Rent a hybrid

Hitting the open road this summer means pumping money into your car―literally. Luckily, Westerners can rent fuel-efficient wheels through EV Rental Cars― currently the only company in the U.S. that offers hybrid rentals. Through a partnership with Fox Rent-A-Car, the company rents Honda Civic Hybrids, Honda Insights, Ford Escape Hybrids, and Toyota Priuses at seven major airports in California and Arizona. But not all customers are vacationers; a weeklong rental is a popular way for prospective hybrid buyers to take an extended test-drive. From $30 per day, from $165 per week. www.evrental.com or 877/387-3682. ―Lisa Vollmer