Hundreds, possibly thousands, of eco-friendly vehicles will be made available before the end of the year for use for a few hours and which can be dropped off at various sites set up in Paris, Delanoe said in an interview with RMC radio and BFM-TV.

"The idea is that you won't have to use a car for anything other than what is truely indispensable," the Socialist mayor said.

The clean car service would mirror a new scheme being launched next month in which 10,000 bicycles will be made available for rental across the city.

Delanoe said the service will not exclusively offer electricity-powered cars but look at other Green vehicles.

Two firms have been chosen to provide the clean-car service and other businesses are interested in the scheme that would be progressively expanded over many years, he said.

From July 15 Parisians and tourists will able to use swipe- or credit-cards 24 hours a day to rent cycles for short trips around the city, dropping them at 750 bike points in the capital.

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