Hybrid rental cars have grown in popularity especially in recent years. Once hard to find at airports and rental companies, hybrid cars are now readily available in most major cities. Public awareness and hybrid rental car availability are both improving. But even with better availability, travelers still are unsure about what to make of these fuel-efficient automobiles. Many wonder what the advantages and disadvantages to renting a hybrid are compared to a conventional car. Others feel intimidated and overwhelmed by the new technology and possibly new way of driving. Here are some pros and cons of renting hybrid cars on your next trip.

Fuel Efficiency Issue

The most obvious difference between hybrid and conventional cars is fuel efficiency. Hybrid cars were created to get more mileage out of every gallon of gasoline and, as such, emit much less carbon dioxide into the air. This means that less pollution is produced by these cars than the conventional cars that use strictly just fossil fuel for propulsion. For the environmentally-conscious, it is clear that hybrids are the better choice.

Rental Cost Issue

But for most people, the main deciding factor in renting a car is cost in the form of rental fees and fuel cost. Renting a car while on travel can add a huge dollar amount to the total trip expense. Hybrid cars normally command premium rental rates over conventional cars, especially for the daily rates which can exceed $150 per day including surcharges and fees. Weekend and all-week rental rates seem a little better, dropping to around $70 to $80 per day average. Of course, your rental rates can be slightly offset by the lower fuel costs expected when operating a hybrid, and possible discounts offered in certain travel destinations, such as California, for choosing a hybrid. For the most part, however, conventional cars will cost less for all but those who plan on logging heavy miles during their rental period.

Drivability Issue

An important consideration for many drivers is how safe the cars are and how simple they are to operate. This issue has less to do with the hybrid rental car than with the driver himself or herself. Driving an unfamiliar car can be an undaunted experience for many drivers in a strange locale, especially if the interior controls of the car and the way the car behaves (as in the case of a hybrid) is different than a person is used to. Between finding their ways around a foreign city and dealing with a new way to drive a hybrid, travelers are strongly advised to be fully prepared before they start driving. Here are some differences.

A hybrid car employs a conventional engine to charge up its battery packs, which in turn powers an electric motor to propel the car forward. In addition, many hybrid car models such as the Toyota Prius have an idle-off feature, which automatically shuts off the engine when a car is braked at a red light. This may be a shock to someone not expecting it, but is really a feature to help save additional energy. Once the car is put back into drive, the engine will restart. Another way to save energy is to recoup energy during slow-down and braking, called regen or regenerative braking. So while the car is in motion, as soon as the driver lifts his/her foot from the accelerator pedal, the hybrid car’s regen system kicks in to help slow the vehicle down as it charges up its battery packs.

So if you’ve never driven a hybrid car before, and are looking to rent a hybrid on your next trip, be sure to get help and guidance from the rental attendant at check out. He/she will be glad to walk you through the features and operation of your hybrid rental car. Have a safe and green trip!

Post from: Airport Hybrid Rentals

The Pros and Cons of Renting a Hybrid Car Versus Conventional Car

The one sure sign that shows that the time for clean cars such as hybrid cars has come is the fact that major and independent rental companies are now renting hybrid cars. This means that for your business or personal travels, you can now contribute to the protection of the environment by renting a hybrid car instead of a regular gasoline or diesel car.

The rental car industry plays its part to contribute to air pollution because of their large fleet of vehicles in operation every day. Travelers, both the business and pleasure kinds, rent cars when they go on trips. The cars are most often rented at the destination that you wish to visit. With the exception of some vacationers, most people require rental cars to get around one particular city, so the car will most likely be used for in-city driving and not long-range driving. This makes hybrid cars the perfect choice for rental car use since hybrid cars are most effective in stop-and-go traffic. If you look at the mile-per-gallon ratings of any hybrid car, the city mile per gallon (mpg) is always the higher number.

If you’ve never driven a hybrid car and are planning to rent a hybrid car for the first time, here are a few things you should know.

Availability of Hybrid Rental Cars

Your choice of a rental hybrid car may be very limited, at least for now. Car rental companies normally give you a list of available vehicles to choose from. The hybrid cars you should most likely expect from car rental companies include the well knownToyota Prius hybrid, the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Ford Escape Hybrid. Also depending on your destination you may also find the Nissan Altima Hybrid offered by some rental companies as well.

