Daimler's Car2go carsharing service expands to Los Angeles
Mon, May 19 2014
Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler is bringing its Car2go carsharing service to Southern California on June 6, marking the service's 14th market in North America and its 27th worldwide. Car2go, which features Smart ForTwo two-seaters (almost exclusively) and has more than 700,000 users worldwide, is actually making it a South Bay affair, offering the service in the 28-square-mile area that ranges from El Segundo to Lomita and includes the Beach Boys' hometown of Hawthorne. Fun, fun, fun indeed.
Car2go, which says it will provide the Los Angeles region's "first point-to-point" carsharing service, will make 150 ForTwos available at a rate of 41 cents a minute and is offering free registration and 30 minutes of free cruising for a limited period of time. Car2go started service in Rome in mid-March and has been adding new cities at quite a clip since starting out in Ulm, Germany, in 2008. It debuted stateside in Austin, TX in 2009. Check out Car2go's press release about its Los Angeles South Bay operations below, and get more LA details here.
car2go Expands Network In Southern California With Point-to-Point Carsharing In The South Bay
First Point-To-Point Service in the Los Angeles Region to Be Available On June 6th
Free Registration Begins Today For a Limited Time
AUSTIN, Texas, May 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
car2go North America LLC, the fastest-growing global carsharing company, announced today that it will be expanding its network in Southern California with its pioneering point-to-point carsharing service in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County on June 6th, marking the South Bay as car2go's 14th market in North America and the first in the Los Angeles region. Beginning today, car2go will offer free member registration along with 30 minutes of drive time credit for a limited time at LA.car2go.com using the promotional code SURF.
"We are thrilled to become part of the South Bay community by providing the most convenient, true point to point and technologically-advanced carsharing service in the world," said Nicholas Cole, President and CEO of car2go North America. "The South Bay is setting the example in Los Angeles County with a progressive solution to how they travel within the area - and we are proud to provide a service that will bring a positive impact to the everyday lives of residents and visitors alike."
Beginning June 6th, car2go will provide a network of 150 smart fortwo car2go edition vehicles for shared use, allowing members to use the service by the minute, 24 hours a day, seven days a week – without committing to a specific return time or dedicated location. The car2go Home Area, where members can pick up or drop off a car2go, covers approximately 28 square miles, and will include El Segundo, Hawthorne, Torrance, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and Lomita as the first expansion in Southern California.
"Finding solutions to ease transportation woes has been a top priority for South Bay leaders," said Michael DiVirgilio, mayor of Hermosa Beach. "Hermosa Beach was one of the first cities to adopt a bike sharing program, and we have spent countless hours working on a master plan for transportation locally. car2go is a part of our toolbox to reduce congestion and allow people to enjoy the beauty of our communities."
"We are known for being innovators in the South Bay," said Steve Aspel, mayor of Redondo Beach. "We are pleased to welcome car2go to the area, and we look forward to seeing how this latest innovation cuts traffic. It's a smart solution for a difficult problem."
Today, car2go is the fastest-growing global carsharing leader in seven countries and 26 cities, with more than 700,000 registered members. Recently, car2go introduced Regional Access exclusively across North America, allowing car2go members to use the service in all of car2go's cities across the U.S. and Canada, including Austin, San Diego, Washington, D.C., Portland, Miami, Seattle, Minneapolis, Columbus, Denver, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary and Montreal.
A DIFFERENT WAY TO CARSHARE
To locate a car2go vehicle, members will be able to find the nearest one via the car2go smartphone app, the car2go website, by calling the customer call center, or simply by finding an available car on the street anywhere within the 28-square mile car2go Home Area in the South Bay.
When members are finished using the vehicle, they may park at any city non-restricted metered or un-metered spaces, or on any residential neighborhood street within the car2go Home Area. Parking, fuel, insurance and maintenance are included at no additional cost.
