Electric Car Hire has launched a BMW i3 rental service for businesses in the Thames Valley.

The Twyford-based firm is offering its electric car rental services to companies across Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Hampshire, and Wiltshire, and will drop-off one of its zero-emission BMW i3 hatchbacks to a business’s door, from £21.50 per day* or £235 per week.

There are currently five charging points in Slough, six in Reading, seven in and around Basingstoke, and more than a dozen throughout Oxfordshire.

Ian McGregor, director at Emulate3D, based at Reading Enterprise Centre, saw his fuel bill fall by 80% after the company hired three BMW i3s from Electric Car Hire.

He said: “Electric vehicles are tax efficient and a real pleasure to drive. We wanted to reduce the company’s carbon footprint, and we have seen the difference, with one of the cars making a 65 mile round trip four times a week. I’d absolutely recommend electric cars to other Thames Valley businesses as they are currently an attractive mix of doing the right thing, government incentives, and a pleasurable driving experience.”

Matthew Munson, managing director of Electric Car Hire, said: “The Thames Valley is quickly growing into an economic hub, full of innovative, forward-thinking businesses. We are hoping these companies will join our ambition to reduce these emissions across the region and we can offer a convenient service for an affordable price. There are more charging points popping up across the Thames Valley all the time, making our fleet of cars more accessible than ever before. I’d also challenge companies to take on an electric car for a week and see how much they could save on employee expenses.”