You may also come across the Insight hybrid car from Honda, but this car is still very new so fleet sales remain to be seen. Rental companies also have several other hybrid variants you can also choose from such as the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, but this vehicle may be more likely available from independent rental companies than at national branches.

Top rental companies such as Hertz and Enterprise have much larger hybrid fleet than any others, therefore do offer a separate section on their websites. Enterprise has a whole section on green rental cars. Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent Car allow you to select a hybrid as part of the rental reservation process. For Hertz, click here to read more information on its Green Collection.

Rental Rates

Hybrid car rental rates are definitely higher than conventional cars. Aside from the fact that you know you’re helping the environment when renting a hybrid, for some travelers, the benefits of higher mpg can offset the higher rate disadvantage. At 48 mpg in a Prius, you can go farther on a tank of gas, and won’t need to fill up as much as when you drive a conventional car. In the end, the extra cost of renting a hybrid versus the savings you get out of the reduced fill-ups can only be decided by your own personal travel needs.

Driving a Hybrid

Hybrid cars drive differently compared to normal cars. Hybrid cars are more fuel-efficient because of regenrative braking (regen), all-electric mode, and even idle-stop, among other features.

Regen in a hybrid allows the car to recharge its battery pack when coasting and braking. This feature recovers energy of the moving car during coasting and braking and puts it back into the battery pack, whereas in a conventional car, energy is not recovered during coasting and lost through brake heat during braking.

All-electric mode (EV mode) in a hybrid allows the car to drive for a short distance (about a mile or two) for under 25 mph using only the electric motor. No fuel is used when driving in EV mode. In fact the engine is not on at all in this mode. This important capability adds to the increase in mpg in a hybrid car.

Finally, idle-stop in a hybrid allows the car engine to turn off at stoplights. This helps cut down fuel consumption and engine emissions, and when combined with EV mode, can really enhance the hybrid car mileage performance especially in stop-and-go traffic. New drivers will need to get used to the engine turning off when the hybrid car comes to a stop, and have trust in the control system and the engine to restart when the light turns green and the accelerator pedal is pressed.

So if you’ve never driven a hybrid car before, you can rent one on your next trip. Whether you’re doing your part to help reduce emissions to the environment, or just wanting to try one out as a test drive to see if a hybrid car makes sense for your next car purchase, be sure to get the attendant to give you a full run down on the hybrid car you’re renting. They’re there to help make your driving a rental hybrid car a very good experience.

Post from: Airport Hybrid Rentals

Renting a Hybrid For the First Time? Tips to Know Before Reserving One

For travelers coming in to John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport, car rental options are offered by Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, and National car rental companies. If you want hybrid rental cars, the larger companies will have a better chance of getting you one when you get there.

The rental car offices are located along the Van Wyck Expressway near the entrance of the airport. Once arrived at JFK airport, head out to take the frequent courtesy shuttles AirTrain to the AirTrain Station C – Federal Circle. There are 3 AirTrain routes that stop at all passenger terminals and terminal parking lots.

• The All Terminals Loop (black line) tuns in continuous loop in reverse order from Terminal 8 to Terminal 1 and back to Terminal 8 – about 10 minutes for the entire loop or 2 minutes between each station.
• The Howard Beach  Loop (green line) originates and ends at the Howard Beach Station. This route stops at all passenger terminals, plus the Lefferts Boulevard and Federal Circle stations going both ways. The Federal Circle  Station is where rental car lots are located as mentioned above.
• The Jamaica Station Loop (blue line) originates and ends at Jamaica Station. This route also stops at the Federal Circle Station and all passenger terminals.

Click on the map for a larger pdf version. Map courtesy of the Port Authority of NY & NJ.

Once getting off at the Federal Circle Station, you can head over to the car rental company of your choice. As always, it’s recommended that you reserve your airport hybrid rental before your trip.

Here are some sample hybrid rental car rates from Enterprise Rent A Car and Hertz Rent A Car.

Enterprise Hybrid Cars Rental Rates at JFK

Three different rental rates for hybrid cars were examined for a one-day rental (pick up on Monday and return next day), a weekend rental (pick up on Friday and return on Monday), and a one-week rental (pick up on Monday and return the following Monday.) Enterprise is known to have great availability and for JFK this is no exception. Both the Prius and Camry hybrids are available during this test, while the Ford Escape Hybrid is tougher to get, requiring a call to check availability.

