Hertz Rent-A-Car, the world’s largest hire car company, has announced plans to roll out an all-electric car concept. The news comes with plans to make the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle available from a number of locations across the United States and Europe, with the first models scheduled for release as early as 2011.

Ideally placed for family outings within a 100-mile radius, the five-seater Nissan Leaf is predicted to become popular among shoppers and car sharing programs. Rental car fleets will be at the forefront of marketing as their usage can often dictate the role of a new vehicle.

The Leaf cars will run on a similar system as electric bicycles, whereby numerous charging stations spread across designated areas will allow drivers to top-up their battery. A mere 30 minutes is all it takes to charge the Leaf’s 24-kilowatt-per-hour-power source by 80 percent.  Eight hours will charge the battery completely and this can be done by plugging into a 220-volt power source – the same used to power standard household electrical appliances.

The Leaf is one of four electric vehicles planned for release by Nissan, making the manufacturer the most active in the field. The company will also make a range of conversion options available for those motorists wanting to change from gasoline to electricity without changing cars. A dedicated website has been established by Nissan which aims to provide educational information about the benefits of changing to the new vehicles and is aimed at both renters and buyers.