Announces Partnership With Equitable Gas for $1.08 per Gallon - ÒClean Across PennsylvaniaÓ Arrives in Pittsburgh Friday, April 20

Pittsburgh, PA (April 17, 2001) - Budget EV Rental Cars, a joint effort between EV Rental Cars and Budget Rent a Car Corporation introduced Honda Civic GX natural gas vehicles for rental at Pittsburgh International Airport and will soon have Toyota Prius and Honda Insight hybrid-electric vehicles. Together with Budget EV Rental CarsÕ other new Pennsylvania location in Philadelphia, this is PennsylvaniaÕs first environmental vehicle rental fleet and the first in the Eastern United States.

According to Jim Demb, Director of External Affairs of EV Rental Cars, "We have had great success renting environmental vehicles at airports in the West. Our customers have found NGVs are reliable and a smart choice for those concerned about the environment and the high cost of gasoline."

Pittsburgh International Airport and the Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities Program have been working to promote alternative fuel use at the Airport and in the region. "The Airport, an alternative fuel user, encourages commercial transportation providers to join in the switch to clean, domestic alternative fuels and we applaud EV Rental's leadership in this area," said Kent George, Executive Director, Allegheny County Airport Authority. NGVs in the Pittsburgh region now total nearly 1,000 vehicles and are served by a network of 26 natural gas fueling stations.

Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities President A. J. Taormina noted the partnership with Budget EV Rental furthers the goals of Clean Cities by directly reducing mobile source emissions while helping to develop the alternative fuel market in the Airport Corridor.

According to Mr. Demb, EV Rental Cars was attracted to Pennsylvania first because of the stateÕs innovative environmental policies. PennsylvaniaÕs Department of Environmental Protection has supported the companyÕs purchase of hybrid electric vehicles, and the Clean Cities Coalitions in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh supported the natural gas vehicle purchases.

EV Rental Cars is the first and only company in the United States that rents only environmental vehicles to the general public. The company has ten locations with Budget Rent A Car in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Palm Springs, Burbank, Ontario, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. Since the company began renting vehicles in December 1998, it has accumulated more than two million miles on its environmental vehicle fleet, served over 13,000 customers, and directly prevented more than 10 tons of air pollution.

To commemorate the launch, a natural gas vehicle is being driven from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh to demonstrate the vehicleÕs practicality and the adequacy of the fueling infrastructure throughout Pennsylvania. The ÒClean Across PennsylvaniaÓ drive will stop in Harrisburg to refuel and arrive in Pittsburgh Friday, April 20.

The Honda Civic GX introduced Friday is considered the cleanest internal combustion vehicle in the world. Sixty-two Honda Civic GXs in the rental fleet would produce less total emissions than just one gasoline-powered midsize vehicle. The cars run on compressed natural gas, a domestic fuel that burns much cleaner than gasoline. EV Rental Cars projects that when the fleet reaches its full size this summer, the program will prevent 2 to 3 tons of air pollution per year.

The Toyota Prius and Honda Insight each achieve fuel economy ratings of 60 to 70 miles per gallon, and can travel up to 700 miles without refueling. This saves rental customers in fuel costs. In addition, the local cost for a gallon of natural gas ranges from only $1.08 to $1.30. The daily rates of the vehicles, at $39 to $54 per day, are comparable to conventional vehicles in the same car class. "Expanding our program to the East Coast further demonstrates how we lead the industry in offering successful environmental vehicle rental options," said Mark Sotir, president, Budget Rent A Car. "Renters of our alternative fuel cars have saved nearly $100,000 in fuel costs so far."

Stakeholders in the Clean Cities Coalition include representatives from local public and private organizations, including Equitable Gas as operator of the NGV refueling infrastructure at the Pittsburgh International Airport. The program serves as a clearinghouse for information about alternative fuel vehicle rebates and incentives, industry news, and regulatory updates.

Clean Cities and State grant monies for alternative fuels programs are significant and readily available. Budget Rent a Car Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Budget Group, Inc. (NYSE; BD), is one of the worldÕs top three car and truck rental systems. The Budget system, which operates under the same name worldwide, has more than 3,200 airport and local market locations in over 120 countries and territories. Budget has nearly 1,000 corporate-owned and franchised locations in the United States. The Budget WorldClass Fleet is comprised of more than 30 percent specialty vehicles, ranging from sport utility vehicles, convertibles and luxury cars to minivans, pickups and environmentally friendly vehicles.