Hybrid cars pick up the pace

Importers of hybrid cars are smiling as soaring fuel costs make the dual electric/petrol vehicles an attractive option for large companies pushing an environmentally friendly image.

Avis has introduced 20 fuel-efficient, low-emission Toyota Prius hybrids to its rental fleet and says interest in the vehicles has been high. Some large corporate customers have ordered staff to use the vehicles whenever possible.

Avis national sales manager Steve Ovens said the move towards corporate environmental responsibility through triple bottom line accounting meant more companies now had policies limiting the engine size of vehicles their staff were permitted to hire.

As the cost of recent fuel hikes began to bite, more businesses were requesting reports on staff rental car activity to ensure their policies were being enforced.

"It would be fair to say they are policing that more stringently than they were previously," Ovens said.

"Most companies have a pretty responsible attitude in terms of vehicles and it's just making sure they achieve compliance."

Solid Energy has Prius vehicles in its fleet of pool cars and rents them from Avis "as part of its overall emphasis on improving the company's environmental performance and corporate sustainability", a spokeswoman said.

The Warehouse is also believed to have instructed staff to hire the Prius when it is available.

Waitakere City Council has three of the 1500cc Prius cars in its fleet.

The most economical of the three had burned on average 4.3 litres of petrol every 100km over the past 16 months. A similarly sized petrol-only car in the fleet had used 9.3 litres for 100km over the same period.

The Prius costs considerably more than its petrol-only counterparts: its listed retail price is $43,500.

Avis marketing manager John Devaney said the arrival of the Prius into the company's fleet at a time of increasing petrol prices "allows us to present meaningful cost-saving options to our customers".

The company has begun a marketing campaign at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports, where the cars are available. Images of the Prius appear with lines such as: "Preferred rental of those interested in saving the planet".

Ovens said some chief executives tagged the Prius as their preferred vehicle when booking with Avis.

Avis would monitor the hybrid car's popularity and expand the Prius fleet if the demand was there.

"I can't see the fuel situation changing for quite some time and I can only see companies monitoring [their environmental policies] more stringently anyway."