Twin Cities-based HourCar expanding, planning all-electric fleet

Twin Cities-based HourCar, which rents cars by the hour, is planning a number of moves hoping to rev up its service.

By mid-2020, the St. Paul-based nonprofit plans to field an all-electric fleet and to offer pickups and drop-offs at dozens more Twin Cities locations.

HourCar also hopes to increase its fleet from 60 cars now to at least 100. And one-way rentals will be allowed.

"The one-way model makes the service more convenient and potentially more accessible," CEO Paul Schroeder "We can attract new members and also make the service better able to be used by our current members."

Xcel Energy is providing HourCar with startup funding and technical help. HourCar has over 2,300 members. They pay a monthly or annual fee plus hourly — and sometimes mileage — charges. Members used HourCar vehicles for 81,000 hours last year. That's about three and three-quarters of an hour per day per car.

Vehicles are now available at 52 locations.