Enterprise one-day rental rate, May 11-12-2009: $117.71 per day for Prius, $142.49 for Camry Hybrid. All fees and taxes are included. 

Enterprise weekend rental rate, May 15-18-2009: Average $117.71 per day for Prius, $142.48 for Camry Hybrid. All fees and taxes are included.

Enterprise one-week rental rate, May 11-18-2009: Average $84.08 per day for Prius, $115.05 for Camry Hybrid. All fees and taxes are included.

Follow this link to check availability of rental hybrid cars at JFK International Airport for your next trip.

Hertz Hybrid Cars Rental Rates at JFK

Similarly I did a comparison of rates for Hertz Rent A Car hybrid rentals. One main difference if that Hertz will require presentation of a credit card at time of pick up and therefore makes only the “Pay Later” option available online. There is no “Pay Now” option for Hertz hybrid cars. Hertz has both the Prius Hybrid and Nissan Altima Hybrid for rent. The graphics below only show base rates without fees and taxes, so I included the total rates in the notes.

Hertz one-day rental rate, May 11-12-2009: $147.98 per day for Prius, $171.93 for Nissan Altima Hybrid – fees and taxes included. Fees and taxes are not included in rates below. 

Hertz weekend rental rate, May 15-18-2009: Average $111.46 per day for Prius ($334.39 total), $120.28 for Nissan Altima Hybrid ($360.84 total) - fees and taxes included. Fees and taxes are not included in rates below.

Hertz one-week rental rate, May 11-18-2009: Average $91.50 per day for Prius ($640.49 total), $96.90 for Nissan Altima Hybrid ($678.27) - fees and taxes included. Fees and taxes are not included in rates below.

In summary, it looks like Enterprise has very competitive rates and may have more hybrid cars available for rent, whereas Hertz may not as a result of a smaller hybrid car fleet size. If you have experience with renting hybrid cars at Hertz out of JFK, please share your stories with us in the comment below.

Post from: Airport Hybrid Rentals

Renting Hybrid Cars at John F. Kennedy International Airport

O’Hare International Airport (ORD) is a Chicago airline system offering connections to many cities worldwide. It is the largest hub of United Airlines and second largest hub of American Airlines. Over the years the O’Hare International Airport has become one of the three busiest airports in the United States. If you’re traveling to Chicago, you have a number of choices for renting hybrid cars for business or pleasure trips.

ACE Rent-A-Car recently upped their fleet of hybrid rentals but still have problems keeping up with demands. While the company is trying to make hybrid car rental in Chicago effortless and therefore allowing you, the traveler, to be more earth friendly, here’s a notice on ACE Rent-A-Car’s website at the time of this article regarding the Toyota Prius Hybrid:

We are sorry, due to exceptional demand, we cannot confirm any additional car rental reservations for the Toyota Prius hybrid. If you are interested in the best gas mileage in you car rental please consider these ACE rental cars with good fuel economy:

Chevy Cobalt – 31 Highway MPG
Ford Focus – 34 Highway MPG
Toyota Camry – 31 Highway MPG
Toyota Corolla – 38 Highway MPG

So it looks like rental car companies are running up against the limit of their relatively small fleets of hybrid rental cars. And this should continue as consumer interests still appear to be strong.

Other car rental companies also vie for your business. On the lower level of the airport near baggage claim you can find courtesy phones to Alamo, Hertz, National, Avis, Budget, Dollar, and Enterprise rental companies which can all help with various types of cars. Alamo, National, and Enterprise together offer a large variety of hybrid rentals. Because these three companies are all owned by the same parent company Enterprise, they may be able to help each other in finding you what you need. Most often the availability is more exclusive when you call and reserve your hybrid rental car in advanced. Reserving in advance your hybrid is the best way to insure you actually have a car available that you want upon your arrival. Hybrid rentals are especially hard to get at the last minute, so good luck if you’re counting on choosing one off the lot. For Enterprise, follow this link directly to their webpage to rent a hybrid car in Chicago.

