King County Executive Sims and Seattle Mayor Nickels Start the — Gas-Electric — Engines for Flexcar's Hybrid Fleet Expansion

Business Wire, Sept 25, 2002

Business Editors

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2002

Flexcar Adds Environmentally-friendly Vehicles to Meet Demand as

Well as Further Positive Impact On the Environment

Flexcar, the nation's largest provider of car-sharing services, today announced the addition of 20 brand new Honda Civic Hybrids to its Seattle area fleet.

King County Executive Ron Sims and Mayor Greg Nickels officially started the engines at a special ceremony at the Space Needle in Seattle. The new vehicles are powered by a combination of gas and electricity, dramatically reducing emissions and increasing gas mileage.

Flexcar's innovative program provides members with access to a fleet of now nearly 100 environmentally friendly vehicles, including gas-electric hybrids and light pickup trucks, located in Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, West Seattle, Bremerton and Bainbridge Island. Members reserve the vehicles for hourly use with Flexcar covering the cost of the car, gas, parking, insurance, and maintenance. Members can pay an hourly or monthly rate for use of the vehicles.

Flexcar's program has already been shown to reduce vehicle miles traveled, increase ridership of public transit, and resulted in members either selling an existing car or avoiding buying one. Combined with the Honda Civic Hybrids, the impact on the environment will be even more significant. According to the American Lung Association, a hybrid car like these new Honda Civics burns one third less fuel than a comparable non-hybrid car. The Flexcar hybrids also emit significantly less pollution than conventional low emission vehicles - that's 50% less carbon monoxide and 50% less Nox going into the air and creating smog.

"We are proud to be part of a team that is improving air quality, increasing mobility and making a positive difference to our region," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "This is one more example of innovation that improves the quality of our lives in the Puget Sound."

"Flexcar is a good example of how we can give people choices in transportation to reduce traffic and get Seattle moving again," said Mayor Greg Nickels.

Senator Patty Murray, who chairs the Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee, could not attend the event, but issued a statement of support.

"Flexcar is one program I have seen that offers a simple and practical solution to our transportation problems. Its car-sharing program is taking cars off the roads during rush hour, enabling transit riders to have an option during the day, reducing parking needs and creating a movement of people thinking differently about their mobility. Our communities are the better for it."

"We are truly honored to have Senator Murray, Executive Sims and Mayor Nickels help us launch these environmentally-friendly vehicles," said Neil Peterson, Flexcar's president and CEO. "The importance of partnership in creating and sustaining this movement can not be understated. The support and advocacy of the city and the county have been instrumental in helping us succeed."

The event featured educational presentations from several leading environmental organizations, including:

-- Bonnie Thie, director of the office of air quality at the Environmental Protection Agency;

-- Astrid Berg, executive director of the American Lung Association of Washington; and

-- Dennis McLerran, executive director of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

King County Metro Transit General Manager Rick Walsh discussed the win-win relationship between car-sharing and Metro Transit.

Flexcar recognized a number of business, civic and political leaders who have supported the program since its inception in 2000, including:

-- Grace Crunican, Director, Seattle Department of Transportation

-- Agnes Govern, Regional Express Director, Sound Transit

-- Mike Lavigne, General Manager, Honda Auto Center of Bellevue

-- Kevin Martinez, Sr. Manager -- Community Affairs/North

America, Starbucks Coffee Company

-- Lawrence Molloy, Commissioner, Port of Seattle

-- Nicole Patrick, Operations Planning Project Manager,

Washington State Ferries

-- Larry Phillips, King County Council

-- Lisa Quinn, Public Information Specialist, University of

Washington

-- Bill Roach, King County Metro

-- Sean Schmidt, Sustainable Business Development, Nordstrom

-- Travis Sines, District Director, Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn

-- David Tye, Managing Director, Equity Office Properties

-- Heidi Wills, Seattle City Council

Following a successful European model, Flexcar launched its Seattle operations in 2000, and has since won numerous awards and commendations for its program that reduces congestion, air pollution and energy use, while increasing use of public transportation and contributing to sustainable communities. Used in conjunction with public transit, car/vanpools and walking/biking, car-sharing helps individuals meet their transportation needs in an economic and environmentally responsible manner, giving them the freedom of car ownership.

Flexcar

Headquartered in Seattle, Flexcar now operates car-sharing programs for more than 7,000 members in more than a dozen cities and counties in 5 states and the District of Columbia. With flexible pricing plans, members can reserve and drive any of these cars whenever and wherever they need to, without filling out complicated paperwork, paying for insurance, gas or repairs. Flexcar Business Memberships enable companies to augment or replace their fleet with Flexcar vehicles. Flexcar's modern fleet includes sedans, gas-electric hybrids, electric cars and specialty vehicles including pickups and convertibles. Flexcar has established strategic partnerships with King County (Wash.) Metro, Kitsap County (Wash.) Transit, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Parsons Transportation Group and American Honda Motor Company, Inc.