HOW GREEN IS YOUR RENT CAR?

By Ella Tyler

I am starting a trip to Fort Davis in the morning, and the e-mail from the Chronicle “Subject: Breaking News – Texas gasoline prices hit record high” made me really glad that I have rented a Prius for the trip.

To my surprise, the rental rate for the Prius was the same as for Toyota Corolla and less than for a Camry. As I was trying to decide if it was really worth driving to the big airport to get that car, I ran across a really useful website. It’s the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide. It lists a vehicle’s gas mileage, air pollution score, and greenhouse gas score; and also provides other useful information such as how many cubic feet of interior space and of truck space the vehicles have.

I used it to compare a Camry and a Prius and discovered that it would take 4 gallons of gas to get me 100 miles in the Camry and 2.17 gallons to get me that far in the Prius. Over the course of 1,200-mile trip, and at today’s prices, that’s a $70 saving in gas. One friend discovered an extra savings when he rented a Prius in Los Angeles – he got to park free at his hotel, rather than paying $15 per day.

The Prius also has a slightly better score on air pollution and greenhouse gasses. The comparisons also tell how many cubic feet of interior space and of truck space the vehicles have. I learned that the Camry’s inside is bigger, but the Prius’ trunk is bigger.

I rented from Hertz, which has a “Green Collection” that is chosen from cars that have the EPA’s “SmartWay” designation.

The EPA “SmartWay” and SmartWay Elite” designations indicate the vehicles with the best environmental performance. Higher air pollution scores indicate vehicles with reduced levels of emissions that cause smog. Higher greenhouse gas scores indicate vehicles with reduced levels of emissions that cause greenhouse gases. This is also connected to improved fuel economy. According to the website, SmartWay Elite is given to vehicles that have greenhouse gas and air pollution scores of 9 or better. There are eight models on this list.

SmartWay is a designation for vehicles that score a 6 or better on the air pollution and greenhouse gas scores and achieve a combined score of at least 13. There are more than fifty models on this list.

Other car rental places have plenty of eco-friendly vehicles available too. Think about getting a rental for your next road trip. If your car is a gas-guzzler, it might pay for itself.