BOSTON, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. car rental firm Avis Budget Group said it has agreed to purchase Zipcar for $500 million, expanding its offerings to hourly rentals.
Zipcar rents cars by the hour or by the day, representing a growing segment of the competitive market of car rentals. Its outlets are generally in large cities or near college campuses, where short-term renting can be a viable alternative to renting a car in 24-hour blocks of time.