Europcar drives to electric European streets

Electric car hire race hots up Germany Belgium Netherlands targeted by largest European car hire co
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Europcar is to offer General Motors’ Opel/Vauxhall Ampera electric model as a hire car from late this year, underscoring the role fleet deals are playing in carmakers’ efforts to gain critical mass for electric cars.

Europe’s largest car rental company and the US carmaker said they would work together to offer the first Amperas in Germany from November, followed soon after by Belgium and the Netherlands. The car, a Europeanised version of GM’s Chevrolet Volt launched last year, will be available in France, Italy, Portugal and Spain from early 2012.

Europcar and Opel said that they would work together to introduce the car – and related issues such as battery charging – to customers, who would then be invited to give feedback on the car through online chats and questionnaires.

The deal with GM follows agreements by Europcar, Hertz and Avis to each put in their fleet 500 electric vehicles produced by Renault, which, with its Japanese partner Nissan, is developing a large range of electric models.

Hertz is also adding the electric i-MiEV, made by Mitsubishi Motors, and the Leaf to its fleet in London.
GM and Renault have both been marketing their electric cars to corporate and government buyers as the new technology struggles to gain purchase. Opel said that the fleet deal would be “a good way to make people familiar with the technology, and to get cars on the road”.

In the US, big car-rental operators announced sizeable orders for electric cars before the launch of the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf.

However, few of the cars are yet available. Hertz has taken delivery of just ten Leafs and Volts, plus a small fleet of Daimler’s electric Smart cars. The company sees a bigger market for electric cars for now in its fledgling car-sharing service.

Enterprise Rent-a-Car, North America’s biggest car-hire operator, announced an order for 500 Leafs last year, saying they would be stationed in – among other cities – Nashville, Tennessee, where Nissan has its US headquarters. However, Enterprise still has no Leafs for rent in Nashville, and expects none before year-end.

GM said it had thus far delivered only a “minimal” number of Volts to car-rental companies, and that it was focusing on getting the car into the hands of individual customers.

Valere Tjolle
Valere is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2011 Special Offers HERE