Parisian EV-sharing services surge
03 March 2020
3 March 2020
This month Groupe Renault and Ferrovial will launch Zity, a free-floating electric-vehicle (EV) sharing service in Paris. Meanwhile, Citroen has announced it will be adding the two-seater electric vehicle Ami to its Free2Move sharing platform in the spring. With 20% of Parisians now using car-sharing services, manufactures are looking to cash in on a growing trend.
Zity city
The Zity fleet will be made up of 500 units of the Renault Zoe, which are available for hire 24/7 on a self-service basis. Using the app, drivers will be able to locate, reserve and unlock a car. The EVs come equipped with five seats, a reverse camera, proximity sensors, GPS, touch screen and cruise control. Child seats will also be available in some vehicles, which can be viewed on the Zity app.
The Zoe Zity will come with a guaranteed battery level, meaning users won't be faced with hiring an EV only to find it has no charge. If a Zoe drops below the minimum level required, it will not be available for hire and will be removed from circulation by the Zity team and recharged.
Hire rates follow a flexible principle. With no registration or subscription fees, users can pay per minute, for a fixed time slot (four, eight or 24 hours) or with time credit via ′economy packs'. A ′stand-by' option allows drivers to park and keep their vehicle for a short time at a preferential cost.
Using a competitive computer platform and an algorithm that analyses vehicle use, Zity will be able to identify areas with the highest amount of demand. This will allow them to reposition vehicles after servicing, making the most of the fleet.
′The Zity electric car-sharing service in free-floating offer has many advantages, including flexible booking times and the availability of vehicles, in the right place at the right time, thanks to a high-performance application', said Gilles Normand, SVP, Electric Vehicles & Mobility Services at Groupe Renault.
′With a cleaner, accessible and sustainable mobility offer, Zity also provides a response to the needs of cities to reduce CO2 emissions and to combat pollution.'
After running successfully in Madrid since December 2017, Zity is a proven concept. This initial fleet comprised 725 Zoe models as a joint venture between Renault and Ferrovial. In their press release, the companies recognised the potential for this service to be introduced in other cities in the coming years.
Rental rivalry
PSA Group's car-sharing arm Free2Move will be positioning itself to compete with Zity, by introducing the Citroen Ami to its fleet in the spring. With its compact design, the EV is designed for an urban environment. As a quadricycle, Free2Move is able to hire the Ami out to people without a driving licence and from the age of 16.
The two-seater will have no minimum rental duration, with two pricing options available. PSA's release reads, ′without a subscription, rental will cost €0.39 per minute, €18 for the first hour (then €9 per hour for any additional hours) and €60 per day. With a no-contract subscription of €9.90 per month, rental costs €0.26 per minute, €12 for the first hour (then €6 per hour for any additional hours) and €40 per day.' The best tariff will be automatically applied, regardless of the duration of the journey.