Car subscription and car sharing, do they go together? Yes, even excellent, says the start-up ViveLaCar, which has been offering cars on subscription since 2018 and, unlike most of its competitors, cooperates with local car dealers. The Stuttgart-based company is now launching a new service format called “ViveLaCar One“. The pilot project is intended to combine the advantages of car subscriptions with those of car sharing: “Simply use cars instead of owning them,” says Mathias Albert, founder and boss of ViveLaCar. With One it will be possible in the future to share subscribed cars in a closed group and thus make a valuable contribution to the community. And of course you save a lot. “Since all costs including refueling or charging the battery are included, enjoy Oneusers a previously unique level of transparency,” says Albert.
ViveLaCar One starts in Cologne and Bergisch Gladbach
Users pay based on mileage
The car subscription provider cites the metropolis of Cologne as an example. More than 500,000 cars are registered here. If only ten percent used the new subscription-sharing model, the number of vehicles in the cathedral city would be reduced by up to 38,000 cars. This is a noticeable relief and reduces the space required for parking by around 60 football pitches.
The Hyundai Kona Electric is one of four models to be available at the start of the pilot project.
Billing is accurate to the kilometer, transparent and separated by subscriber based on the kilometer package booked, which can be changed monthly – if you drive less, you pay less! The subscribers enjoy full service from the brand dealer, receive a cover letter from Zurich Insurance and remain flexible at all times. The joint subscription can be canceled monthly with a notice period of three months, the minimum term amounts to half a year.
Initially, subscription communities consisting of two or three households, each with a maximum of two users, can take part in the pilot project. The pilot project is scheduled to last six months and is limited to 30 households.
Subscription sharing via app at Lync & Co
With the SUV 01, Lync & Co also offers a vehicle for subscription, which can also be rented at the same time.
It should also be possible to open and close the car using a smartphone app. However, the subscription-sharing combination still seems to be little known. In an AUTO BILD sample at the beginning of September, there were only three vehicles available in Berlin for daily prices from 45 euros. In Hamburg, no Lync & Co 01 were displayed for rent in the app. Apparently there is still a lot of room for improvement.
