The collaboration between BMW and Daimler is getting new dimensions as the two German premium car manufacturers expand their business ventures explored together. The two giants announced a while back that they want to create smart mobility solutions together and it looks like we finally have an idea as to what they imply exactly. Unlike previous reports claiming the whole thing will be one huge joint venture it seems like the two decided to split things into five different, smaller, ones.
With an estimated investment of 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion) the two sides announced today the launching of several services run together, each catering to a different customer base. The five are: ReachNow, ChargeNow, FreeNow, ParkNow and ShareNow. ReachNow is an integrated solution which allows users to get from point A to point B using public transport and other mobility solutions, such as car-sharing, ride-hailing and bike rentals, all from the same app. Customers can order and pay for the services from the app as well.
ChargeNow offers you the best possible look for the nearest electric car charger. You can locate them, check for availability and pay for the electricity from the app, covering over 100,000 charge points across 25 countries. ParkNow finds parking spots nearby and also allows you to park and pay without having to use cash or any sort of ticket. According to the two companies, over 30 million customers are already using the service in more than 1,100 cities.
FreeNow offers a variety of mobility services including taxis, private chauffeurs with rental vehicles, and state-of-the-art e-scooters, all at the tap of a finger. The app is already serving more than 21 million people and has over 250,000 drivers signed up. ShareNow is a free-floating car-sharing service that allows customers to rent and pay for vehicles by smartphone — anytime, anywhere. Its fleet will now be extended to incorporate a wider range of models and increase market coverage. More than 4 million customers in total currently use the fleet’s 20,000 vehicles in 31 cities around the world.
“We are steering very clearly towards growth, and together we will continue to invest consistently in our joint mobility services. As well as linking in additional transport options, we want to reach out to even more people in towns and cities across the world, thereby improving the quality of urban life,” BMW Group CEO, Harald Krüger explained. “Our mobility services have developed a strong customer base and we are now taking the next strategic step. We are pooling the strength and expertise of 14 successful brands and investing more than €1 billion to establish a new player in the fast-growing market for urban mobility,” said Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
