The Hertz Corp. said it will become the first car rental company to use a zero-emissions, all-electric bus, according to an Oct. 24 press release.

The company is testing BYD’s eBUS-12 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) using it as a shuttle bus between terminals and the rental facility. Hertz said in the release that it plans to test the all-electric on its main routes to gain data on this new platform.

Hertz chairman and CEO Mark P. Frissora said Hertz is moving forward with its global EV program, introducing electric vehicles into its worldwide fleet and testing other electric vehicles as they become available.

The BYD pure electric eBUS-12 can run 155 miles on a single charge in urban conditions, and its energy consumption is less than 100 kWh per 60 miles. The eBUS-12 is designed with a low floor for easy passenger loading and unloading, and the bus features specially engineered sound insulation for a quieter cabin experience.

Hertz said replacing just one traditional bus with the eBUS will reduce emissions by more than 320 kg of CO2 (per 150 miles traveled) and save Hertz an average of $76 per day, per bus in fuel costs.

Hertz recently expanded its EV initiative to China, making it the first global rental car company to offer EVs on three continents. The Hertz Global EV initiative gives the company a market presence in New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, London and Shenzhen, offering EVs from manufacturers including BYD, Nissan, GM, Mitsubishi, Renault, Daimler and Tesla.

Hertz plans to increase its global EV presence by deploying vehicles in other countries in the coming months.

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