I've been trying to find (unsuccessfully so far) a company that will rent me a hybrid car for the drive up to Canada this summer.

So far I know that Avis and Budget both have hybrids in their fleet, but none in NYC that I can find.

Meanwhile, the price of used fuel-efficient cars has been going up a fair amount.

DAMN, do I love my 8-year-old Toyota Echo. I still get 33-34 mpg. And the tank is only ~10 gallons, so I don't have to take out a bank loan to fill it up.

I've been trying to find (unsuccessfully so far) a company that will rent me a hybrid car for the drive up to Canada this summer.

Well, the extra savings from hybrid technology mostly comes in city driving.

Meanwhile....

The world's premier energy monitor is preparing a sharp downward revision of its oil-supply forecast, a shift that reflects deepening pessimism over whether oil companies can keep abreast of booming demand.

The Paris-based International Energy Agency is in the middle of its first attempt to comprehensively assess the condition of the world's top 400 oil fields. Its findings won't be released until November, but the bottom line is already clear: Future crude supplies could be far tighter than previously thought.

...

For several years, the IEA has predicted that supplies of crude and other liquid fuels will arc gently upward to keep pace with rising demand, topping 116 million barrels a day by 2030, up from around 87 million barrels a day currently. Now, the agency is worried that aging oil fields and diminished investment mean that companies could struggle to surpass 100 million barrels a day over the next two decades.

Oopsie....

[link]

Well, the extra savings from hybrid technology mostly comes in city driving.

So you don't think over a 2000 mile drive it would be cheaper to be in a Prius than a Camry? (I'm seriously asking - I don't actually know enough about it to be certain.)

Well, I think the highway mileage of a Prius is still better than the Camry. But the car rental people usually charge more for a Prius, so you might wanna look closer at the numbers....

Ugh -- someone I interviewed a couple of weeks ago just called to check on the process, and I had to tell her she didn't make the cut. I wish she had emailed!

I guess I'd better email the rest of them now.

Ok, the Prius is 48 mpg city, 45 highway. The Camry is 21 city, 31 highway. So, still a big difference on the highway.

Right now it's a moot point since I can't find any rental agencies who have hybrids in NYC, at least not on their websites. I'll probably have to call and talk to a human being.

[eta: Okay, apparently Hertz has them, but only at the airport. Ugh.]

Jessica - how long do you need the car? for the whole summer? Can you CarShare? I forget the length of term they're willing to give... wonder if there's someone up in Canada who would want to drive it back for you.