SAN DIEGO - Nissan LEAF electric vehicle (EV) rentals are now available to Enterprise Rent-A-Car customers in San Diego at the 7993 Balboa Avenue rental location as part of the nation's largest EV rental roll-out by Enterprise. There is no refueling cost for returning a vehicle with less than a full charge, and a Blink charging station was installed at the rental location by ECOtality.
"Our growing electric vehicle rental network gives Enterprise customers a unique opportunity to experience the future of transportation," said Lee Broughton, head of sustainability for Enterprise Holdings, which owns and operates Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo Rent A Car and National Car Rental. "We plan to continue adding EVs to our fleet to connect San Diego drivers with electric vehicle technology, whether for a test drive, a fuel-efficient rental or just out of curiosity."
In addition to making Nissan LEAFs available, Enterprise earlier this year became the first to offer rentals of Chevy Volt extended-range EVs to customers when it added the vehicles to its Ontario, Calif., rental location. Other Southern California Enterprise EV locations are in Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, and Pasadena. Level 2 (220-Volt) charging stations are being installed by multiple electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) manufacturers at Enterprise locations offering EVs. ECOtality installed the Blink charging station at Enterprise's San Diego location.
"As ECOtality establishes one of the largest charging networks in the San Diego region as part of the EV Project, this area is quickly becoming a beacon for the new EV industry. Installing a Blink charging station at the San Diego Enterprise rental office allows consumers the opportunity to test drive electric vehicles and experience EV operation in an area with ample charging locations," said Andy Hoskinson, San Diego Area Manager for ECOtality North America.
ECOtality is currently installing approximately 1,000 publicly available Blink charging stations throughout the San Diego region as part of The EV Project.The Blink Network of charging stations provides EV drivers the freedom to travel wherever they choose and charge at commercial locations conveniently identified along the way.
With more than 5,500 car rental offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S., Enterprise Rent-A-Car is uniquely positioned to introduce drivers to EVs. In fact, Enterprise's vast network of locations includes more than twice as many offices as its nearest competitor.
"We believe that clean transportation is the future and SDG&E supports the efforts of organizations like Enterprise that work to familiarize the public with the availability and operation of electric vehicles," said James P. Avery, senior vice president for power supply, San Diego Gas & Electric.
Enterprise EVs are currently available in California, Texas, Tennessee, Hawaii, New York, Oregon and London. Enterprise will add more EVs as they become available from manufacturers and as the infrastructure to support them expands throughout the United States. The vehicles also will be available through the Enterprise Rent-A-Car business rental program and WeCar car-sharing program.
Enterprise Holdings is a charter member of the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities' National Clean Fleets Partnership, a public-private alliance that helps large companies reduce diesel and gasoline use in their fleets by incorporating electric vehicles, alternative fuels and fuel-saving measures into daily operations.
