asked:




The car rental industry has been rarely viewed as a world leader in the sense of technological development. In the past, even the quality of the cars being used was called into question, some customers claiming that the cars they hired had been so damaged by previous customers that they were just as likely to breakdown at the roadside as get you to your destination. This situation has definitely changed however; the car rental industry now embraces technological change, providing customers with an efficient and reliable service.

One of the largest influences on the car rental industry has been the impact of global warming and more widely the environmental concerns of customers. It is hoped by many car rental companies that by introducing more efficient cars into the fleet, fuel efficiency will be increased and customers will receive a better deal. This is not all of the car rental companies, but some have noticed the niche in the market for customers with an environmental conscience; revealing a wider trend not only in car hire but in society more generally.

The most obvious way that car rental companies can reduce their environmental impact is by introducing highly efficient cars into their fleets. An example would be the hybrid cars that are becoming extremely popular at the moment; they bring the benefits of a smaller environmental footprint and cheaper fuel rates for customers. Not all have embraced the introduction of hybrid cars however, some view their introduction as purely a temporary measure that in no way tackles the root causes of emissions. Additionally, the use of bio-fuel cars has been growing, while this fuel is cheap and produces less harmful emissions critics have been quick to realise that if all of the arable land in the world was turned over for the production of bio-fuel plants, then foodstuffs would be extremely short. It is all rather Malthusian but it is a good point nonetheless.