Members can use the car2go service by the minute, and will pay only for the time they use the vehicle, with discounted rates for hourly and daily use. There are no annual or monthly contracts required to use the service.
For more information or to register to become a member of car2go, please visit LA.car2go.com or www.car2go.com, follow @car2goLA on Twitter or become a fan of car2go Los Angeles on Facebook at www.facebook.com/car2go.losangeles.
About car2go N.A. LLC
car2go N.A. LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler North America Corporation and a brand of moovel GmbH, offers an innovative mobility solution in rapidly growing urban areas via a carsharing network of eco-friendly smart fortwo vehicles around the world. A flexible and "on demand" mode of transportation, car2go complements existing public transportation by bridging the gaps between the "first and last mile" of a member's commute. Today, car2go is the largest, fastest-growing carsharing program in the world with more than 700,000 registered members in 26 cities across the globe.
The innovation and environmental sustainability of car2go have earned international acclaim, including "Best Carshare" from the Vancouver Courier, "2014 Best CarSharing App" from Best of D.C., recognition from the Austin Chamber of Commerce with the "Greater Austin Business Award" for its positive impact on the city's traffic, and the prestigious "2010 EPA Clean Air Excellence Award" from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Further information on car2go is available at car2go.com and media.daimler.com/ms/car2go/e.
About Daimler
Daimler AG is one of the world's most successful automotive companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services, the Daimler Group is one of the biggest producers of premium cars and the world's biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles with a global reach. Daimler Financial Services provides financing, leasing, fleet management, insurance and innovative mobility services. The company's founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of the automobile in the year 1886. As a pioneer of automotive engineering, Daimler continues to shape the future of mobility today: The Group's focus is on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior automobiles that appeal to and fascinate its customers. For many years now, Daimler has been investing continually in the development of alternative drive systems with the goal of making emission-free driving possible in the long term. So in addition to vehicles with hybrid drive, Daimler now has the broadest range of locally emission-free electric vehicles powered by batteries and fuel cells. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly accepts the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society and the environment. Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities on five continents. Its current brand portfolio includes, in addition to the world's most valuable premium automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz, the brands smart, Freightliner, Western Star, BharatBenz, Fuso, Setra and Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of Frankfurt and Stuttgart (stock exchange symbol DAI). In 2013, the Group sold 2.35 million vehicles and employed a workforce of 274,616 people; revenue totaled ˆ118.0 billion and EBIT amounted to ˆ10.8 billion.
First Point-To-Point Service in the Los Angeles Region to Be Available On June 6th
Free Registration Begins Today For a Limited Time
AUSTIN, Texas, May 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
car2go North America LLC, the fastest-growing global carsharing company, announced today that it will be expanding its network in Southern California with its pioneering point-to-point carsharing service in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County on June 6th, marking the South Bay as car2go's 14th market in North America and the first in the Los Angeles region. Beginning today, car2go will offer free member registration along with 30 minutes of drive time credit for a limited time at LA.car2go.com using the promotional code SURF.
"We are thrilled to become part of the South Bay community by providing the most convenient, true point to point and technologically-advanced carsharing service in the world," said Nicholas Cole, President and CEO of car2go North America. "The South Bay is setting the example in Los Angeles County with a progressive solution to how they travel within the area - and we are proud to provide a service that will bring a positive impact to the everyday lives of residents and visitors alike."
Beginning June 6th, car2go will provide a network of 150 smart fortwo car2go edition vehicles for shared use, allowing members to use the service by the minute, 24 hours a day, seven days a week – without committing to a specific return time or dedicated location. The car2go Home Area, where members can pick up or drop off a car2go, covers approximately 28 square miles, and will include El Segundo, Hawthorne, Torrance, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and Lomita as the first expansion in Southern California.
"Finding solutions to ease transportation woes has been a top priority for South Bay leaders," said Michael DiVirgilio, mayor of Hermosa Beach. "Hermosa Beach was one of the first cities to adopt a bike sharing program, and we have spent countless hours working on a master plan for transportation locally. car2go is a part of our toolbox to reduce congestion and allow people to enjoy the beauty of our communities."
