5 Mar 18
News

GM's Maven debuts EV-sharing in Austin

Austin is not just the capital of Texas, but also the capital of car-sharing in Texas. Some years ago, Daimler's Car2go rolled out its car-sharing activities in the city, and now General Motors is doing the same, via its own car-sharing subsidiary Maven. 

Maven already offers car-sharing in eight other U.S. cities, but Austin will be the first to offer an exclusively all-electric fleet, thanks to a collaboration between Maven, the city of Austin and the city's electric power company. GM says its Maven fleet will help reduce Austin's twin congestion and pollution problems – Austin's traffic jams have been rated America's worst. 

GM's offer is aimed specifically at people making a living from the sharing economy, either as a driver or as a deliverer, via the Maven Gig formula. From March 1, Twenty Chevrolet Bolt electric cars are available to Austin residents, at a weekly rental rate of $229, plus taxes. Included in that price are unlimited mileage, insurance and maintenance. 

Austin aims to be at the forefront of city-fostered electric mobility. Last year, it launched Electric Drive, establishing a downtown hub for sustainable mobility, featuring bike-sharing, car-sharing, access to the hike-and-bike trail and charging options for two- and four-wheel electric vehicles.

Authored by: Frank Jacobs