Ready for a Hybrid Car Rental
It is now easier than ever to demonstrate your environmental awareness while traveling with a hybrid car rental.A good example of gas-saving car to rent is the Honda Civic hybrid.Unlike a few years ago when the possibility of renting a hybrid car was nil, all of the major car rental companies now offer hybrid cars as an option.You will likely be initially pleased with this news but will soon learn there are still some hurdles to overcome when it comes to renting a hybrid vehicles.This article will highlight some of these concerns and provide information on renting a hybrid car with leading rental car companies.
Why Hybrid Cars?
More and more consumers are being drawn to hybrid car rentals for a number of reasons.In particular the movement towards less gas consumption is an understandable factor.As gas prices continue to rise, travelers are looking for ways to keep costs to a minimum.Consumers are also utilizing hybrid car rentals as an opportunity to test drive these cars.For example those who wish to purchase a hybrid vehicle may see travel as an opportunity to really get the feel for the hybrid they are considering.The increase in the number of hybrid cars appearing in the fleets of rental car companies is a response to customer demand as well as the companies own commitment to fuel economy.
Problems with Hybrid Car Rentals
Those interested in renting a hybrid car will soon learn competition for these vehicles is intense.Although all of the major car rental companies now offer hybrid cars, they have limited supplies of these vehicles.This is an indication of the overall lack of supply when it comes to hybrid vehicles.Rental car companies are eager to purchase as many hybrid cars as possible to meet the demand.However, they find themselves subject to the long waiting lists that are plaguing consumers.Rental car companies are further hindered by hybrid car manufacturers who allot only a small percentage of hybrid vehicles to be sold to fleets such as rental car companies.Hybrid car manufacturers such as Toyota made only 5% of their hybrid cars manufactured last year available to fleets.
Prepare Yourself for the Rental Counter
Across the board, customers can expect comparable experiences regardless of the rental car company they select.Leaders in the rental car industry including Enterprise and Hertz each have a fleet of approximately 4,000 hybrid vehicles spread out throughout the United States while Avis-Hertz offers hybrid rentals in select states and cities and has a fleet of only 2,500 hybrids available.Reservations for hybrid cars are guaranteed by Hertz and Avis-Budget while Enterprise does not guarantee these rentals but does make an effort to accommodate requests for hybrid vehicles whenever possible.
The author Ernest Jarquio is a well-regarded Webmaster and is the owner of the website Green-Hybrid-Cars.com. He publishes well-researched reports related to the subject of hybrid cars, such as Toyota hybrid and Saturn Vue hybrid that will surely add to your practical knowledge about the many and varied choices in hybrid cars.
