5 Ways to Make Your Rental Car More Environmentally Friendly

Sometimes when we travel, there’s no way to get around renting a car. You may find yourself needing to get somewhere where there is no public transportation, you don’t know anyone, and there are no taxis, and the distance is too far to walk. For the times when you need a rental car, here are 5 things you can do to try to have a smaller environmental impact.

Rent a Hybrid
Although it’s not always possible, you may be able to manage to secure a hybrid car if you book in advance. Even if you aren’t able to secure one, it can’t hurt to ask at the counter. You never know what you might get just by making a simple, friendly inquiry in person. This brings us to the next point...

Bigger ≠ Better
Try to rent the smallest possible car. This should be self explanatory, but it’s not always that simple. Often times at the counter, you will get offered a cheap or free upgrade into the next car category. At the time it’s exciting, because who doesn’t like getting things for free? Before you agree, think about what you’re actually doing. A larger car will almost always mean less MPG, so it will end up using more fuel, which will cost you more. For traveling groups, it may be worth cramming into a compact or midsize car instead of opting for the full size or minivan. Plus, once you get your luggage to your hotel or villa, you won’t be riding cramped for the rest of your stay, until it’s time to leave.

Idle Cars are the Devils Playthings
If you are going to be sitting for more than 30 seconds, it’s best to turn it off, as you will use slightly less gas. This won’t help you save gallons at a time in your rental car, but every little bit helps.

Basic Maintenance FTW!
While most car rental companies have mechanics who regularly check the car for problems, sometimes things get overlooked. If it’s possible, check the tire pressure, oil levels, and other fluid levels in your rental car. Odds are it won’t need anything, but in the case it does, you’ll be glad you did. If nothing else you’ve had a peek under the hood to make sure it’s free of debris. In a study in 2007, the US Department of Energy found that if everyone had properly inflated tires, it could save over a billion gallons of gas a year, so it’s worth checking this frequently at home, as well as in a rental.

Slow Down Boy
For some people, there’s a switch that goes off when they get into a rental car. It’s as if all previous training and experience is rendered invalid. Sadly this is not the case. If you want to get better gas mileage you still need to accelerate slowly from a stand still, especially in stop and go traffic.

Hans Ericsson writes the travel blog at Auto Europe. He enjoys being as environmentally friendly as possible while cruising in a UK car rental, as he sometimes does when he travels for business.