Launched two years ago in Germany and available in Austin, Texas, since last year, the concept involves Smart Fortwo cars that are rented by the minute (or about $13 per hour).
Registered members can pre-book the cars online or via mobile phone, or check out an available vehicle on the spot (a member can swipe in using a card reader on the windshield). When done, the car is returned to any unoccupied parking space within a set operation area.
Currently, car2go is assessing its in-vehicle technology with selected non-profits and businesses in Vancouver, including Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver Film School, Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival and a set of UBC staff and graduate students. The trial assessment is being conducted to validate and refine business processes and technical systems before further large-scale rollouts in Canada and the United States.
"We elected to perform our trial assessment in Vancouver because of its proximity to one of our technology providers, allowing us to monitor and analyze the data first-hand," said Nicholas Cole, president and CEO of car2go, N.A., LLC. "With this trial assessment, car2go will better understand how our systems work in different countries, providing data sets to help us ultimately enhance the car2go experience for our members."
According to Cole, more than 15,000 members were signed up in Austin and used 100,000 rentals in the first year of operation.
from Western Investor, January 2011
