Hertz car rental goes electric in China

Expanding in China market Hertz Car Rental company has joined forces with GE Energy China to offer necessary infrastructure for renting electric cars in the country. Increasing its electric vehicle fleet Hertz will become the first car rental company offering EVs in three continents.

“China has committed to rapidly expand electric vehicle travel and Hertz is committed to supporting the important EV Pilot City programme,” said Mark P Frissora, Hertz chairman and chief executive officer.

Hertz now offers electric cars for rent in New York City, Washington D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles. In Europe it offers electric vehicles in London. Now it is the first car rental company to offer electric cars in China.

Hertz BYD Partnership

Through a partnership with BYD Auto, Hertz will offer a mobility solution combining the sale and lease-purchase (leasing) of electric vehicles to multinationals and governments of Chinese cities. This second partnership will help the American car rental company to promote its electric vehicle business in China.

Hertz and BYD will allow users to try and become familiar with the EV technology and make the offers greener in China.

BYD e6 is an all-electric crossover car manufactured by BYD Auto with a range of 300 km (186 mi) according to the carmaker. About 40-50 units of BYD e6 are already being tested and operating by a taxi fleet in Shenzhen. They have already made ​​a combined total distance of 2.485 million miles. Recently 300 new BYD e6 electric cars were circulated through the 2011 Shenzhen Universiade. The car's impressive Lithium Iron Phosphate battery, can carry five passengers over a distance of 149.1 miles making it an attractive target for Hertz's car rental purposes.. The battery is made in house.