Toronto's Carsharing Company now offers 100% Electric Vehicles Uptown
TORONTO, Oct. 24, 2012 /CNW/ - AutoShare's newest Electric Vehicle (EV) station, located in the Stockton Bush building at 2345 Yonge, will now offer a fully electric Nissan Leaf to all of its members, at regular price. This location was chosen because of the large Business membership with AutoShare, and their interest in corporate greening.
Halsall Associates, an engineering services firm, who has been a member of AutoShare for over 10 years, was among the first to drive the newest addition to their local fleet. "Our firm relies on AutoShare every day - we have close to 100 employee drivers visiting sites and meeting with clients in and around the city," said Doug Webber, Executive Vice President of Halsall Associates. "Our business is dedicated to providing clients with green strategies for facility and community design. Carsharing is consistent with our values - having an EV available for our daily use is an added bonus."
AutoShare's President, Kevin McLaughlin is excited to be growing the network to a new area of Toronto. "For the past year we've been establishing our shared EV network on Toronto's grid." said McLaughlin "We're excited to extend this next generation of carsharing to our Uptown members. The Leaf is a fantastic vehicle and a great way to get around this city." Electric vehicles are ideally suited for urban driving, in part because the emissions-free vehicle regenerates power in stop-and- go traffic. The Leaf has a range of up to 170 kms, depending how it is driven, well above AutoShare's average trip distance. (The Leaf travels with a plug that can be used in regular outsets in emergencies.)
WWF-Canada, who last week announced the launch of Transportation rEVolution, is also supporting the latest addition to the area. "Our latest research found that 62% of Canadians agree that knowing a company uses EVs in their fleet would make them feel more positively about that company." said Rebecca Spring, Sustainable Transportation Officer at WWF-Canada "By offering an EV in the Yonge and Eglinton area, organizations can now take a leadership role in embracing innovation, while taking integral steps in demonstrating that Electric Vehicles are a real part of an urban transportation models."
Today, the company has thousands of business and government employees using every type of vehicle in the fleet - from Fiat 500 to full size cargo vans - daily across Toronto. AutoShare recently launched its "Smart was to Drive your Business" program - offering new clients free membership and their 1st trip free in a Nissan Leaf.
About AutoShare
Founded in 1998 and 100% locally owned, AutoShare is Toronto's local independent car company, designed for life in our city. The company pioneered carsharing in the GTA, starting in 1998 with a commitment to being part of the transit-system. With vehicles at over 150 locations across Toronto and Mississauga, AutoShare's 12,000 members can choose from a variety of vehicles starting at $7.25/hr including gas and insurance. AutoShare prides itself on having the greenest rental fleet in the GTA, the most cars per member of any shared fleet, and our members build their insurance record with the kind of insurance that they would buy for themselves. AutoShare.com/business
About Halsall
Halsall Associates (www.halsall.com) is an engineering services company with a passion for sustainability. The company has over 50 years' experience in building design, evaluation and renewal, as well as one of Canada's largest and most experienced teams dedicated to providing green strategies for facility and community design.
About WWF-Canada's Transportation rEVolution Program http://www.wwf.ca/newsroom/?11421/WWF-aims-for-600000-electric-vehicles-in-Canada-by-2020
Image with caption: "Priscilla Chew-Grant, from Halsall Associates, stands by the AutoShare Nissan Leaf and newest EV station, at the Stockton Bush building at 2345 Yonge. (CNW Group/AutoShare)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121024_C9806_PHOTO_EN_19701.jpg
SOURCE: AutoShare
Kevin McLaughlin, President
[email protected]
Mobile: 416.816.3037
Agata Kazimierski , Marketing Manager
[email protected]
Mobile: 416.878.1066
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