Connect by Hertz Brings Electric Vehicles and Charge Network to Companies and Car Share Members in the United Kingdom
By Hertz, PRNEThursday, April 14, 2011
PwC has Agreed a Pilot Deal to Offer Employees Two Electric Vehicles as Part of the Firm's Sustainability and Travel Strategy
PARK RIDGE, New Jersey, April 15, 2011 - The Hertz Corporation (NYSE:HTZ) has announced its global car sharing
company Connect by Hertz is expanding its London fleet with electric vehicles
(EV) for members to drive in and around the capital. This includes the
introduction of pure electric i-MiEV vehicles from Mitsubishi Motors in the
UK, as announced separately today, starting with two cars available for
booking from immediate effect, with an hourly rate of just GBP4 (pounds
sterling) per hour.
The company is also providing 16 charging stations across central and
greater London, as well as enabling its customers to access Source London's
planned public charging points. In addition, corporate and university
customers of Connect by Hertz will have the opportunity to add electric
vehicles to their pool fleets throughout the UK.
As well as the i-MiEVs, Connect by Hertz members will be able to hire a
Nissan LEAF electric vehicle in London soon, and Renault's new and innovative
range of electric vehicles by early 2012, as announced in February. Connect
by Hertz first introduced an electric vehicle to its London Camden location
in January 2010.
Mark Frissora, Chairman and CEO of Hertz Corporation, said: "The ability
to book and drive electric vehicles by the hour has proven very popular with
our Connect by Hertz members in the U.S and given the appeal of the cars'
zero emissions and low noise coupled with state-of-the-art driving features
and the convenience of car sharing, we are excited about the future in London
and the UK for both members of the public and our corporate customers."
PwC has agreed a pilot deal to offer employees two electric vehicles as
part of the firm's sustainability and travel strategy. Based at their
Westminster and Southwark locations in London, the pure-electric cars will
operate with Connect by Hertz technology, and be charged on site at PwC
offices as well as through the Hertz and Source London charging network.
Bridget Jackson, head of corporate sustainability, PwC, said: "We want to
work with new technologies, to test how they fit in with our mix of needs,
and find out what the practical issues of using electric vehicles more widely
would be. It's a pioneering initiative for PwC and is part of our commitment
to lower our overall transport emissions."
Connect by Hertz members will be able to use the company's 16 charging
stations, based on Chargemaster technology, at London City Airport, Heathrow
Airport, Russell Square (London), Marble Arch (London), Old Kent Rd (London),
and Uxbridge. Connect by Hertz will also work closely with its corporate and
university customers to launch dedicated charging stations on location.
London is a prime location for electric vehicles and already has the
highest number registered in the Capital than elsewhere in the UK. This is
soon set to rise with the upcoming launch this spring of Source London - the
Mayor of London's electric vehicle charging network. With 1300 publicly
accessible points to be installed across the city by 2013, it will mean
London will have more charge points than gas (petrol) stations, putting
London on the road to become the electric vehicle capital of Europe.
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London said: "Electric vehicles are perfect for
city driving and great for London's environment, so I am pleased that Hertz
and Connect by Hertz are helping promote their use to give more people the
opportunity to try one out. These new vehicles will also soon be able to take
advantage of our Source London's network, the first ever city wide electric
driving scheme launching this Spring."
Terri Wills, City Director for London, Clinton Climate Initiative, added:
"The Clinton Climate Initiative is helping cities across the world to become
more electric vehicle-friendly, so we welcome the addition of electric
vehicles to Connect by Hertz in London. Not only will it enable people and
companies to access electric vehicles more easily, but it could also help to
grow the market."
The GBP4 hourly rate for Connect by Hertz members includes insurance,
maintenance, cleaning, and roadside assistance. The current annual membership
rate of GBP50 is currently free for a limited period. The vehicle has keyless
entry via a smart chip-enabled Connect Card and is also kitted out with
iPod/MP3 player connectivity. While in the vehicle, members can request
assistance from the Member Care Centre via the in-car communications system.
The Connect by Hertz electric vehicle placements in London and the UK 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.
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. As the world's largest general-use car-rental
brand, Hertz is uniquely positioned to introduce multiple groups of consumers
- urban drivers, university students, travelers and corporations - to
all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. As part of this strategy, Hertz is
forming partnerships with manufacturers, charging station providers,
municipalities, NGO's, corporations and other stakeholders.
During the next several months, Hertz Global EV will leverage the
company's rental and car sharing 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.
About Hertz
Hertz is the largest worldwide airport general use car rental brand
operating from more than 8,500 locations in 146 countries worldwide. Hertz is
the number one airport car rental brand in the U.S. and at 81 major airports
in Europe, operating both corporate and licensee locations in cities and
airports in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australia and New
Zealand. The Company also operates the Advantage car rental brand at 26
airports in the U.S. and the global car sharing club, Connect by Hertz, in
New York City, Berlin, London, Madrid, Melbourne, and Paris. In addition,
Hertz operates one of the world's largest equipment rental businesses, Hertz
Equipment Rental Corporation, offering a diverse line of rental equipment,
including tools and supplies, and new and used equipment for sale from
approximately 325 branches in the United States, Canada, China, France, Spain
and Italy.
For more information please see www.hertz.com.
Note to Editors:
A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA
Photowire. It can be downloaded from www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or
viewed at www.mediapoint.press.net or www.prnewswire.co.uk.
For further information, images and video content, please contact the Hertz Press Office on +44-(0)207-611-3500 or Alicia Mistry, Ketchum Pleon, Alicia.Mistry at ketchumpleon.com - Tel: +44-(0)207-611-3574
Tags: April 15, Hertz, new jersey, Park Ridge, United Kingdom