Hybrid Rental Cars More Popular

Not surprisingly, more people are asking for a hybrid when renting from dealers like Enterprise and Hertz. The industry is responding by adding more hybrids to fleets to meet demand.

Enterprise’s hybrid fleet will reach 5,000 in the next few months, while competitor Hertz plans to add 2,400 of the fuel-efficient cars to the 1,000 it already has. Is it all about gas prices?

Not necessarily. Hybrids do cost more to rent (as much as $24 per day more than a non-hybrid), but the companies think there’s demand for more eco-friendly vehicles, not just money-saving cars.

Enterprise, National and Alamo now offer a carbon offsetting option, where for only $1.25 extra you can pay to offset the average carbon emissions from your rental. The companies donate the money to programs that help remove carbon from the atmosphere and plant trees.

Increased demand from rental fleets on an already highly sought-after segment will keep the supply of new hybrids available to consumers even tighter than it already is.

Rental Car Companies Increase Inventory as More People Rent a Hybrid Car (PRWeb)