Hertz Adding 3400 Toyota Priuses To Fleet

The increased demand for green vehicles is spilling over to the rental car counter, where many more drivers will soon be able to choose a hybrid vehicle. Hertz plans to add 3400 Prius hybrid cars to its fleet as customers seek more fuel-efficient vehicles. Hertz will spend $68 million to add the hybrid cars by 2008, the company said today. The first 1000 will be available at U.S. rental sites within the next few weeks. Rental-car companies are offering more fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles amid record gasoline prices and increased concern among consumers about global warming.

Avis said yesterday that it's also adding 1000 Prius cars. Prius sales in May reached a record 24,009, and Toyota has said it expects to sell at least 180,000 this year, or 68 percent more than a year ago.

Photo caption: Hertz Chairman and CEO Mark Frissora poses with a Toyota Prius hybrid car. (Image via Washington Post)

:: Via Bloomberg