Posts Tagged ‘green rental car’
Will The Chevy Volt Blow Away The Hybrid Car Competition?
Yesterday, GM announced that their Chevy Volt will get an estimated 230 mpg in the city! Because of this extraordinary claim, there are many skeptics who question whether it’s truly 230 miles per gallon. Engadget was told that the EPA has released “a new methodology for determining a draft fuel economy standard for extended-range EVs like the Volt,” and it’s that non-standard measurement system that is giving Chevy’s boy wonder a triple digit MPG.
How Could It Possibly Get 230 MPG?
CNN has an article with an example that helps us understand the calculation better. The Chevy Volt and a standard hybrid car are different in the sense that the Volt will strictly use electricity from a battery, then switch to gasoline after it has been driven 40 miles. A hybrid car like the Prius uses a mix of the battery power and gasoline to power the car, but does it more efficiently than a standard car. Keeping that in mind, here is an example from the CNN article:
So let’s say the car is driven 50 miles in a day. For the first 40 miles, no gas is used and during the last 10 miles, 0.2 gallons are used. That’s the equivalent of 250 miles per gallon. But, if the driver continues on to 80 miles, total fuel economy would drop to about 100 mpg. And if the driver goes 300 miles, the fuel economy would be just 62.5 mpg.
Knowing this information and understanding this example, it’s more clear that the less you drive in the Volt, the more MPG you get, and if you drive a long distance, the fuel economy gradually decreases. So, for short commutes back and forth to work, the Volt really will get you 200 to 250 mpg, but for a 400 mile trip, you’ll get about the same fuel economy as a Toyota Prius or Honda Insight hybrid car.
How Do You Recharge Its Battery?
The Chevy Volt runs fully on a battery for 40 miles, unlike a traditional battery that operates the electronic components in your car and is continually charged by your car’s engine and alternator. So, in order to get that 40 miles of gas-free power, you would need to charge the battery every night. GM says that the battery can be charged in a standard residential, electrical outlet. They say it would cost about .40 cents a day in utility charges to charge the battery.
When Will the Chevy Volt Be Available?
Nobody knows at this point. Chevy had originally promised a release date of November, 2010, but they recently submitted a regulatory filing with the U.S. Treasury that means they may be having troubles with funding for a full launch in November.
Will GM set the standard for the beginning of electric cars or will it be a flop and open the door for another company to learn from GM’s mistakes? Only time will answer those questions. However, being able to use a car for short commutes back and forth from work that doesn’t use a drop of gas is an intriguing thought.
Tags: chevy volt mpg, gm electric car, green rental car, hybrid rental car
Advantages of Renting A Hybrid Car
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.
Tags: cheap car rental, discount car rental, environment friendly rental cars, green rental car, hybrid rental car, Orlando Discount Car Rental