Green Expansion COMM 215 September 9, 2013 Ruth Palumbo Green Expansion Lotus Rental Car is a regional company primarily located in the western United States. The company plans to move into the national market by introducing a fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles into its existing fleet. While alternative fuels are still not widely available outside major metropolitan areas, we believe adding alternative-fuel cars to our fleet in areas where alternative fuels are readily available will increase our customer base and open new markets. This is particularly true in large east coast metropolitan areas that consider themselves to be environmentally proactive, such as Atlanta, Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. With the extremely high price of gasoline, there is a much higher demand for alternative-fuel cars, so by providing an option to our customers for these types of vehicles, Lotus will be able to tap into the green minded customer markets that already exist in these cities. Our team believes that introducing this fleet into Lotus’ already existing fleet will add a new dimension to the company and provide the growth we need to compete in these new markets. Our team will explore the advantages and disadvantages of the most widely available types of fuels and automobiles. We will also discuss the economic impact this fleet will have on Lotus. After exploring these options, we will provide our Chief Financial Officer with the types of cars and fuels best suited for these markets. These recommendations will be based on the range of the automobiles and the availability of the fuels within that market. Our recommendation will take into account both the environmental and economic impact this move will have on these