Thursday, January 27, 2011

Zipcar adds plug-in hybrid cars to Boston/Cambridge fleet

By Kyle Alspach

Zipcar Inc. said it has introduced plug-in vehicles as part of its car-sharing fleet in three U.S. locations, including Boston/Cambridge.

The Cambridge-based company said three Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrids have been added in Boston/Cambridge, with another three in San Francisco and two in Portland, Ore.

The cars are being added “in an effort to further test and evaluate plug-in hybrid technology and gain increased intelligence on how electric vehicles can fit into a large-scale car-sharing model,” Zipcar officials said in its announcement.

Zipcar said the Boston area plug-ins are located at the Albany Street garage at MIT; at 33 Arch St. in downtown Boston; and at the Prudential Center.

The Toyota Prius plug-ins will not become commercially available until 2012. Toyota is currently distributing a total of 160 nationwide as part of a pilot program to evaluate the performance of the vehicles.

The vehicle is powered by lithium-ion batteries and can be fully charged from a standard outlet in about three hours, Zipcar said. The plug-in can travel on electric-only power at speeds of up to 62 mph for approximately 13 miles, after which it shifts to operate as a conventional Prius hybrid, averaging an estimated 50 miles per gallon, according to Zipcar.

“This makes the PHV model ideal for car sharing,” Zipcar officials said. “Because many trips taken by Zipcar members are fewer than 13 miles, many PHV trips will be emission-free.”

Zipcar, which has filed intentions to go public, said in December that it had completed a Series G financing of $21 million, led by Meritech Capital Partners.