Archive for the ‘Hybrid Rental Car’ Category

Green Travel Tips While On Your Vacation

Preserving our environment is one of the single most important things we must do in the future. Our population is growing and our resources are depleting, and we have the duty to be good stewards of this Earth. Many people think of “green travel” as going to an eco-friendly location such as Costa Rica, but that’s only one segment of green travel. You can make your everyday travel more green by following these tips:

  1. Rent a hybrid car from E-Z or another rental car company
  2. Before leaving the house, turn down/up the thermostat, turn off the water, and unplug the appliances
  3. Pack light.  Choose pieces of clothing that can be easily mixed and match and bring only the shoes that you need.  Also, download eBooks instead of brining paper books.
  4. Don’t drive like your a NASCAR driver.  Not only will it keep you safer, but you’ll conserve gas.  Also, try not to slam on the gas unless only when necessary.
  5. Refuse maid service while in your hotel.
  6. Turn off all appliances, lights, and A/C or heat when  you leave your hotel room
  7. Choose a hotel that provides green amenities.
  8. Bring a re-usable water bottle with you
  9. Pack eco-friendly sunscreen
  10. Let hotel managers know that you chose their hotel because of their green amenities, and this will encourage them to keep the green program.
  11. Bring your own shampoo and soap with you.
  12. Stop newspaper delivery while you’re gone.
  13. Choose airlines such as Southwest and JetBlue with newer, more energy efficient airplanes.
  14. Avoid using disposable cameras
  15. Go local.  While on vacation, dine at local restaurants and purchase souvenirs from local vendors, not chains.

Green travel is the future, and it’s not a trend.  We are working towards offering more hybrid cars in our fleet locations around the country.  The cost of renting a hybrid will go down as demand for them goes up, and we’re steadily seeing a desire for more hybrid cars, because you’re more concerned with our environment.  It’s a win/win situation for everyone!

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Motor Trend Video Review Of 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid

As of June 8th, 2009, our Orlando, Florida location started offering a brand-new fleet of 2010 Honda Insight hybrids. I recently wrote an article about the advantages of renting a hybrid car for your next vacation or business trip. In that article we tried to outline the best features of the Honda Insight, but this video from Motor Trend does a great job at highlighting all of the green features of the car. Check it out:

For all of the extreme green travelers, you can squeeze out about 65 miles per gallon on the Honda Insight, but driving without air conditioning and the windows rolled up would be tough in the summer! The test driver then drove the car without any regard to fuel efficiency, and the car used about 28 miles per gallon. If you calculate the average of these two driving methods, expect gas mileage of about 44 to 48 miles per gallon. I also liked how the video shows you the green features such as Econ Mode and the green bar that lights up if you are driving in a green manner.

We are really excited about the new Honda Insight hybrids, so give it some consideration the next time you are renting a car at the Orlando International Airport.

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Advantages of Renting A Hybrid Car

2010 Insight
Creative Commons License photo credit: Fristle
When gas prices reached an a high last August at more than $4.00 a gallon, the hybrid car became the center of attention for Americans searching for fuel efficiency.  Oil has become a scarce commodity, and the United States is now realizing that we must make every effort to conserve energy and fuel.  Here at E-Z Rent-A-Car, we responded to the desire from our customers to offer green, hybrid car rentals.  As of June 8th, the Orlando, Florida locations will carry a fleet of new 2010 Honda Insight hybrids.  We are very excited about this new fleet of hybrids, and we believe that it will benefit our customers and the environment.  Why should you rent a hybrid from E-Z Rent-A-Car?  Here are a few reasons:

Save Money On Your Vacation or Business Trip. 

The Honda Insight averages 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway.  You will spend less time filling up your gas tank and spend more time on your vacation or doing business.  The average mid-size rental car will offer about 20 to 25 miles per gallon, so you are automatically saving money at the pump with the Honda Insight.  Gas prices hit a low in December and January at $1.50 per gallon, but since March, they have risen back to between $2.50 and $2.75 per gallon.  Given the price track record of oil, we can expect to see gas prices continue to rise throughout the summer.

Helping The Environment. 

The Honda Insight is a hybrid, so it combines gasoline and the charge of the battery to power the vehicle.  The result is less carbon emissions and better fuel efficiency.  By renting a hybrid for your next vacation or business trip, you are contributing to reducing our carbon emissions on the environment.  The Honda Insight has a built-in feature called “Eco Assist”, which helps you drive in a more environmentally friendly manner.

Increasing Demand For Hybrid Car Rentals.

Consumers drive our economy, and if rental car companies see an increase in the demand for hybrid rental cars, more companies will offer hybrids as a rental car option.  When the demand for hybrid car rentals goes up, the price to rent them will eventually go down.  Your desire to rent a hybrid car will directly affect the car rental industry and the products and prices they offer for hybrid car rentals.

Features of the 2010 Honda Insight

  • Fuel Efficiency:  40 mpg in the city / 43 mpg on the highway.
  • Engine Type:  4 cylinder, 1.3 liter i-VTEC
  • Safety Features:  Front and side airbags, ABS brake system, and traction control system.
  • Econ Mode: At the touch of a button, you can control the way your Insight’s transmission and engine operate.  When Econ Mode is disabled, the Insight boasts a little better performance, when activated, it runs more efficiently by sacrificing a bit of performance.
  • Econ Assist:  The Insight comes with built-in feedback features that assist you in driving more environmentally friendly.  When the lights on the speedometer are blue, you are driving the car hard, when they are green, you are driving it for optimal fuel efficiency.  The Insight even awards you with green leaves for consistent, efficient driving.

E-Z Rent-A-Car is committed to being good stewards of our planet and offering you discount car rentals with great customer service.  We believe that offering you a hybrid car rental option will improve your experience as a customer with us.

Make a reservation today for a hybrid car rental in Orlando, Florida.

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