I'll rent the 'green' car

When environmentally conscious travelers hit the road, they sometimes want to apply the same earth-friendly practices they use at home.

In a trend that started in California, and is moving east, travelers can rent cars in the form of alternative-fuel, nonpolluting electric or natural-gas vehicles.

EV Rental Cars, founded in 1997, recently forged a long-term partnership with Budget Rent-a-Car to provide eco-cars (natural gas, electric, and gas-electric hybrids) for rent. The first site opened in December 1998 at Los Angeles International Airport and has expanded since to several other California airports, including San Francisco and Sacramento. A Phoenix site is scheduled to open next month, and locations in Las Vegas, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Washington, D.C., are due to open by the end of this year.

The fleet includes alternative-energy vehicles built by Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Ford, and GM. An electric version of the Toyota RAV4, for example, rents for as little as $59 a day.

All fuel costs are included in the daily rental and each location provides a short orientation and a list of charging/fueling stations. For more information about its fleets and locations, visit their Web site at www.evrental.com, or call 877-387-3682.

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