ORIX Australia Selects Hyundai Tucson City to Help Expand Its Green Strategy

AUTO CENTRAL – December 9, 2008: ORIX Australia announced the full replacement of its short-term rental fleet with a significant investment in lighter, more fuel efficient vehicles including Hyundai Motor Company’s Tucson City SX. This initiative will lead to a reduction in the company’s indirect CO2 emissions, as well as delivering extensive fuel saving benefits to customers.

The initiative follows the Fleet Management and Leasing provider’s appointment as member of the Government’s Greenhouse Challenge Plus programme earlier this year, and supports its ongoing mission to lead the Fleet industry in reducing environmental impacts.

“We are incredibly proud of our environmental achievements,” said John Carter, Managing Director at ORIX. “In September this year, ORIX achieved a 20% reduction in energy usage at our two major sites compared to the month prior. In August and September ORIX also captured more than 70,000 litres of water in rainwater tanks for vehicle washing, and recycled more than 3 tonnes of paper and cardboard.”

After adding hybrid and Diesel options to its staff car policy, installing timers and sensor powered lighting in the workplace and introducing a measurable recycling scheme, ORIX reviewed a major contributor to its indirect greenhouse gas emissions, the short-term rental fleet, and immediately acted to revamp the fleet across the country.

ORIX completed a comprehensive analysis to determine which vehicle type customers considered reliable and fuel efficient, while also meeting operational needs. The results of the study, along with analysis of CO2 emissions and whole-of-life costs across a range of vehicle categories, guided vehicle selection. The new short-term rental fleet will include 65 Hyundai Tucson City SX compact SUVs offering customers increased fuel economy, reduced CO2 emissions and enhanced vehicle performance, without compromising operational requirements.

Although requiring a substantial investment, ORIX is confident that maintaining a green approach in selecting vehicles for its short-term rental fleet will generate significant long term fuel savings for its customers and reduce impacts on the environment.

“The new short-term rental fleet not only complements ORIX’s environmental objectives but also accommodates a growing need in the market to reduce fleet costs which are largely made up of fuel,” said John Carter.

Kevin McCann, Hyundai’s Director of Sales and Marketing, added that “At Hyundai we offer our customers a range of fuel efficient petrol and turbo-Diesel vehicles. We are thrilled that ORIX Australia has ordered Tucson City SX models, which are fitted with the life saving ESP Stability Control technology.”