Global Electric Motorcars, LLC (GEM) and EV Rental Cars, on April 10, 2002, have launched a “beach rental” business featuring the GEM neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV). EV Rental Cars and GEM, a DaimlerChrysler company, have established an EV Rental office in Santa Monica at The Victorian, located at 2640 Main St., a block from the beach and host to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market. The EV Rental Cars program has opened its doors with eight GEMs and expects to be renting 50 of the NEVs throughout the city by the end of the year. The EV Rental Cars’ pilot NEV program will offer both two- and four-passenger GEMs, and rentals will be available to hotel guests and walk-up customers. The special introductory rate for GEM rentals will be $25 for one hour, $45 for two hours, and $80 for the day. The GEM NEV is designed for downtown driving, college campuses, formal and informal office campuses, planned communities, industrial parks, military bases, resorts, and similar localized uses. It is charged by plugging into a standard 110-volt household outlet. GEM complies with all applicable federal safety laws.