Boston (The Origin Of Zipcar) Adds 4 New Electric Cars (Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrids)

Boston claims to be the world’s guiding car-sharing network. Indeed, many urban areas are sprouting car-sharing wheels and participating in the convenience of Zipcars. Staying true to its car-sharing leadership, Boston’s fleet has added four new, 2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrids. It is also introduced plug-in stations and priority parking for Zipcars and other hybrid cars at the Boston Common Garage.

Zipcar’s origin in this green-leaning city of Boston was in 2002. Time flies! What commenced quietly enough as a novel idea not so many years ago, has caught on like a little flame spreading globally. A pioneer in putting advanced technologies to practical use, Zipcar was also the first car-sharing company to use hot & hip electric vehicles. In the year 2003, Zip joined in a partnership with Honda in Seattle to offer hybrid vehicles.

PR Newswire has more on the new EV offerings:

“With these new additions, at the Boston Common Garage, you can now find a green spot all year-long,” said James E. Rooney, MCCA executive director.”We pride ourselves with running an organization that strives to have as little impact on our environment as possible. Thanks to our five-year partnership with Zipcar and their growing fleet of plug-in hybrids in Massachusetts, we can continue to offer services which enhance the quality of life in Boston and throughout the Commonwealth.”

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“Electric vehicles are great for the environment since they reduce greenhouse gas emissions and traditional tailpipe pollutants while using domestic sources of energy with stable costs, saving thousands of dollars in fueling costs over the life of a vehicle,” said Maeve Vallely Bartlett, Undersecretary of Environment at the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. “We applaud the partnership between MCCA and Zipcar as being the first to offer their customers the electric vehicle experience.”

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Zipcar currently has four Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid vehicles available in Boston: two at Boston Common Garage, one at Post Office Square Garage and one on the Harvard University campus at Garden Street and Fernald Drive.

The plug-ins are available to all Zipcar members ages 21, starting from $11.25 per hour. Honda’s 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid, based on the popular five-passenger Accord, is rated at a combined fuel economy of 46 mpg. On a full charge and tank of gas, the range of the Accord Plug-in Hybrid is approximately 570 miles. The Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid battery can be recharged in about three hours when plugged into a standard 120-volt electrical outlet, and in less than one hour using a 240-volt “Level-2” charger.

US Department of Energy grants financed the charging stations. Parking spots for the clean energy vehicles are near each of the entrances to the Boston Common Garage.