NISSAN and Europcar, the leading car hire company in Europe, have announced that Nissan LEAF, the award-winning electric car, will be available for short-term hire in two of the world’s busiest capitals: London and Paris.
‘There are two distinct reasons for joining forces with Europcar to introduce Nissan LEAF to the short-term rental market in these two busy cities,’ said Guillaume Cartier, Vice President for Sales Operations at Nissan International SA.
‘The first is obvious: with its absence of tailpipe emissions and an outstanding driving pleasure, the Nissan LEAF is the perfect car for the inner city.
‘The second is for drivers currently unsure whether an EV is suitable for their needs. By renting a LEAF and living with it in real-world conditions they can evaluate the car in their own time.’
The Nissan LEAF has a range of 110 miles (175km), which is more than 90 per cent of UK commuters drive in a day.
Rafael Girona, Chief Operating Officer of Europcar, said: ‘We are proud to partner with Nissan to facilitate expansion of electric vehicles and provide our customers with the greenest possible mobility solutions.’
Although the Nissan LEAF is as easy to drive as a conventional car, every customer hiring a LEAF will be given a face-to-face handover by a Europcar representative who has been fully trained on the car and its workings.
Peace of mind
In order to make hiring the LEAF even simpler for customers, Europcar will recharge it completely free of charge, even waiving the standard service fee usually made for vehicle refuelling.
Ken McCall, Managing Director, Europcar UK Group, said: ‘Hiring a Nissan LEAF could be the ideal option for motorists keen to reduce their fuel costs and avoid congestion charges.
‘At the forefront of electric vehicle technology, it fits perfectly with our philosophy of pioneering sustainable car hire solutions, giving customers a real choice when it comes to car hire.’
The pilot scheme will initially run for three months. If successful, it could be widened to other cities in France and Great Britain, as well as other countries in Europe.