“We are proud to launch car2go in Birmingham,” said Stefan Mueller, CEO at car2go Europe GmbH. “car2go gives you the ability to go where you want, when you want – and in comfort – but without all the costs associated with owning, running and insuring a car full-time. We’re confident everyone will find car2go an easy, cost-effective and environmentally responsible way to get around Birmingham.”

Councillor Tahir Ali, cabinet member for development, jobs and skills, was part of the launch of the 12 month pilot scheme.

“We want to develop a range of green transport initiatives, reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions and encouraging people to think of alternative ways of getting about, said Ali. “I’m pleased to welcome car2go to Birmingham, particularly as they are making the city their UK headquarters, with the associated jobs that will bring. I will be monitoring this pilot closely for all the benefits it is expected to bring.”

car2go will start with a fleet of 250 smart fortwo in an area of 21 square miles in Birmingham.

The car2go zone covers the city area between Oxhill Rd, Pershore Rd, Vicarage Rd, Highfield Rd, City Rd, Grove Park, Stratford Rd, and Aston Park. Within this area people are allowed to park in any Pay & Display bay without time restrictions and wherever it is free to park without affecting private resident or business parking.

Every car2go vehicle in Birmingham is based on the smart mhd – an efficient, compact two-seater which emits just 98g/km of CO2, plus the convenience of automatic transmission, start-stop technology, GPS navigation and the comfort of air conditioning.

Marcus Breitschwerdt, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz UK Ltd, added: “I’m delighted that car2go has chosen Birmingham as its second UK city. Our smarts all have eco stop-start, automatic transmission, air conditioning, GPS navigation, are fuelled, insured and cleaned and are available 24/7. You don’t even have to pay for parking if you park in any pay and display without affecting residents and businesses  – car2go has got that covered too. Of course, car2go is all about making mobility easy, so anyone registered as a car2go member in London or Birmingham can use the service in either city.”

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The car sharing company is expanding its operations in British Columbia, Canada, to meet the growing needs of its more than 23,000 members.

Today, car2go will launch in the City of North Vancouver and add 50 additional car2go edition smart fortwo vehicles to its network.

The car2go Home Area in B.C. will expand from its existing area in Vancouver to include the City of North Vancouver.

“The City of North Vancouver is very pleased to welcome car2go as a new business in our community,” says Mayor Darrell Mussatto. “I applaud their commitment to providing our residents with a sustainable transportation option through this carsharing program.”

car2go originally launched in Vancouver in June 2011 with 225 car2go edition smart fortwo vehicles and a total of 2,000 members.

The company said there are more now than 23,000 car2go members in Vancouver, and collectively there have been more than 825,000 car2go trips taken throughout British Columbia.

To meet the growing membership demands, a total of 450 car2go edition smart fortwo cars will now be available throughout the Home Area. A pop-up car2go shop will be located in Lonsdale Quay (92-123 Carrie Cates Ct, North Vancouver).

The New car2go Vancouver Home Area

car2go said it has worked with the City of North Vancouver to maintain the same parking agreements throughout the expanded Home Area.

Free curbside and dedicated parking spots are located throughout numerous specially marked locations in the car2go Home Area. The entire list of car2go parking spots can be found by consulting this pdf.

Beginning February 22, the car2go Home Area will include the City of North Vancouver and will extend to the following boundaries:

North: E 29th Street (North Vancouver)

East: Trans-Canada Highway (North Vancouver); Renfrew Street (Vancouver)

South: 49th Ave (Vancouver)

West: Capilano Road (North Vancouver); UBC (Vancouver)

A special car2go North Vancouver launch celebration will be held at Boston Pizza Esplanade (88 Chesterfield Ave, North Vancouver) on Saturday, March 2, and Sunday, March 3, between 11:30AM-7PM.

A limited-time promotion (use code NORTHVAN) offers $10 registration and comes with 30 free minutes of drive time.

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The carsharing service will begin in Seattle on Dec. 19 by introducing a network of 330 car2go edition smart fortwo vehicles.

Registration for membership opened online Dec. 6 at seattle.car2go.com.

“car2go will soon be one of many ways that people can get around our city,” said Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn. “We welcome this new, innovative transportation choice for Seattle residents and visitors.”

For a limited time, all new members who use the promotion code SOUND will receive 30 free minutes of driving time. As well, currently the one-time $35 membership fee is being waived.

“The City of Seattle will now have access to the most technologically advanced carsharing program in the market,” said Nicholas Cole, president and CEO of car2go North America. “The car2go edition smart fortwo is specifically designed with technologies that allow an entire community to use and share cars collaboratively. Members gain access to a car2go with a swipe of a card, drive the car for as long as they’d like, simply end their rental anywhere within the car2go Home Area, and instantly the car becomes available for the next person to use.”

As for car2go services in other cities, Seattle members will be able to locate a car via a smartphone app, via the car2go vehicle finder on the car2go website, by calling the customer call center, or simply by finding an available car on the street, anywhere within the dedicated area.

The dedicated 42-square-mile car2go Home Area, where members can pick up or drop off a car can be seen through this following pdf.

The Seattle service will operate following the same modus operandi as in any city is already does. When a member is finished using the vehicle, he or she can park at any city non-restricted metered or un-metered spaces with time limits of two hours or greater, or on-street in any residential neighborhood within the car2go home area.

Parking, fuel, insurance and maintenance are included at no additional cost.

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The smart brand car sharing service will service three London boroughs.

Starting Tuesday Dec. 4, car2go’s fleet of smart mhd coupes – as they are known on the other side of the Atlantic – are available to use.

People can register free for car2go until the end of 2012, either online at car2go.com/London or at the car2go shop in the world’s first pop-up mall, BOXPARK Shoreditch, or at car rental company Europcar’s stores across London.

Once registered, car2go members can locate any available car through the car2go London website, by using a free app or just by walking up to an available car, touching the card reader on the windscreen, getting in and driving off.

In London, car2go costs 35p per minute and is billed directly to the customers’ account. This rate always includes fuel, insurance, road tax, parking and maintenance.

As is customary for the car2go sharing service, customers don’t have to return their car2go to the same parking bay from which it was collected – any borough-owned or unregulated parking space in a participating borough will do.

Of course the cars can be driven anywhere any car can. The car2go can be kept as long as the customer wants, or for a quick trip across town.

“A lot of Londoners don’t need or want a car all the time but enjoy the freedom that driving brings. car2go gives the best of both worlds – the ability to go where you want, when you want – and in comfort – but without all the costs associated with owning, running and insuring a car full-time,” said Stefan Mueller, CEO car2go Europe gmbh. “Today’s launch in three London Boroughs is a big moment for car2go – the Capital is our first UK city. Of course, we’re working with other Boroughs to bring car2go to more people over the coming weeks and months – and other cities and towns too. We’re really at the beginning of a very exciting story for urban mobility in Great Britain.”

London is the 17th city served by car2go, and globally the company has more than 250,000 customers who use over 6,000 vehicles worldwide.

More than five million car2go transactions have been made to date, and this number continues to rise exponentially. In fact, a car2go vehicle is now being rented at one of the existing locations every four seconds.

Marcus Breitschwerdt, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz UK Ltd, added: “Our smarts are Congestion Charge-exempt, all have eco-start/stop, automatic transmission, air conditioning, GPS navigation, are fuelled, insured and cleaned and are available 24/7. If you park in a Borough-operated parking bay in Islington, Sutton or Newham you don’t even have to pay for parking – car2go has got that covered too.”

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