NEW YORK — Hertz will begin renting electric cars next week through its Connect by Hertz car-share program, with New York as the launch market.
Hertz is offering one of the Smart models, the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive, starting Dec. 15. After the New York launch, Hertz plans to bring electric rentals to Washington and San Francisco in early 2011.
Down the road, other models will include the Nissan Leaf, the Coda and Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV, as well as electric hybrids like the Toyota Prius Plugin Hybrid and Chevy Volt.
The electric cars will initially be offered by Connect by Hertz, a membership program that enables members to rent cars on a per-hour basis, but in 2011 they will be available in the Hertz fleet. On Monday, Hertz said it planned a "full-scale deployment" of electric cars in U.S. and international markets next year.
A partnership with Starwood Hotels and Resorts, meanwhile, will bring Hertz electric vehicles to select Element, Aloft and Four Points by Sheraton hotels.
To promote the program, Hertz made several electric cars and hybrids available for test drives in New York on Monday. In addition to the Leaf, Coda and Smart, Hertz featured a silver Tesla Roadster, an all-electric sports car.
The Tesla, not yet in the Hertz fleet, has a base price of $101,000.