Here’s what you you’ll do once landed at O’Hare. Go to the lower levels of the Terminals 1, 2 and 3, near the baggage claim areas. There you’ll find signs and courtesy phones to all car rental agencies. If you’re in Terminal 5, then you can find rental car courtesy phones on the lower level there. Like in many major airports, it’s most convenient to just hop on one of the courtesy buses that will take you to specific rental car lots.

Below is the map of O’Hare International Airport, courtesy of flychicago.com. Click on the image to view a high resolution version in PDF. Additional maps and resources can be found at flychicago.com.

Post from: Airport Hybrid Rentals

Hybrid Car Rentals at O’Hare International Airport (ORD)

More car rental companies are making hybrid cars and other fuel efficient vehicles available for rent. Here’s a rundown on the top companies renting hybrid cars in the U.S.

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Enterprise has about 7000 hybrid cars in 24 markets across the nation. This includes 10 of the busiest airports. Since 2008, they have increased the size of their hybrid rental car fleet from 4000. According to Enterprise spokeswoman Lisa Martini in an AP interview published on Feb 4, 2009, “consumers and corporate customers have continued to express interest in hybrid cars.” She said demands are particularly high in urban areas and at airports where large numbers of business travelers are most active, so the company has concentrated new hybrid cars in those markets, including Toyota Prius hybrids and Toyota Camry hybrids. Read more about Enterprise renting hybrid cars.
• National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car, also owned by Enterprise, also offer hybrid cars for rent.
  
• Hertz Car Rental: This is another company that has significantly increased its fleet of hybrids. In 2007, they had 1200 of them, and have increased to 4000. Hertz hybrid rental cars can be found in the top 50 airports throughout the US, and even some in global cities overseas such as London. Read more about Hertz renting hybrid cars.
• Avis Rent A Car: Although they don’t have quite the fleet that Enterprise and Hertz do, at 2500 hybrid cars, Avis has a modest foothold in the industry of hybrid rental cars. The main brand available at the moment is Toyota’s Prius, and only in some cities. California and Florida have adopted the hybrid models state-wide, but other cities such as Seattle, Portland, and Dallas have only recently picked up on hybrids. Read more about Avis Prius rental cars.
• Budget Rent A Car: This car rental company is based in New Jersey, where the green movement has shown itself to be in full swing. There are over 2000 hybrid cars in Budget’s fleet, and they often have bargains for weekend rates. Read more about Budget Smartway Certified Green Machines program.
• Dollar Rent A Car: Working from San Francisco, Dollar is new to the hybrid scene. Currently, they have 215 Toyota Priuses in their fleet, but they are working on getting more. The cost of going green is relatively high, and expect to pay a little more for hybrid rentals.
• Fox Rent A Car: Fox Rent a Car was the first company to offer hybrid cars. They can be found at many locations around the world, such as airports in Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Austin, Salt Lake City and Orlando. Ford and Honda are the main models of hybrid cars owned by Fox. Follow the link below to reserve a Fox hybrid rental car.
• Advantage: Advantage has voiced its intent to go 100% green. They offer Toyota Priuses, as well as many other vehicles that get at least 25 miles to the gallon in city travel. As of now, Advantage is the only rental car company that intends to go fully green, according to its website. They have 50 locations in the United States and 130 affiliates overseas.
• Toyota Car Rentals: Toyota, the maker of the Toyota Prius which is the world’s most well-known hybrid, has begun to go green, rental that is. This is actually a service offered by Toyota dealers. Over 80% of Toyota dealers in the nation participate. Read more about Toyota Rent A Car program.
• Thrifty Car Rental: Thrifty Car (owned by Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, which also owns Dollar Rent A Car) offers hybrid cars in airports around the United States. They are located in over 30 countries, and in almost every state in America. However, their rates are expensive. For one day, a Prius rents out for $124.
• Midway Car Rental: Established in 1970, Midway Car Rental is the largest privately owned vehicle rental company in Los Angeles. With over 1,500 vehicles in its fleet and offices in areas around Los Angeles and Hollywood, Midway has hybrid cars and other fuel efficient vehicles for rent. Read more about Midway hybrid rental cars.

No matter what type of hybrid car you want to rent, one of these companies is sure to have a hybrid car that can help you do your part to help the environment and save on fuel costs. Enterprise, Hertz and Avis are the main contenders, because they have locations all over the world and have been among the first to adopt hybrids. There are also signs that other independent and/or privately owned car rental companies are making hybrid cars for rent as well. As in any car renting situation, do your shopping around to get the best rates available.

