Amongst the wave of attention Elon Musk is getting, competitors need to be creative in order to keep up. BMW is doing just that with their latest venture into car-sharing. The German carmaker is launching ReachNow in Seattle. Users will have access to a fleet of 370 vehicles including the new i3 electric cars. If this plan proves successful and spreads out across the U.S, Tesla may just have their hands full.
BMW BRINGS ELECTRIC CARS TO THE PUBLIC
BMW previously attempted a car-sharing service in the U.S. They shut down their DriveNow program, but now we are seeing it pop up again with a whole new look. Dubbed ReachNow, the German automakers will be offering a fleet of 370 vehicles to lucky citizens of Seattle. Included in the fleet will be the i3 electric cars as well as BMW 3-series and MINI Cooper models. Cars will be found on Seattle streets for the time being, but there may be plans to expand.
AFFORDABLE CARS FOR THE PUBLIC
Seattle residents who could never afford the BMW of their dreams can now drive one away for just a one time fee of $39. Well, there is an additional $.49 cents for each minute driving and then $.30 cents for each minute parked. When you factor in that the rates include insurance, fuel, and taxes, that amount doesn’t really seem too bad. BMW’s ReachNow model is fairly similar to other popular services like Zipcar but offers a few more incentives. For one, drivers can ride in electric style. Additionally, people can even book a driver in case they can’t (or won’t) drive themselves. If ReachNow begins to reach out to other parts of the world, perhaps Tesla may face some stiff competition.
HAS TESLA MET IT’S MATCH?
Tesla doesn’t have many negative aspects, but certainly, the cost is the biggest one. Even though the newest Model 3 is going to appeal to the mass market, not everyone has $30,000 to drop on a car. With the increase in electric cars rising, having car-share services like this allow everyone to get in on it. Tesla has helped define electric cars as an exclusive club. However, now that one just needs $40 and some change. Suddenly, the desire for a Tesla doesn’t seem so strong. Add the fact that ReachNow takes care of all the maintenance headaches that owning a car can bring and the offer looks pretty attractive. Elon Musk may want to take note.