"We are known for being innovators in the South Bay," said Steve Aspel, mayor of Redondo Beach. "We are pleased to welcome car2go to the area, and we look forward to seeing how this latest innovation cuts traffic. It's a smart solution for a difficult problem."
Today, car2go is the fastest-growing global carsharing leader in seven countries and 26 cities, with more than 700,000 registered members. Recently, car2go introduced Regional Access exclusively across North America, allowing car2go members to use the service in all of car2go's cities across the U.S. and Canada, including Austin, San Diego, Washington, D.C., Portland, Miami, Seattle, Minneapolis, Columbus, Denver, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary and Montreal.
A DIFFERENT WAY TO CARSHARE
To locate a car2go vehicle, members will be able to find the nearest one via the car2go smartphone app, the car2go website, by calling the customer call center, or simply by finding an available car on the street anywhere within the 28-square mile car2go Home Area in the South Bay.
When members are finished using the vehicle, they may park at any city non-restricted metered or un-metered spaces, or on any residential neighborhood street within the car2go Home Area. Parking, fuel, insurance and maintenance are included at no additional cost.
Members can use the car2go service by the minute, and will pay only for the time they use the vehicle, with discounted rates for hourly and daily use. There are no annual or monthly contracts required to use the service.
For more information or to register to become a member of car2go, please visit LA.car2go.com or www.car2go.com, follow @car2goLA on Twitter or become a fan of car2go Los Angeles on Facebook at www.facebook.com/car2go.losangeles.
About car2go N.A. LLC
car2go N.A. LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler North America Corporation and a brand of moovel GmbH, offers an innovative mobility solution in rapidly growing urban areas via a carsharing network of eco-friendly smart fortwo vehicles around the world. A flexible and "on demand" mode of transportation, car2go complements existing public transportation by bridging the gaps between the "first and last mile" of a member's commute. Today, car2go is the largest, fastest-growing carsharing program in the world with more than 700,000 registered members in 26 cities across the globe.
The innovation and environmental sustainability of car2go have earned international acclaim, including "Best Carshare" from the Vancouver Courier, "2014 Best CarSharing App" from Best of D.C., recognition from the Austin Chamber of Commerce with the "Greater Austin Business Award" for its positive impact on the city's traffic, and the prestigious "2010 EPA Clean Air Excellence Award" from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Further information on car2go is available at car2go.com and media.daimler.com/ms/car2go/e.
About Daimler
Daimler AG is one of the world's most successful automotive companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services, the Daimler Group is one of the biggest producers of premium cars and the world's biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles with a global reach. Daimler Financial Services provides financing, leasing, fleet management, insurance and innovative mobility services. The company's founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of the automobile in the year 1886. As a pioneer of automotive engineering, Daimler continues to shape the future of mobility today: The Group's focus is on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior automobiles that appeal to and fascinate its customers. For many years now, Daimler has been investing continually in the development of alternative drive systems with the goal of making emission-free driving possible in the long term. So in addition to vehicles with hybrid drive, Daimler now has the broadest range of locally emission-free electric vehicles powered by batteries and fuel cells. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly accepts the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society and the environment. Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities on five continents. Its current brand portfolio includes, in addition to the world's most valuable premium automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz, the brands smart, Freightliner, Western Star, BharatBenz, Fuso, Setra and Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of Frankfurt and Stuttgart (stock exchange symbol DAI). In 2013, the Group sold 2.35 million vehicles and employed a workforce of 274,616 people; revenue totaled ˆ118.0 billion and EBIT amounted to ˆ10.8 billion.
By Danny King
See also: New Smart Fortwo and Forfour teased in promo video, Smart ForTwo owner misses point, swaps in big block V8, New Car2go Regional Access shares carsharing between US, Canada.