Hertz Rent a Car: a Big and Competitive Player in Hybrid Car Rentals
Although Enterprise still leads in fleet size, Hertz Rent A Car has rapidly closed the gap, increasing its total count of hybrid rental cars to nearly 5000, up from just 1200 at the middle of 2007. Hertz now has hybrid rental cars available at 50 of the major airports in the United States and at most of its major international destinations. The airport leader also guarantees reservations on 3400 of its hybrid rental cars in markets with greatest demand.
Since the tourist industry generally, and the rental car industry particularly, went eco-crazy beginning about 2007, the largest rental car companies have raced to catch up with Enterprise, the leader in hybrid rental cars and fuel friendly vehicles. Recognizing and responding to customers’ overwhelming demand for vehicles which run on alternative fuels and alternative technologies, most all of the industry main players rapidly have beefed up their fleets of hybrid rental cars. Even so, in major markets like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago, they still barely meet the demand. Most could not guarantee reservations of hybrid car rentals until their fleets swelled over 5000 vehicles.
Like all the industry leaders, Hertz has acquired thousands of Toyota Prius hybrid and Nissan Altima hybrid rental cars, which the company advertises in its “Green Collection.” The Hertz Green Collection also features Ford Fusion, Toyota Corolla and Camry. Cars belong to the Green Collection by virtue of their EPA estimated combined mileage of 28mpg or more. Hertz promotes the entire Green Collection as “fuel efficient, environmentally-friendly cars that are both easy on the wallet and suitable for families and small groups traveling together.” Hertz, ironically, gained a slight advantage from being half-a-step behind its competitors. Because they analyzed the other companies’ demographic data about hybrid rental cars, they can develop their ad campaigns precisely according to the needs and wants of the hybrid car rental market.
Hertz also benefitted from hybrid pioneers’ experience as it chose the hybrid models it wanted to include in its Green Collection. With only two models on the menu, Hertz has the industry’s least diversified list, though these are by far the two most reliable models available on the American market. Toyota Prius has proven amazingly dependable under even the most demanding road and traffic conditions; and Nissan Altima has surprised many Nissan skeptics, holding up to hundreds of thousands of rough miles in difficult urban areas.
Hertz executives, like their colleagues at all the other major hybrid car rental companies, cite customer’s lack of familiarity with hybrids as their biggest source of concern. Many customers choose a hybrid car rental so that they can test-drive one of the better models while they travel on business, and make a decision about later purchase on the basis of their experience with the rental.
The drawback is renters don’t always understand the Toyota Prius, technically a “full hybrid,” which can run on electricity only. When the car runs on just electricity, the Prius is so quiet that drivers often do not realize the engine is on or off. First-time hybrid drivers also have new things to learn about the regenerative braking system, which recoups energy back into the battery pack when the car slows down. Combining all this with the possibility of driving in a city for the first time, one can see potential problems with frustration and even safety.
Now, as they deliver the keys to hybrid rental cars customers, most Hertz customer service agents take a few minutes to explain how the Prius hybrid system behaves. For driving at low speeds, the battery pack powers the Prius directly through the electric motor. During acceleration and higher speeds, the engine plays a key role in powering the drive motor through a generator, while recharging the battery pack as needed. And during braking, the electric motor becomes a generator, slowing the vehicle momentum by converting vehicle speed back into electric energy to store in the battery pack. These few minutes devoted to hybrid 101 have huge impact on customers’ experience with Hertz’s hybrid rental cars.
Hertz has yet to announce plans for adding other models or other manufacturers to its hybrid rental car offerings, but it has outlined plans to continue building its stock of hybrids to nearly 10,000 by the middle of 2010.
Here’s a quick check on Hertz’s website for rates of renting hybrid cars for a week in mid May, 2009, picking up and returning to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). For the Toyota Prius Hybrid, this works out to be $109.48 per day, and the Nissan Altima Hybrid, $104.24 per day.
Hertz has very few off-airport locations. The company’s business has always depended on dominating the airport market, especially appealing to time-crunched business travelers at mid-week. Hertz customers pay for the luxury of convenience. Other leading companies advertise Prius and Altima hybrids at between $90 and $100 per day. So Hertz’s rates to rent hybrid cars are very competitive. Visit Hertz.com to check out their hybrid rental car availability.
Have experience renting hybrid cars from Hertz? Share your suggestions with us with your comments below.
Trackbacks & Pingbacks