The partnership forms part of Avis' existing environmental programme, which has led to the company offsetting more than 147,000 tonnes of CO2 since 1997 by investing in a host of environmental initiatives such as renewable energy, methane capture projects and tree planting. This had led to the company maintaining a CarbonNeutral status since 1999.

Commenting on the new partnership with Renault, Pascal Bazin, chief executive for Avis Europe, said: 'At Avis, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and are always looking for new ways to improve our environmental performance.

'We are delighted to sign this important partnership with Renault to offer electric vehicles as part of our green fleet, which is an increasingly central part of our customer offering. Despite the impact of the recession, consumers are just as aware of the issues of climate change and it is only by working together with our partners that will we be able to make a difference.'

Renault has already announced that it is planning to launch electric vheicles that provide "sustainable mobility for all" and from 2011 the marque will progressively roll out four electric vehicles. These include two derivatives of internal-combustion vehicles: the Renault Fluence Z.E., an electric version of Fluence which will initially be available in Israel and Europe, and the Renault Kangoo Express Z.E., which will be an electric version of Renault Kangoo Express, intended primarily for fleet and business use.

In addition, two new cars designed to run exclusively with electrical power will be launched: a car derived from the Twizy Z.E. Concept, a concept car for motoring in built-up areas, and a vehicle that will go on sale at the beginning of 2012, taking its inspiration from the Zoe Z.E. Concept and intended for everyday motoring in and around cities.

Uwe Hochgeschurtz, senior vice president, Renault Corporate Sales Division, said 'Avis is an important long-term partner for Renault so we are thrilled to be able to expand our offering with the company to include electric vehicles. We are confident that the partnership will play an important role in enabling customers to experience the new technology and learn about the environmental benefits of electric vehicles, which are sure to become a significant alternative for car travel in the future.'