San Francisco hotel guests treated to all-electric runabout - The Independent
Hotel guests in San Francisco are set to get a new way to see the sights with the launch of a pilot electric car rental program in the city.
Travelers to the popular Californian city will be able to rent an electric vehicle from the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront on the spot, taking it out for an emissions-free spin to see San Francisco's most popular sights.
The Nissan Leaf and Smart Fortwo Electric will be the first models available for rental, Hertz confirmed this week, with the extended-range Chevrolet Volt also available soon.
The hotel also has two fast-charge charging stations, and to reward guests for their carbon-neutral transportation, Marriott is offering free valet parking and charging to customers to visitors who bring their own electric vehicles when dining or staying overnight.
Hertz also confirmed that it will offer electric vehicles for rental from its Mason Street location in San Francisco.
Electric car rental isn't unheard of in hotels (European hotel chain Scandic offers them for the use of guests in some hotels, for example), but a trial program between two of the travel world's biggest players is a good sign for the future of electric mobility.
It's also indicative of an increasing rollout of electric vehicles in general, with rental programs expected to play a large role in introducing the public to new automotive technology.
Hertz, along with rivals Avis and Europcar, has already committed to rolling out electric vehicles throughout its global rental network.
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