Where to rent and refuel electric cars

I don't often read the printed-on-paper newspaper, but occasionally I luck out and a friend passes along a gem worth sharing (thanks Kate!).  Here are some links to electric car resources from the travel section of a recent Washington Post…


Electric vehicle (EV) rentals:

http://www.connectbyhertz.com/ 877-654-4400

Offers the Smart EV for hourly rental in New York starting at $6; membership is $50 plus a $25 sign-up fee. Expanding to Washington and San Francisco in March, plans to add Nissan Leaf in February and Mitsubishi ‘I’ in March.

http://www.enterprise.com/ 800-261-7331

Expects to start renting Nissan Leafs in the next few weeks in select markets with charging stations: Phoenix and Tucson, Nashville and Knoxville TN, Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland OR.



Charging stations:

There is no single comprehensive listing of charging stations, and much online information is outdated or not relevant to the new EVs. (The latest models require a J 1772 plug.) For now, the stations are free, though you may have to pay to enter the parking garage or lot.

Coulumb Technologies www.mychargepoint.net/find-stations.php For access to the stations, sign up for the $9.95 card online.

ECOtality www.theevproject.com/charging-maps.php This company won’t start building its stations until next month

Department of Energy Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations

EV charger news http://www.evchargernews.com/

 
And an article by Gene Weingarten in the WP magazine about his adventures testing a Chevy Volt:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/21/AR2011012105347.html


(photo credit http://gas2.org/2009/06/01/new-user-friendly-product-fronts-greenlightacs-charge-station-infrastructure/)