Early rental offers may help to boost popularity of electric cars
Drivers in Essen, Munich, Hamburg, Dresden and Berlin will all be able to lease the new electric vehicles in a pilot scheme that will initially last 12 months. The vehicles are currently available to lease, months ahead of rival leasing companies. Various models are available to lease, including the Fiat Karabag 500 E and the Fiat Micro-Vett Fiorino E. These electric vehicles are adapted from earlier Fiat models, such as the popular Fiat 500 and the Fiorino van. Both of these models are fitted with specialised navigation equipment that informs drivers where the nearest charging station is. These stations are provided by German utility provider RWE. By hiring out these electric cars before other companies it is thought that the vehicles will gain invaluable publicity, which will make the public come to see the car as a viable alternative to petrol vehicles. Steps like this need to be taken as there are concerns that the electric car may not be as successful in Europe as it is proving to be elsewhere. Antonio Tajani EU industry commissioner, said that the electric car industry is growing in the US and Asia but in Europe “without strong standardisation work, I think it will be difficult to develop a market for electric cars.†Hertz, Avis and Europcar all intend to begin hiring the electric cars from next year and plan to have a fleet of Renault-Nissan electric vehicles. Leasing in Britain is thought to begin at around the same time. Related posts:
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Sixt, a German-based car rental firm, has decided to lease electric cars ahead of their rivals in an attempt to get a head start in the market.