Car2Go and Zipcar may no longer rule the streets of Brooklyn as the go-to car-sharing options. BMW is bringing ReachNow, their vehicle sharing program, to the outer borough, along with several new pilot programs, the company announced Tuesday.
Following launches in Seattle and Portland, Brooklyn will be the third major U.S. city where BMW has will offer car sharing services. BMW selected Brooklyn because of its "vibrant culture, residents’ environmentally-conscious values, and robust public transportation system." (As you may recall, The Drive's office is in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and yeah, we're pretty vibrant.)
In addition to being able to access BMW's fleet of cars for borrowing, the automaker is now testing a service where users can order a car with a driver. This service allows riders to plan out rides in advance, and once in the car, to select temperature and music, or a "quiet mode" if preferred.
Normal, multi-day car rentals can be reserved through the app with pre-designated pricing. Users can choose a specific for their booking and that car will be delivered by ReachNow to their designated location and at whatever time they choose.
BMW is now allowing Mini owners – only model year 2016 or 2017 – to rent their cars to interested ReachNow users. Starting in mid-December, those who sign up will be able to loan their cars out for two day periods or longer.
With the exception of the on-location rental services, the new trial services mentioned above will first launch in Seattle. It's unclear if BMW intends on spreading these programs nationwide.