Zipcar, ECOtality and Portland State University working together to provide increased sustainable transportation options for Portland residents
Zipcar, Inc. (Nasdaq:ZIP), the world’s leading car sharing network, today announced the introduction of 2013 Honda Fit EV battery electric vehicles (BEV) into the Zipcar Portland fleet, with the first vehicles located at Portland State University (PSU). Charging stations for the EVs are provided by ECOtality, Inc. (Nasdaq:ECTY), a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies, which is also providing Zipcar members access to the company’s Blink Network of charging stations in Portland during their reservations.
“We are very excited to introduce Honda Fit EVs into the Zipcar fleet here in Portland. The new EVs add to the selection of smart and sustainable vehicle options Zipcar currently offers, and will help our members further reduce their environmental impact by driving on electricity only,” said Jeremy Nelson, General Manager, Zipcar Portland.
The new Honda Fit EVs are located on PSU’s campus at Parking Structure 1, and are available to all Zipcar members ages 21+ for hourly reservations, starting from $10.25 per hour. Zipcar chose PSU for the location of its first EVs in Portland because of the University’s leadership in environmentally conscious innovations, including its Electric Avenue automotive charging stations on campus.
“Having electric vehicles available at PSU through Zipcar fits perfectly with our sustainability mission,” said Portland State University President Wim Wiewel. “It’s a clean transportation option that I think our students, faculty and staff are really going to appreciate.”
Through Zipcar’s program with ECOtality, members who reserve Honda Fit EVs in Portland will have full access to ECOtality’s Blink Network of charging stations located throughout the Portland area if they are in need of a charge during their reservation. Each Zipcar Fit EV is outfitted with a Blink InCard, which provides complimentary access to Blink Network charging stations to charge up, similar to the way gas cards work in other Zipcar vehicles.
“As EV’s enter into mass adoption, innovative companies such as Zipcar allow us to introduce our Blink charging stations to an audience that might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience an EV,” stated Greg Fioriti, Chief Revenue Officer of ECOtality, Inc. “We look forward to working with Zipcar and generating increased awareness of EVs throughout the Portland area.”
EV Member Education Program Prior to reserving one of the Zipcar EVs, members will have the opportunity to learn more about driving electric vehicles through Zipcar’s member education program. Members can visit www.zipcar.com/portlandev to learn more about the electric vehicles, watch an instructional video, go through a quick orientation process and make a reservation.
Honda’s 2013 Fit EV, based on its popular five-passenger Fit, earns a combined adjusted Environmental Protection Agency mile-per-gallon-equivalency rating of 118 MPGe1, and an unprecedented low consumption rating of just 29 kilowatt hours per 100 miles[1]. The 100-percent electric Honda Fit EV features a 20-kilowatt-hour Lithium-Ion battery and a compact 92-kilowatt AC synchronous electric motor that generates 189 ft-lb of torque. When connected to a 240-volt circuit, the Honda Fit EV battery can be recharged in less than three hours from a low charge indicator illumination point2.
Zipcar is a longstanding pioneer in using advanced vehicle technologies. It was the first car sharing company in the United States to introduce electric vehicles, starting in Boston in 2002, and the first to offer hybrid vehicles through a partnership with Honda in Seattle in 2003. Zipcar member surveys show a strong interest in the use of advanced technology and alternate fuel vehicles in the program.
