Another milestone in the MINI innovation offensive will be a car-sharing solution for private vehicles. Society’s shift towards a “sharing economy” also fuels the success of the car-sharing concept DriveNow, which benefits to a large extent from the appeal of the MINI brand in cities.
Peter Schwarzenbauer, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for MINI, Rolls-Royce, BMW Motorrad and After Sales, explained the thinking behind the new MINI service offering: “Society and the automotive industry are undergoing radical change. MINI customers are among the most progressive, open-minded target groups. So it makes sense for us to offer a car-sharing option for MINI starting in 2016.”
A new optional equipment package will enable MINI customers to share their MINI with others. MINI customers can make their vehicle available to DriveNow when not in use. This is also an attractive feature for fleet customers, enabling optimum use of fleet vehicles. This option will initially be available in the US in 2016 and later in DriveNow cities. In a further step, MINI will also enable a new form of vehicle lending (“peer-to-peer car sharing”) for a defined circle of family and friends.
