an available EV, consumers must sign up for Connect by Hertz membership and make a reservation via www.connectbyhertz.com. As an extra incentive, those that sign up on www.hertzev.com, between today and December 25 will receive a one-year free membership in Connect By Hertz.
“Electric vehicles and car sharing help meet two fundamental PlaNYC goals, making New York a cleaner and less congested city," said David Bragdon, director of the Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability for New York City. "Through Hertz Connect New Yorkers will have the opportunity to be among the first to try an electric vehicle, and more choices of how to get around if they don’t own a car of their own."
Hertz plans full-scale deployment of EVs and PHEVs in both the U.S. and other countries throughout 2011.
Hertz also reports that Hertz and Smart USA, a subsidiary of Penske Automotive Group, have formed a joint partnership to bring smart "fortwo" electric drive vehicles to Connect by Hertz car sharing and Hertz Rent A Car locations in New York, Washington D.C., and San Francisco.
The vehicle placements are part of the Hertz Global EV program, which will offer a variety of 100-percent electric and plug-in hybrids to car sharing and rental customers worldwide. The smart fortwo electric drive will be available for rent through Connect by Hertz car sharing in New York City beginning December 15.
“Hertz’s partnership with smart USA is another strategic element of our long term plan to provide consumers with electric vehicle access on a global scale,” Frissora said. “With its worldwide recognition, smart was a logical choice for our program and we’re excited to begin offering the smart electric drive to our customers later this month.”
“The smart fortwo electric drive is the ultimate statement on conservation, from materials to space to natural resources, and further defines the independent spirit of smart” said Jill Lajdziak, president of Smart USA.
As announced in September, Hertz Global EV is championing an electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle mobility ecosystem, incorporating transportation options and a charging station grid for ease of use. Hertz Global EV will be the first company to provide a range of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles and charging stations on a car sharing and rental basis at global scale.
Over the next several months, Hertz Global EV will leverage the company’s car sharing and rental locations as bases for vehicles and charging stations, and tap into its technology – including sophisticated fleet management tools and the consumer-facing NeverLost GPS system – to help form an EV grid, Hertz said.
For more information on Hertz Global EV, visit www.hertz.com. For more information on Smart USA and the smart fortwo electric drive, visit www.smartusa.com.