BMW i3 EV joins BMW’s London DriveNow car sharing fleet

BMW’s DriveNow car sharing scheme in London now offers the chance to use the i3 EV to its members, with 30 i3s joining DriveNow in London from today.

BMW’s DriveNow car sharing service arrived in London in December with a fleet of MINIs and BMW 1-Series offering Londoners – and visitors to London – commitment-free access to a car on a per minute/per hour basis.

When BMW launched DriveNow in London – in conjunction with Sixt – they promised to hustle up a fleet of i3 EVs to compliment their frugal ICE fleet and now, six months on, 30 BMW i3s join the DriveNow fleet in London.

BMW see car sharing as a sensible way of reducing congestion in major cities, and the availability of the i3 EV as a way of showing that an electric car can be immensely practical, particularly in urban environments, and drives interest too in emissions free (at the point of use) driving.

Interestingly, BMW are eager to point out that car sharing programmes like DriveNow are actually reducing car ownership, quoting a survey that says 38 per cent of DriveNow customers have actually got rid of a car and chosen to use DriveNow instead.

Of course, the reality is that the car disposed of was probably a second (or third) car used just for local commuting, and if it was only an occasional use vehicle then it makes more sense economically to utilise the DriveShare scheme that costs a maximum of £20 an hour (and is actually charged by the minute), and only on an as needed basis.

With 450,000 members (up by 90,000 in the last six months) already in locations across Europe and North America – and more locations planned – it’s clear the DriveNow scheme is a good way to go for anyone who has the need for occasional transport in town; it clearly saves money, emissions and congestion.

Which can’t be anything other than good news.