ST. LOUIS, July 29 (UPI) -- Enterprise Rent-A-Car said it had plans to put electrically powered vehicles into its U.S. fleet of rental cars, starting with the Nissan Leaf.

The rental firm said select markets would have the Leaf available by January 2011 with an initial purchase of 500 vehicles. In time, the firm said, it would also add electrically-powered cars from other companies to its fleet.

"We have a vested interest and a history of working with manufacturers to integrate alternative-powered vehicles into our fleet," said Lee Broughton, director of sustainability for Enterprise Holdings, the rental firm's parent company.

Enterprise said in a statement Wednesday that it would start offering the Leaf in Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Knoxville and Nashville, Tenn.; San Diego and Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., and Seattle.

Toward the end of November 2010, the company will install charging stations at select locations, including "hybrid branches," which include up to 100 locations in 30 different markets.