The Hertz Corporation has signed an agreement with Mitsubishi Motors to add electric i-MiEV city cars to the Hertz UK fleet, including their Connect car club service.

The rollout starts today, 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 fleet throughout the year.

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 London by 2013, as part of the Mayor's plans for London to become the electric vehicle capital of Europe.

Engineered to be the perfect car for the urban environment, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV 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. On sale officially from August 2010, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV is also the world's first ever pure-EV to have received the Euro NCAP 4-star Rating.

Hertz's electric vehicle initiative with Mitsubishi Motors in the UK further demonstrates the rental provider's commitment to providing customers with a variety of zero-emission mobility solutions.

Michel Taride, President of Hertz International comments, "Our partnership with Mitsubishi Motors in the UK to provide i-MiEV vehicles 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-MiEVs, which offer surprising power and a smooth, quiet ride."

All the cars in Hertz's Green Collection in Europe can be reserved by make and model, and offer a CO2 output level of less than 140g/km, making them more environmentally friendly than most other cars. The conventional cars in the Collection also achieve 45-65mpg, depending upon vehicle size, so they are more fuel-efficient too. Together, that means customers can enjoy their journey even more, safe in the knowledge that they are saving both CO2 and fuel along the way.

Newspress

Green cars are expected to steal the limelight at this year's Seoul Motor Show in Korea, starting today. Among the line up is Kia's new all-electric concept, the Naimo.

In their home country, Kia unveiled the Naimo this morning for its world premier viewing – the model was designed to combine Korean heritage with innovative modern features.

The electric crossover utility vehicle takes its name from the Korean word "Ne-mo", meaning 'square shape' and is characterised principally by its simple lines and solid, muscular stance.

The Naimo is the third electric vehicle design to be unveiled by Kia Motors Corporation in the last year; the 3.9-metre long Naimo concept explores the practicalities of introducing a zero-emissions, five-door, four-seater city car into a future niche market.

Power comes from a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with a maximum output of 80 kW (109 PS) and maximum torque of 280 Nm, enabling Naimo to reach a top speed of 93 mph.

A twin-pack 27 kWh battery is located under the boot floor and uses innovative Lithium Ion Polymer technology that offers numerous advantages over other battery types. Equipped with this battery, Naimo provides a driving range of 124 miles on a single charge. To enhance range, the showcar is fitted with special low-drag 20-inch diameter alloy wheels.

Under the quick 50 kW recharging cycle, the Naimo's battery can be recharged to 80 percent of its capacity within 25 minutes, a feature which is likely to reduce the fear of running out of power for many of its users. Under the normal 3.3 kW cycle, 100 percent power is attained after five and a half hours.

Kia's design team have made use of innovative technologies to give the Naimo a premium feel, such as replacing door mirrors with miniature cameras installed into the A-pillars. The interior aethestics are also of unique quality – Korean oak is used to trim the interior door panels and the entire interior floor whilst a transparent organic light emitting diode display forms the instrument panel.

"Naimo is a perfect balance of innovation, high-tech and Korean tradition. It was heavily inspired by the purity and grace of traditional Korean arts and crafts, but combines this with cutting edge technologies to deliver a truly premium experience," commented Kia Motors' Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.

Naimo will join Kia's growing test fleet of hybrid, electric and fuel-cell vehicles being extensively driven in widely varying conditions to develop future production models with zero or significantly reduced emissions.

Newspress