If you know of a hybrid car rental company that we missed, please add them to the comments below and we’ll include them in updates to this article.

Post from: Airport Hybrid Rentals

Renting a Hybrid Car? Top US Rental Car Companies Going Green with Hybrid Cars

Hartsfield Jackson International Airport is the busiest airport in the world, and as anyone who’s traveled in Atlanta knows, the city itself is busy.

For travelers to Atlanta, hybrid rental cars are often a good way to save on fuel costs as well as helping to protect the environment. Car rentals at airports can be found all over the world, but car rental companies have found themselves riding the wave with the recent green movement. Many are working closely to provide Atlanta Airport car rental service that includes a fleet of hybrid cars.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the top company for hybrid rental cars. In 2007, they had 4000 hybrid cars and have recently doubled their fleet to include over 8000 hybrid cars. The company is based in St. Louis, Missouri, and provides rental car services to markets around the world. Most U.S. major cities in which Enterprise maintains its branches in have hybrid cars available for rent. The company is doing its part to minimize its business’ environmental impact by offering hybrid rental cars in selected markets, or by encouraging its customers to participate in its Carbon Offset Program. You can read more about Enterprise’s GreenHouse Gas Emissions Offset Program.

Enterprise allows you to reserve a specific hybrid vehicle, including the Ford Escape, Toyota Prius or Toyota Camry. So if your next destination is Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, Enterprise can help with your hybrid rental car needs. 

Hertz Car Rental

Hertz Car Rental, another well-known car rental company affiliated with Atlanta Airport, has shifted more toward offering hybrid rental cars and other fuel efficient cars. Called Hertz Green Collection, Hertz has nearly 35,000 cars in the Green Collection fleet, of which approximately 4000 are hybrid cars. According to Hertz’s website, all Green Collection vehicles are:

• Reservable by specific make and model
• EPA Highway Fuel Efficiency rating of 28 Miles or more per gallon
• Available at 50 major airport locations in the U.S.

At this time you can reserve Nissan Altima Hybrid and Toyota Prius Hybrid cars from Hertz’s fleet.

Avis Budget Car Rentals 

Hartsfield Jackson International Airport also has strong presence of Avis Budget Car Rentals, which operates both Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car. They are the third-ranked company as far as hybrid cars are concerned. There are 2500 hybrid cars available in Avis’ fleet, including the Toyota Prius, Nissan Altima hybrid and Ford Escape hybrid.

Even if you can’t reserve a hybrid, Avis claims it has other ways for customers to drive responsibly. According to the company, about half the vehicles in its fleet have a fuel efficiency rating of 28 miles per gallon or better (highway), and one-fourth of the fleet is rated at 30 miles per gallon (highway) or better. But for green customers who wants to look cool, the hybrids are the way to go. Visit Avis Prius Rental.

Avis and Budget also offer their customers opportunities to offset emissions through an alliance with Carbonfund.org, one of the leading international non-profit organizations providing carbon offset solutions to individuals and businesses.

Hartsfield Jackson International Airport is well aware of the need for more hybrid cars to offset the levels of pollution in the city and surrounding area. Because of the high volume of travel to and from the city, the airport is very prepared for the rising green movement by aligning itself with the leading airport car rental companies to have the widest selection of hybrids available for visitors. If more cities follow Atlanta’s lead, it’s a safe bet that the travel industry’s negative impact on the environment will be significantly lessened. So the next time you arrive in Atlanta, Georgia, go hybrid.

Airport photo courtesy www.atlanta-airport.com.

Post from: Airport Hybrid Rentals

Renting a Hybrid Car at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport

AirportHybridRentals.com is a blog to share information and deals about renting hybrid cars at airports in the United States and around the world.

Hybrid cars are become a key transportation tool to help fight automobile emissions problems, reduce dependency on fossil fuels to power our cars, and usher in a new era of clean transportation for travelers. While consumers are making a serious switch to cleaner cars and cleaner driving, car rental companies at airports in the U.S. and around the world are making their own effort to equip theirfleets with hybrid rental cars and other fuel efficient vehicles.

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