The roll-out starts this week, with two Mitsubishi i-MiEVs now available for Connect by Hertz members to zip around London. Hertz plans to add further i-MiEVs to its fleets throughout the year across the UK, as well as offering vehicles for corporate and university pool fleets.
Customers will be able to charge their vehicles at Hertz charging stations located across the capital as well as at Heathrow and London City Airport. In addition, customers will have access to the Source London public charging points which are being rolled out across the city by 2013, as part of the Mayor's plans for London to become the electric vehicle capital of Europe. "Our partnership with Mitsubishi Motors in the UK to provide i-MiEV cars to our Connect by Hertz members and Hertz customers in the UK is a vital part of our global Electric Vehicle and sustainability initiatives. We are excited that from today, our customers can experience the joy of 100% electric driving with the i-MiEV's, which offer surprising power and a smooth, quiet ride," commented Michel Taride, President, Hertz International.
According to Mitsubishi, the i-MiEV is “engineered to be the perfect car for the urban environment”, since it can park in tight spaces and breeze through traffic while comfortably accommodating four adults. It has a range of over 90 miles and can be charged up to 80% via a quick charging unit in as little as 30 minutes or fully charged overnight via a standard 3 pin domestic plug socket.
In the UK, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV was the first mass-produced fully electric vehicle to market and has been involved in official government trials since mid-December 2009. The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is also the world's first ever pure-EV to have received the Euro NCAP 4-star Rating.
"We are delighted to partner with Hertz and to be able to offer the i-MiEV to their customers. The i-MiEV is a very important vehicle for us, making a statement to the global car industry - being the first mass-produced, zero emission full electric vehicle ever,” said Managing Director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, Lance Bradley. “It has a vastly reduced effect on our environment, yet demands absolutely no compromise in terms of safety, comfort, convenience or fun. It is a vehicle for the future, available right now - built for the modern city commuter, in a stylish, super-modern, high-tech and exciting package."
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