CODA Automotive and Enterprise Rent-A-Car help accelerate the adoption of all electric cars

CODA Automotive™, a California-based electric car and battery company, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, today announced a planned program to introduce up to 100 all-electric CODA Sedans™ to car rental locations throughout 2011.

“The CODA’s dependable, all-season range are a perfect match for the driving conditions found throughout Enterprise’s neighborhood network of car rental locations,” said Kevin Czinger, President and CEO, CODA Automotive. “Enterprise has demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability and is aligned with our mission to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.”

The CODA Sedan™ will be the first mainstream all-electric sedan from an all-electric car company when it becomes available in the coming months. The car is designed to meet the day-to-day needs of more than 80% of Americansi with space for five passengers and a full-size trunk. CODA’s innovative 33.8 kWh battery system with active thermal management will be the largest, most advanced system in its class, enabling a dependable, all-season 90 to 120 miles of range per charge.ii Fast and convenient charging will be achieved with help from a 6.6 kW on-board charger that is twice as fast as the standard charger used by our closest competition. A full charge requires about six hours to complete,iii and enough energy for a short, 40-mile commute will take under two hours.

“With the mystery surrounding electric vehicles, we think this vehicle will not only meet the needs of many of our customers, but will also help to ‘lift the veil’ on EVs for many of them and help them better understand the technology and why they might want to own one,” said Lee Broughton, director of sustainability for Enterprise Holdings, which owns and operates Enterprise Rent-A-Car, along with the Alamo Rent A Car and National Car Rental brands. “Supporting alternative transportation options and partnering with companies at the forefront of the electrification movement like CODA Automotive is a key component of our long-term sustainability strategy.”

Enterprise has more than 5,000 offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population. So with the potential to rent each electric vehicle hundreds of times a year, Enterprise will be able to give customers an opportunity for an “extended” test drive, allowing them to experience the energy-saving technology right where they live and work.

The addition of the CODA electric vehicle is just one facet of the Enterprise’s industry-leading environmental sustainability platform, that includes investment in alternative fuels, a fuel-efficient fleet, and an operational commitment to reduce energy use and energy cost by 20 percent over the next five years.

In addition to the partnership announced today, the two companies previously reached an agreement to provide services for CODA electric vehicle owners. As part of that agreement, Enterprise will provide courtesy transportation vehicles to CODA customers during service and maintenance periods. In addition to providing courtesy transportation support, CODA and Enterprise are discussing other innovative partnership opportunities to help accelerate the adoption of all-electric cars.