CARS.COM - Wouldn't it be cool if you saw a luxury vehicle parked on the street and you could just take it - without the subsequent hassle of, say, a police chase and felony charges? Soon in 10 cities across North America you will be able to just that, and if you're in Seattle you can do it right now, as BMW launches its brand-new car-sharing service, ReachNow.
Related: GM Launches New Car Sharing Service Maven
BMW says ReachNow expands on its existing European model of "free-floating car sharing" and "on-demand mobility." An initial fleet of 370 vehicles, including the BMW i3 electric car, 3 Series sedan and Mini Hardtop, are available for immediate use via smartphone reservation today on the streets of Seattle, where the service also will be headquartered.
All would-be users need to do, the luxury automaker explained, is download the ReachNow app on Apple's App Store or Google Play and register. They then can locate and book the nearest available car via the app and return it to any legal parking space on the street within a designated area.
"ReachNow is designed to provide drivers with an experience that is as convenient as owning a car," BMW said in a statement. "The user experience is premium, with fast registration and an almost instant approval process - in 2 minutes or less - a first for any car-sharing service."
BMW said the program is tailored to users who want the instant gratification of the car-ownership experience without the associated expense. After a one-time, lifetime registration fee of $39, rates are 49 cents a minute while a car is in use and 30 cents a minute while parked; rates cap at $50 for three hours, $80 for 12 hours and $110 for 24 hours. Prices include insurance, fuel and parking at public meters, as well as all taxes and fees.
The automaker said it plans to expand the program to three more cities this year, and a total of 10 later. Gradually expanding services, BMW said, will include delivery of car-sharing vehicles, airport availability, longer-term rentals, car-sharing for residential and corporate complexes, chauffeur services and the ability to rent out your own vehicle for sharing.
BMW is the latest automaker to join the car-sharing pool as competition from car- and ride-sharing services such as Zipcar and Uber proliferate. Earlier this year, GM announced that it had made a half-billion-dollar investment in Lyft for its new car-sharing service, Maven. Last month, GM announced the launch of Express Drive in Chicago - with plans to later expand to Boston, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and beyond - allowing people to rent vehicles from the automaker to drive for the Lyft ride-sharing service.
