DriveNow USA launched as an electric vehicle car sharing pilot in 2012 in the Bay Area with great success and the hope of expanding our service city-wide so that all neighborhoods would have access to their vehicles with curbside pick-up and drop-off; as do DriveNow customers in Europe. The proposed program would have extended service to most SF neighborhoods, increasing access to our vehicles and making flexible car sharing more convenient than ever. The DriveNow fleet consisted of BMW ActiveE and i3 electric vehicles.

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Today, the BMW sub-division announces the end of the car-sharing program in the Bay Area starting November 2nd. The company says the decision was influenced by the lack of parking permit regulations necessary for one-way car sharing. “Until the current regulations are amended, we must suspend service in the San Francisco Bay Area,” DriveNow reads in a statement. “We fully expect to return once the city reforms its parking policies to allow for one-way car sharing. We will continue to work with the city of San Francisco toward achieving that goal.”

BMW says the program will expand though to other cities in the upcoming months.

Richard Steinberg, CEO DriveNow: “We hope to return to San Francisco in the future and will continue to engage with the City on possible solutions that will allow you to experience the full benefits of our one-way car sharing service. In the meantime, we are focusing our efforts on new cities where our transportation solution can flourish. We would like to thank you for your loyal support and embracing flexible car sharing as an alternative transportation method.”